Cool toys from back in the day!

Here at the Vintage Toy Box, we think that one of the coolest things about our toys is the fact that as well as being fun and taking you back to your childhood, you can also share them with your own kids and grandkids and let them see how cool the toys were back in the day! Do you look back fondly at the times you spent playing with great toys as a child? If so, you will certainly be inspired to find similarly terrific toys and games for your own kids or grandkids.

Well just for fun, today we are looking at some of the fun toys we offer which would be awesome to introduce to a kid of today.

The first toy we want to talk about is the awesome Slip N Slide Water Slide Toy. Such a simple concept that provides hours and hours of fun on a hot summers day. Our version is based on the variety from the 60’s which is really cool. You will get a kick out of telling the kids and grandkids how this was a big deal back in the day. It is a lot of fun to watch the kids run and slide down this and if you are feeling brave enough, you can have a go yourself!

Next up we have something that is secretly super cool, cheap and will prove to be highly entertaining. The Magic Drawing Slate is the perfect example of an old school vintage style toy, which at first glance many kids will turn their noses up at. Let’s face it, compared to the iPhone; it is a hard sell. But our Magic Drawing Slate has a ton of retro charm and looks like it was transported right out of the 1960’s. All kids are hooked after they do their first drawing. It’s a magical travelling toy that just keeps on giving.

How can you not love the graphics on the box for this retro inspired Tiddly Winks? Now here is a game that even the grumpiest techno addicted kid will have an awesome time with. While the whole style is clearly inspired by games of the 60’s, Tiddly Winks is such a fun, competitive and skill based game that after a couple of turns any kid will be hooked. Not bad for a game that is over 200 years old.  

That is just a small sample of the great toys and games we have here at The Vintage Toy Box. Just about everyone can remember their favourite toys growing up. If you wish to pass that type of joy onto other children in your life, shopping with us will certainly help you on that journey. If you are looking for a toy or game that is not just going to be fun to play, but also lets you share something from your past with your kids, grandchildren, nieces and nephews, then you really can’t go wrong with something from The Vintage Toy Box.

The Ever-Lasting Appeal of Retro Toys

We are living in a world where electronics and technology are present everywhere around us. Our kids are used to playing electronic games, watching TV and using the Internet, iPads and iPhones. Despite this however, kids and parents alike still love retro toys.

Parents love these toys because they invigorate some of their best childhood memories, and take them on a warm, fuzzy trip down memory lane.  Children love them because of their simplistic design and delightful appeal.  If you are still not sure what makes retro toys attractive, keep reading because we will list a few good reasons why your kids should have at least one retro toy in their toy box.

Retro toys come with an ageless charm that has captivated children for generations. They hold a timeless appeal that guarantees that the toys will be loved not only by your kids but also by your grandchildren too and in some cases, their grandkids after that. 

Retro toys are more durable compared to most modern toys. They are usually made from high-quality wood or tin, unlike modern toys that are made of cheap plastic that ends up being thrown away after a few uses. When kids are using these hardy toys, you can be rest assured that they will last for a long time no matter how heavy their use is. In fact, they are designed with durability in mind.  Many modern toy makers, such as Artiwood, Djeco and Londji now also make their toys, games and puzzles with this durability in mind, producing beautiful toys, built to last, and designed to be handed down to the next generation.

In the past, toy manufacturers have paid special attention to the packaging, knowing that the outer appearance of toys is incredibly important to buyers and to children.  Packaging lures children and buyers in, and catches the eye.  Nothing beats a colourful, retro present in a bright, big box. Imagine watching a child’s face light up when they receive a gift with such beautiful packaging.  The colorful packaging will bring a huge smile to little faces everywhere.

As mentioned previously, today’s children often spend countless hours playing video games or watching TV.  Retro toys support the mastering of certain old-fashioned skills that cannot be learned by watching a screen. For example, there are toys that can help kids to learn to build, learn to sew, learn to cook.  Etch-a-sketch toys are good for developing drawing skills. There are gardening toys, toys for creating shelters, toys for using the imagination, putting on a show, and most importantly, toys for developing people skills.

The creative play that retro toys encourage stimulates the imagination, way beyond screen time. By playing with retro toys children can unleash their creativity, something that modern toys don’t allow for in the same way. Creative skills are incredibly important. Buying a few retro toys to add to their toy collection is one of the simplest and most convenient ways to do encourage creativity and imaginative play.

Classic Toys | Tin Toys - A Step Back Through Time

Some of the most collectible toys in the world are old tin toys. Tin toys are made out of tinplate and often motorised and colourfully painted to resemble characters or vehicles, such as toy trains, cars, and other motorised vehicles.

Many of the early tinplate toy makers were based in Germany with companies such as Bing & Schoenner and Issmayer being leaders in their industry in the 1860s through to the early 1900s.

Germany remained the major producer of tin toys into the early 20th century. The most famous manufacturer being Ernst Paul Lehmann, who produced such wonderful tin toys in Brandenberg, Germany from the 1880s to the 1930s.  Lehmann today has a worldwide following of avid Lehmann tin toy collectors who often collaborate to track down rare toys from his vast collection.

France and England soon jumped onto the production of these popular toys, leading to a surge in what would become known as the “Penny Toy”, with thousands of tin toys flooding the market.

Production of tin toys in the United States only boomed much later, and it wasn’t until after World War I, when consumers were less enthusiastic about buying German products that the US found its way. Production soon however overtook that of their European counterparts, with cheap & plentiful resources contributing towards more favourable manufacturing costs.

Louis Marx & Company was the largest American tin toy manufacturer during this era, operating from 1919 to 1978. Marx produced a huge number of tin toy designs, producing enormous amounts to keep prices down. The company produced so many designs that the toys themselves were often imprinted with the slogan, "One of the many Marx toys, have you all of them?".  Toys included tinplate buildings, tin toys, tin soldiers, play sets, toy dinosaurs, mechanical toys, toy guns, action figures, dolls, doll houses, toy cars and trucks, and trains.

Due to the re-allocation of resources, the production of tin toys ceased during World War II, and many toy manufacturing factories were taken over for arms and munitions manufacture. Many shut down permanently and never went back into business after the war.  Japan began producing enormous number of tin toys, and due to reduced competition in Europe soon became the world leader in tin toy manufacturing.  

Classic toys from the 1950s, 60s, 70s & 80s

The 'good old days' were a lot of fun for kids. In the past, children had more engagement with their toys than they do today, and they formed a longer attachment.  There weren't  countless number of toys to choose from and to play with. Children bonded with their toys, and allowed their imagination to take over in their creative play. This article gives a quick glance at those toys from the 1950s to the 1980s which have created wonderful memories for kids throughout the decades. 

The 1950s saw a surge of toys in the market, as post war indulgence changed the way that people spent. Tin toy cars flooded the market (Dinky & Matchbox), along with friction cars, Tonka trucks, kitchen sets, Tiny Tears dolls, Hula hoop, Barbie and farm equipment.  These toys are the essence of vintage toys and all to this day still remain. Most have evolved over time, but their timeless, classic design still ensures that generations of children still love to play with them. 

A large number of toys which were introduced back in the 1960s are still also around today. The 1960s heralded a golden era for toys, with bigger families, and more disposable income paving the way for greater choice and variety. If you take a close look at toys available in the 60s and 70s, you will not see a great deal of difference between the offerings. The toys were quite similar and still hold great enjoyment for the next generations of kids. 

A few toys and games like Ker-Plunk, Twister, Etch A Sketch, Slip 'n' Slide, Rubik's Cube, Spirograph and  G.I. Joe can still be found in children's toy boxes and toy stores now. 

Another major influence on toys was the introduction of TV into people's homes.  Toy manufacturers realised that they could theme toys on popular TV shows, and the toys would fly of the shelves. The batman comic books became hugely popular and batman-themed toys started filling the shelves of toy stores. This was a huge profit making game-changer for all the toy makers.  

As time moved on, and families had more disposable income & greater spending power, toy manufacturers had to start thinking outside the box if they wanted to increase their sales. 

To make things a bit more fun and exciting for the kids, toy manufacturers started introducing electricity into toys, and a whole other world of new, innovative toys came into being with the dawn of electronics.  Toys would never be the same again. Every Christmas, we now see the release of the newest, biggest, flashiest toy. In amongst all of these toys though, and still standing the test of time, are the classic toys from the 1950s, 1960s, 1970s & 1980s. 

These toys and games passed on from decades before are still famous, popular and loved even now. Grandparents give the retro toys to their grandchildren, and watch with delight as the children play. Old memories flooding back of the joy that they themselves used to feel playing with the same toys when they were young. 

There's nothing like playing with an old toy to bring back happy memories. 

Classic Retro Toys

Classic retro toys are still loved by kids of today!

The first thought that often comes to mind on hearing the phrase retro toys is that they no longer exist anymore – that they are toys of yesteryear.  This however is far from true. They have become a lifeline for many kids in today’s generation, and likely will be for every generation to come.  The distinctive reasons as to why these toys are still so popular are that these toys provide excellent quality entertainment, are built to last, involve simple concepts, encourage the imagination, and since they are low technology, they are very easy to use. 

Retro toys are a creative outlet for many kids in today’s modern, busy world.

The toys of modern day are built to be disposed, in our throwaway plastic society – the noisier, the faster, the brighter, the better.  But this comes with a great cost, to society, to the land, to the air that we breathe, to future generations.  Toys are no longer durable and designed to be passed down from generation to generation.  Classic, traditional toys stand the test of time, and are a wonderful  way to conjure up old memories. They are one of the most fun ways of remembering past days of your own childhood.

Here are a few classic retro toys which have stood the test of time.

Marbles

This is a classic game which is still going strong today. It can be best played when a group of friends get together to have marble competitions. It is one of the best ways to build your child’s hand-eye co-ordination and turn-taking skills. The game never gets old. Basically, it consists of a collection of round coloured glass beads. So simple!

Yo-yo

These are one of the most classic retro toys which are loved by kids of all ages. They are easy to play with and are great fun. The toy contains an axle which connects two disks and a long length of string which is looped around the axle. You have to throw the yo-yo, spin and unwind the string and again look it back in its previous form. Hours of fun, and so many tricks that can be performed.

Frisbee

It is one of the best toys for kids to get engaged in some sort of physical activity. This game can be played for hours in the back yard, on the beach or on a camping trip with friends & family.  This toy has never gone out of favour over the decades. 

Matchbox & Dinky cars

These retro collections of cars and trucks are one of the biggest hits among kids. Children have been drawn to these collections for decades. If you present your child with anything from these collections, they are sure to love it, and you will see them spending most of theirs time with those set of wheels. 

If you want to surprise your kids with a gift, retro toys are the best way to go about it.