Favorite toys as a kid

[Nuuska]

Aaah - MECANO - and then danish wooden version BILOFIX - used to have both - still have Bilofix

Some of you might remember my BILOFIX-demonstration of how to make expander tool for differential box frame.

LEGO ( LEg GOod = Play Well ) was initially only bricks and plates plus doors and windows - then the wheels came in - and centuries later Lego-Technic started with axels and sprocket-wheel etc.

 

[Rebosbro]

Erector set, model trains.

Yes!! Erector sets! I had one and then found one in my grandfathers attic. Vintage erector set with tons of mojo!

 

[Brad Little]

What in the world is erector set? And do kids need such?

As for model trains - I was rep for LGB - garden trains for about 10 years - then a hostile takeover finished them - now they are part of Märklin and it's gone haywire. Nothing left from good times.

Erector Set - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[dreadnut]

The Erector Set was cool because you could build "actual stuff."

 

[HeyMikey]

Clackers. Bought my wife some several years ago when we were reminiscing about old toys and the ones that you’d never see sold today.

Browse these pages if you want a fun trip down memory lane.

Still pissed at my parents (RIP) for selling all my cool stuff (Hot Wheels anyone?) in a yard sale when I went off the college.

https://www.timewarptoys.com/Products/Clackers

 

[GAD]

BTW I thought I'd add one of my favorite toys as an adult: Plastwood Supermag! They're little magnetic rods with little balls that you can assemble into any shape your mind can imagine. They came in a bunch of colors, but my first sets were all red. They were popular around 2005 or so, and from what I've read were based on licensing from a competitor (GeoMag). Here are some shapes that I made on the left and the matching shapes my kids (7 and 5 at the time) made to match them before we ran out of pieces:

Sadly the industry was kind of ruined in the US because a competitor came up with cheaper (and crappier) alternative that kids ended up eating. Plastwood and Geomag are still in business, but at least here in the US I don't see them talked about much, though I also haven't left the house in a freaking year.

They released super high-end sets back in the day that sold for crazy money, and though it's taken me many years, I have finally managed to get each of them! Not only do these appeal to my collector senses, but I love nice boxes and the presentation is just through the roof!

 

[dreadnut]

Water rockets!

 

[Rambozo96]

 

[Opsimath]

BTW I thought I'd add one of my favorite toys as an adult: Plastwood Supermag! They're little magnetic rods with little balls that you can assemble into any shape your mind can imagine. They came in a bunch of colors, but my first sets were all red. They were popular around 2005 or so, and from what I've read were based on licensing from a competitor (GeoMag). Here are some shapes that I made on the left and the matching shapes my kids (7 and 5 at the time) made to match them before we ran out of pieces:

Sadly the industry was kind of ruined in the US because a competitor came up with cheaper (and crappier) alternative that kids ended up eating. Plastwood and Geomag are still in business, but at least here in the US I don't see them talked about much, though I also haven't left the house in a freaking year.

They released super high-end sets back in the day that sold for crazy money, and though it's taken me many years, I have finally managed to get each of them! Not only do these appeal to my collector senses, but I love nice boxes and the presentation is just through the roof!

I think my son had the cheap knock-offs. If I recall correctly they were called Magnetix.

 

[FNG]

 

[Canard]

Meccano (same basic thing as Erector)

Especially with all the really dangerous accessories that kids would never be allowed to have now:




Also really basic things like sulphur, crushed charcoal briquettes, saltpetre and old tobacco tins and tissue paper for rolling fuses. Yes, and matches. Encyclopedias were a great source of information for devious young minds.

 

[Canard]

Also Jetex solid fuel rocket engines

Really dangerous.

 

[Canard]

And of course the original Corgi James Bond Aston Martin DB-5

 

[dreadnut]

I can solve one of these in under a minute, if the pieces move smoothly.

 

[adorshki]

looks like fun!

Dentists loved Flexible Flyers.

Those are astounding!
No, I wasn't good at it either, but I liked to try. What was the gray stuff inside? I remember mine started leaking that stuff out around the right knob.

As long as your kids have all their fingers and toes in the right places I wouldn't worry about it.

Anyone remember the first Zipline version? Late 70s. My dad bought one. Attached it to 2 trees. Then tested it out with my brother. I mean, literally strapped Charlie in and pushed. Too hard. He goes right into the tree. It was terrible watching Charlie scream as he approached tree at speed and my dad was like, oh crap. Nothing to do but cringe and look away as the body hit. Poor guy. But no broken bones. My mom of course livid. Ah, childhood.

Dentists loved Ziplines.

And Slip'n Slides:

I had a James Bond Briefcase:

 

[adorshki]

I had to make do with regular old everyday book matches.

 

[adorshki]

MUCH fun was had creating "Battle Injury GI Joe" 's with those.

 

[GuildedCage]

One of the few toy guns that justify the phrase ''You'll shoot your eye out kid!''

 

[adorshki]

One of the few toy guns that justify the phrase ''You'll shoot your eye out kid!''

Ah, but that's the '70's re-issue, the originals were gold and the discs were harder and flew better.

I think mine got confiscated by my 6th grade teacher when he finally figured out who was shootin' the damn things.

 

[GuildedCage]

Ah, but that's the '70's re-issue, the originals were gold and the discs were harder and flew better.

I think mine got confiscated by my 6th grade teacher when he finally figured out who was shootin' the damn things.

My sister destroyed my disk sidearm and my potato gun. I have no idea why she would do such a thing!