It seems like comic books were kind of the "fount of all knowledge" for us as children. New and wonderful toys (and creatures) were always being advertised for us to have (and love) on the back cover of the comic books. My alltime favorite, which I wanted but my mother (wisely ?) refused, was the little monkeys that were only $19 . How they shipped those monkeys to people, and if they ever got there alive, I have no idea. I never knew anyone that was able to talk their parents into getting one. I did have the little Sea-Monkeys; but remember being very disappointed that they didn't look anything like the cute pictures on the advertisements. I also had an ant farm. I think all of the kids back in the 1950's had an ant farm; and after a week of watching the ants , we were all bored with ant farms. Cereal boxes also had great toys advertised. One of my favorites were little scuba divers (Frogmen) that worked with baking soda in a little cup at their feet. The soda would make a bubble, and up would come the Frogman, tip upside down and lose his bubble, and back to the bottom he went. I had several of them (in different colors, of course); so they were always going up and down in the fishbowl where I played with them. What toys, or interesting little creatures, does everyone else remember from when you were young ?
I saw those sea monkeys advertised but never got to see them live. I didn't know anyone who had an ant far either. It was popular to keep silk worms when I was a child though, so I was on a constant quest to find mulberry leaves to feed them. A friend had a mulberry tree in her garden, which was a help when I visited her, but the rest of the time I had to go to pick leaves from a tree growing over a neighbour's wall as I didn't know anyone else who had a tree. Now I've got a mulberry bonsai, and when I prune it I always feel guilty about the leaves going to waste, but I don't know anyone who's got silkworms. I can't really think of anything special in toys unless you count the pet rock. I had a few trolls, and Barbie dolls of course, though sadly the accessories weren't available in South Africa back then. I was so jealous of a friend who managed to get hold of a set with a bed, but she lived far away, so I hardly got to play with it.
I wouldn't know where to start. I had so many favorite toys and tons of comic books. I was big time into Donald Duck, Superman, Black Hawk and many more. I had a big box full of cast toy cars and trucks. No plastic back then. I actually had a city built into the hillside where I would play cops and robbers with my cars and trucks. Lots of toy airplanes to help bomb the city now and then. A lot of my toy guns were modeled about WW2 as this was in the early forties and the war was raging. In the winter, my grandpa would make me a skip Jack for racing down our hill. These were made from old barrels that were on the farm. Lots of favorites, too many to mention. I appreciated all my toys as money was quite tight in those days.
I remember comic books and of course seeing the ads for the Sea Monkeys. This was hilarious because although we never actually bought them there were always reports they weren't as advertised, big surprise. As for toys I remember I had the standards the Barbie doll, the dolls, and the board games such as Candy Land. But I will never forget the Christmas where me and my siblings were fighting over who got to play with a big box. Our father got so frustrated by it, that he said that next year he won't bother to get us toys he'll just get us all a box. Hey we didn't have a whole lot of money so we had great imginations and a box could be many things in the imagination.
My grandfather owned an IGA store so I would get boxes of comic books and paperback books that didn't sell. They were missing half the front cover because that was what he had to send back to get credit for them, but they were perfectly readable. As for toys, one of my favorites was my erector set. That was when it came with a little electric motor that could be used to build contraptions.
I had one of these tin chickens as a boy. You would push down on it and it would lay an egg. ( a white marble)
I had one of those chickens, too, and she would squawk and cluck loudly as she laid that little white marble egg. I loved that little hen ! I remember another favorite toy was the little top (I think it had clowns painted on it), and it had a moter that would wind it up when you pulled the handle at the top up and down. Once you had it spinning fast, then you let go of the handle, and watched it spin and wind down. And another one called a gyro-top, that had a string to make it go. You had to attach the string, and wind it around the gyro-top, and then you pulled the string out very fast, and set the top to spinning on its tiny base. I had a yo-yo, too; but I was never adept at using it, and it might go up and down once or twice, and then just quit.
Sometimes the simple things can be the most fun. I doubt most of the kids of today experience that though with all the technology they're exposed to from a really young age. I was too young to remember it, but my Mom says that my first toy was an old telephone directory, which I presume I ripped apart. My first real toy was a teddy bear which I got from my grandparents. His fur is rather thin now, but I still have him.
Back when I was in junior high school, the Duncan yo yo man came to our school and put on a demo of tricks that could be done. Everyone was fascinated and I don't believe there was a store in town that had any Yoyos left in stock. All the kids had them that year.
I am a big reader so my favorite activity was reading comic books. I don't really remember having a lot of toys as a kid.
I loved board games and we always had quite a few in the house. Without wanting to sound all intellectual, I think that board games are really useful educational aids, as well as being entertaining. They help to develop logic and in the case of Scrabble, do wonders for your vocabulary. I still like playing Scrabble even now.
Back in Brooklyn, most of the comics we bought were missing the half cover. I always wondered why they were gone! Now that I know this, and of course, MURDER, I have no regret of a formal education!
I did buy the sea monkees several times but they never lasted more that a day or two. What I really wanted in those days were the amazing and guaranteed "X-Ray Vision" glasses, but never seemed to have enough money to send away for a pair. And of course, if you wanted to be popular and invited to all of the "IN" parties, nothing like accordion lessons!
We also had quite a few board games and I think my favourite when I was growing up was probably Monopoly. However my Mom was always a big Scrabble fan, so that was the game we went on playing in recent years. We haven't touched it since my Dad died though. I'm sure my Mom would like to, but somehow to me it doesn't feel right for just the two of us to play. Hopefully that feeling will wear off in time.
Hi Michelle! Please excuse me if I am sounding rude, as that is not my attention. I think that your Dad would love for you and your Mom to play again as all of you enjoyed it so much when he was physically able to play. Perhaps he can not move the tiles around, but I am sure that he will "join" in anyway!