Toy Love: Nostalgic Fun

I was sitting at a stop light this afternoon, sun shining, mid-forties in February-- beautiful day! On the corner lot, two kids were jump

jump

jumping on pogo sticks. I didn't even know they still made those! So I decided to write a post about nostalgic fun, the toys we used to play with that you may not have realized were still manufactured.

1. Pogo Sticks, obviously! The modern pogo stick was invented in 1920 by Max Pohling and Ernst Gottshall. (An earlier version was first invented in the 1800s.) In those days, it was a single-handed contraption described as a stilt. The two-handled model we are all familiar with was invented in 1957. The toy's popularity took off in the 1970s, but it isn't just a toy. It's great exercise, and the sport of extreme pogo-sticking has quite a following! You can still buy pogo sticks, and if your kids love the trampoline, introduce them to the pogo stick. (Just don't tell them you had one as a kid!)

2. Lincoln Logs. If you've heard of the architect Frank Lloyd Wright, it's no great surprise that his son John Lloyd Wright invented a toy that allows children to build houses of their own design. The originals were made of redwood. The manufacturer tried in the 1970s to introduce sets made entirely of plastic. Unsuccessfully. Today's Lincoln Logs are again made of wood. The sets also come with door and roofs, and some come with animals, too.

3. Koosh Balls.

Compared to Pogo sticks and Lincoln Logs, the Koosh ball is a relatively new invention. It was introduced in 1988, a rubber core surrounded by soft rubber strings. They are fun to throw at each other, but tough to catch. Although that could just be my lack of skill! Today you can find Koosh balls and a blaster to shoot them. Your kids will love that!

4. Spirographs. I saw a box of Spirographs on my friend's table; her kids received them as a Christmas gift. How cool! Remember those little plastic disks that you'd put inside another circle and then use a colored pen to create different designs? They still make them. Your kids will never know this toy was originally meant as a mathematician's tool.

5. Sock Monkeys! Who doesn't love a sock monkey? These originated in the mid-1800s and were made from -- wait for it -- socks! They may have been inspired by Rudyard Kipling's stories, so if you want to get one for your favorite little one, consider pairing it with Just So Stories or The Jungle Book.

Great toys from yesteryear can still be great today. The best toys need no batteries but lots of imagination. Share some of your favorite childhood toys.