Jazzy1
Got A Treat?
- Location
- In The Doghouse
A Popular Toy You Had
- Thread starter Jazzy1
- Start date
JBR
Senior Member
My daughter had one of those. It had already been put together when we got it. She carried it everywhere until age five or so.At Christmas, it wasn’t unusual for my mother and grandmother to start an assembly line to produce a bunch of sock monkeys from hunting socks.
They were all about the same but each one did seem to have its own personality.
She was probably two or so when we gave it to her. She named it Woose, and we never knew why. BTW, the name rhymes with moose, but I really doubt we'd said the word moose around her by that time.
spookycat2
Member
- Location
- Indiana
Mom still has hers, looks very similar. Keeps it way up high, to keep cats out of them.
JBR
Senior Member
Myself about 10, and my brother about 7, shared this toy. This was something fairly common at the time... compressed-water powered plastic rocket.
The red top part was removable. For some reason, we got into putting a sow bug (a "Porcellio", also called a pill bug) into the top portion, then launching the rocket. "First sow bug in space!" was how we kind of imagined things.
This is what a launch was like, though the one shown in this vid seems like a slightly updated version of the toy we had. Same method of launching, though.
The red top part was removable. For some reason, we got into putting a sow bug (a "Porcellio", also called a pill bug) into the top portion, then launching the rocket. "First sow bug in space!" was how we kind of imagined things.
This is what a launch was like, though the one shown in this vid seems like a slightly updated version of the toy we had. Same method of launching, though.
Last edited:
DailyArtsyCrafter
Crafter Writer Artist
- Location
- Southeastern US
This was a lot of fun, especially designing color patterns. I like the vintage steel looms. Now, they sell cheap plastic ones.
DailyArtsyCrafter
Crafter Writer Artist
- Location
- Southeastern US
I don't even remember or recall metal ones with a crank being advertised. I can see how that could be easier to use.
oscash
Senior Member
- Location
- Sydney - Australia
We only had Snakes & Ladders board game and card games.
jujube
SF VIP
I finally found a picture of one but can't get it to post. It was called the Hoot-Nanny Magic Designer and was invented in the 1930's, then was sold to another toy maker and was popular in the 1950's, when I had one. You can look it up under that name. I thought it was sold under the name Spirograph, but I guess I was mistaken. It probably "inspired" the Spirograph.
When I ran out of the paper circles that came with it, my mom wouldn't send off for any others, so I had to cut the circles and notch them in the right places. That got old REAL quick.
Aunt Bea
SF VIP
- Location
- Near Mount Pilot
Last edited:
Aunt Bea
SF VIP
- Location
- Near Mount Pilot
Remember the things that were available on the back of cereal boxes?
The baking soda Atomic Submarine was pretty exciting.
The baking soda Atomic Submarine was pretty exciting.
RadishRose
SF VIP
- Location
- Connecticut, USA
RadishRose
SF VIP
- Location
- Connecticut, USA
Aunt Bea
SF VIP
- Location
- Near Mount Pilot
These inexpensive hand held pinball machines were quite popular.
Aunt Bea
SF VIP
- Location
- Near Mount Pilot
Tin litho dollhouses, firehouses, parking garages, etc… often turned up under the Christmas tree.
A few sharp edges didn’t worry our parents or intimidate us!
A few sharp edges didn’t worry our parents or intimidate us!
jujube
SF VIP
Remember the "Sea-Monkeys" you could order from the back of the comic books? You thought you were getting cute little alien-looking things but they were just brine shrimp eggs that may or may not hatch.....interesting for about three minutes. I wonder how many kids got rooked on that one? <Raising my hand, sheepishly>
Aunt Bea
SF VIP
- Location
- Near Mount Pilot
jujube
SF VIP
Now, those were interesting. They really did jump.
Jazzy1
Got A Treat?
- Location
- In The Doghouse
This is a great thread! By most measures I grew up in poverty, but seeing all the old toys made me remember having many of them. They may have been simple and inexpensive by todays standards but they all brought a bit of fun into our lives and I'm grateful to have had them.
Jazzy1
Got A Treat?
- Location
- In The Doghouse
Michael Z
Senior Member
- Location
- Northern Wisconsin
I was practically mesmerized by this! I churned out drawing after drawing.I did get a Spirograph Set when it was no longer a thing and the price had dropped significantly. Played with it a few times and then got bored. It was too hard to keep the plastic wheels on track. They would keep popping off and slipping. I've always had a heavy hand anyway.On top of that, there was nothing to do with the wonky designs that I made. I wasn't excited to put them on the wall.
I think a lot of popular toys were like that. Kids played with them a little and lost interest. Very few stood the test of being played with often for years and years. Most of the fun was in acquiring them. Kind of like adults do with their toys.
View attachment 459752
Jazzy1
Got A Treat?
- Location
- In The Doghouse
Dove my Dad nuts with these clickers 
