Remembering retro toys
One of the great things about having children is getting to reminisce about all the old retro toys we used to have way back when we were kids. You tend to want to have your children experience similar toys especially if you see toys that are still around now. Let’s face it, the really good ones are.
For babies, it was the retro Fisher Price telephone. I was determined to get one of these for N as I remember having one way back (probably from photos!), found one super cheap in a supermarket toy sale…and then found that apart from the occasional pull around the living room, he wasn’t really that fussed. I suppose the move to smart phones doesn’t really make the retro phones relevant any more, even though I’d have thought talking in the mouthpiece and dialling numbers would have been fun.
The classic wooden trolley with blocks has been a favourite – largely for sitting in, standing and trying to tip over. He’s done some block building, but mostly it’s been brilliant for just pushing around at high speed. Time to probably get rid now as he’s not that fussed about putting the blocks together, and I don’t think he’s even noticed that there are letters (or anything) on the blocks. He also doesn’t want to play ball when trying to encourage him to put colours together.
We’ve also got some hand-me-downs from my brother that he likes. There’s a strange truck and a ‘drill’ that can put the truck together and take it apart. N likes using the ‘drill’ on the floor or on his legs. But that provides some interest and is something a bit different…like a precursor to Mecanno or the like.
He was also given my brother’s old Duplo that must have been found when clearing out. N’s never really got that excited about any of the baby ‘lego’ (although nursery say that he likes the duplo they have there). But I got it out for him the other day when he was getting bored and grizzly…pulling out a ‘new’ toy is always a lifesaver when you want to cheer up a toddler. It’s a few car like pieces, with different ‘houses/doors’ which can be added to create police car, taxi, kennel etc and various people, plus there’s a plane (he calls it his helicopter), boat and blocks to make a bridge. It’s been a great success. Even at the expense of his train set.
I’m thinking we might also have to get out the old fisher price doctors set that was mine. It’s a bit old fashioned and dull in colour compared to the modern day versions, but hopefully passing on his own set will mean fewer occasions where I’m on my hands and knees trying to find where all the plastic ear pieces have gone from the Braun digital thermometer after he’s had his mitts on it trying to take his own temperature.
It’s great seeing how he’s now getting more into role play and actually doing things with toys to make a ‘story’ and copy real life. A sign that he’s taking more notice and learning more about what’s going on around him and the differences in people and what they do. Although it does make me think that we need to watch what we do in front of him as he’ll start copying it…case in point – watching too much AC/DC now sees him trying to play his guitar through people’s legs!