11) Crayola Crayons (1903) - The average child wears down or eats (or tries to eat) about 525 crayons by age 10! 2.5 Billion crayons are sold each year. I just always broke mine because I pressed too hard. I was never good at coloring anyway. Little known Crayon Song: Harry Chapin’s “Flowers Are Red…” My theme song. Color outside the lines people!
10) Lincoln Logs (1916) - Lincoln Logs were invented by John Lloyd Wright, the son of architect Frank Lloyd Wright. I don’t remember having these but I always found an excuse to go play at my friend Jonathan’s house ‘cause he had all the cool toys.
9) Madame Alexander Collectible Dolls (1929) - One for the girls. Madame Alexander was the first to create a doll based on a licensed character (Scarlett O'Hara from Gone With the Wind), Barbie and the rest of collectibles came soon after. Note: I don’t understand the purpose behind having “collectible” stuff that you stare at and don’t play with.
8) Monopoly (1935) - Just goes to show you... Nothing! My favorite game!!
7) Scrabble (1948), Clue (1949) - A two for one for this decade! Two more fun board games. Take your pick: thinking and spelling verses vs. a keen detective mind!
6) Mr. Potato Head (1952) – Did you know? The original Mr. Potato Head contained only parts--eyes, ears, noses and mouths--parents had to supply children with real potatoes to play with! Eight years later, manufacturer Hasbro decided to include a hard plastic potato "body" with the toy to replace the real spud.
5) Etch-a-Sketch (1960) – Hated it. Not artistic. My Brother-in-Law can make a Picasso from an Etch-A-Sketch, I make lines…. But here’s some info: How does the Etch-a-Sketch work? A stylus is mounted on a pair of orthogonal rails, which move when you turn the knobs. A mixture of extremely fine aluminum powder and beads (which help the powder flow evenly) lines the Etch-a-Sketch's interior. When you turn the device upside down and shake, this mixture sticks to the inside face of the glass. And when you then turn one of the knobs, the stylus scratches off the aluminum dust to create a line on the screen.
4) Rubik's Cube (1978) - Invented by former-communist Erno Rubik, the cube has 43,252,003,274,489,856,000 different possible configurations and only one solution. Hated this as well because geeks everywhere had to flaunt their Rubik skills in my face!
3) Cabbage Patch Kids (1983) - In 1985, the peak of the Cabbage Patch Kids craze, doll sales totaled $600 million. In 1985, I stood in line with my sister-in-law to buy not one, but three for my nieces. What’s up with the what-seems-like tattoos on their behinds?
2) Tickle-Me Elmo (1996) - Trying to buy this toy could result in stampede deaths in 1996! I am just glad neither of my kids wanted one.
1) XBOX 360! (2005) - Everybody wants one but there are no more left. Plus many who special ordered one didn't get it! Others are told they won't arrive until February! They are selling on EBay for more than $1400! There were even two confirmed muggings at the opening of the sale and one drive by shooting at a line at Circuit City. Just goes to show you... video games make people violent!
What toy did you want when you were a kid?
2 comments:
My almost-three year old LOVES Mr Potato Head!
As for me, give me my Johnny Bench Batter-up.
My all-time fave was a slot-car race track. My brother (who was in college at the time) and I had a blast with those.
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