Classic childhood toys that occupied the glory of after-school hours have long since vanished from retail shelves or been confined to obscure spots in the toy aisle. Collectors who search thrift stores, online sites, and bargain retail can own some of these entertaining gems and have a piece of childhood’s colorful past.
View-Master
While an old-school concept that hearkens back to Victorian picture postcards, the appeal of the View-master is still a part of childhood curiosity. The tiny paper disks with their transparent images of everything from the Eiffel Tower to the Muppets are transformed into colorful, dimensional scenes when viewed through the binocular holes. A flick of the lever transports you to the next image with an oh-so-familiar click for grown-up fans.
Easy-Bake Oven
While a less popular choice under modern Christmas trees, the classic Easy-Bake oven, once a staple of childhood, is still a memory haven for countless grown-up kids. From mini chocolate cakes to sprinkle-covered muffins, the menu may not have been the greatest, but the sheer fun of making and baking your own creations in a miniature oven is a treasured childhood experience for plenty of young chefs and bakers.
Playskool People
These colorful peg people, with their ink-dot features and missing limbs, are much sought-after by collectors who remember well the fun of inserting these tiny figures — extras like the miniature rocking horse, tractor, or school bus populated a world of adventures. Designed for tiny figures, the soft plastic characters ranged from Charlie Brown-like kids to a dog complete with spiky collar.
Light Bright
Compared to modern technology, the Light Bright is hardly dazzling, but many fans remember the excitement of inserting those brightly colored pegs in countless design sheets and even creating their own with blank pages. Sitting in the dark to gaze at the brilliant glow from those lighted pegs was as much a part of childhood fun as glow-in-the-dark ceiling stars and Glow-Worm dolls.
Collecting those childhood treasures (or breaking out a few from storage boxes) keeps alive those classic memories from toys that were all the rage in days gone by. Share the joy with younger generations who are missing out on the crazes of past decades.
Classic childhood toys that occupied the glory of after-school hours have long since vanished from retail shelves or been confined to obscure spots in the toy aisle. Collectors who search thrift stores, online sites, and bargain retail can own some of these entertaining gems and have a piece of childhood’s colorful past.
View-Master
While an old-school concept that hearkens back to Victorian picture postcards, the appeal of the View-master is still a part of childhood curiosity. The tiny paper disks with their transparent images of everything from the Eiffel Tower to the Muppets are transformed into colorful, dimensional scenes when viewed through the binocular holes. A flick of the lever transports you to the next image with an oh-so-familiar click for grown-up fans.
Easy-Bake Oven
While a less popular choice under modern Christmas trees, the classic Easy-Bake oven, once a staple of childhood, is still a memory haven for countless grown-up kids. From mini chocolate cakes to sprinkle-covered muffins, the menu may not have been the greatest, but the sheer fun of making and baking your own creations in a miniature oven is a treasured childhood experience for plenty of young chefs and bakers.
Playskool People
These colorful peg people, with their ink-dot features and missing limbs, are much sought-after by collectors who remember well the fun of inserting these tiny figures — extras like the miniature rocking horse, tractor, or school bus populated a world of adventures. Designed for tiny figures, the soft plastic characters ranged from Charlie Brown-like kids to a dog complete with spiky collar.
Light Bright
Compared to modern technology, the Light Bright is hardly dazzling, but many fans remember the excitement of inserting those brightly colored pegs in countless design sheets and even creating their own with blank pages. Sitting in the dark to gaze at the brilliant glow from those lighted pegs was as much a part of childhood fun as glow-in-the-dark ceiling stars and Glow-Worm dolls.
Collecting those childhood treasures (or breaking out a few from storage boxes) keeps alive those classic memories from toys that were all the rage in days gone by. Share the joy with younger generations who are missing out on the crazes of past decades.
