The toys that made us.

[Chako]

I stole the title from a Netflix series, but once I saw a few episodes, I got to thinking this could be a cool thread. What toys do you remember fondly in your childhood? Which ones held a special spot in your heart or mind, or both, and why?

For me it was these little Matchbox military vehicles. I know it isn't PC these days, but as a little kid, I loved all things military. Not sure where that started, but in the toy section, I would always gravitate to the little soldiers, etc. One of my earliest memories was entering a store in Cornwall Ontario. Inside this store, they had 2 rotating racks full of beautiful dinky cars. I remember begging my dad to buy me one of the military ones. He did, but then promised me that if I was good, he would get another whenever he could or felt like it. I was hooked. I got the Matchbox Scout car first. At the time, I had a few bags worth of the smaller scale soldiers, and these dinky cars fit right in scale wise. Better yet, when I got home, I was amazed that the little scout dude on top rotated when I rolled it on the floor. From that point on I was on my best behaviour and managed to con my Dad into buying a few more. Of course, like all kids, I played the heck out of each and every one of them. What I liked about that series, they did different things. The cannon came with ammo that actually launched. It didn't take me long to lose those little pieces...but I quickly found other pieces that would fit in the barrel to be launched into the enemy ranks.

Time rolled on and I was watching a tv show about hidden treasures, and there on the screen was a Swamp rat. The announcer explained that they didn't make many of them, and apparently they didn't interest the general public overly much and never sold in great numbers. I remember playing with one as a kid. It didn't take long for the barrel to break on that toy. I nearly choked when he quoted a price of around $300 for a pristine copy. I thought to myself, if only I hadn't played with the thing and I still had it in my posession. Well, that notion quickly got dissipated once I recalled how much fun I had with those little Matchbox toys.

Roll forward a few years, and I got a bad case of the nostalgia bug. I searched long and hard for those matchbox toys in the same packaging I remember from my childhood, and I was successful.

So here are my favourite toys when I was a wee tadpole.

Military Scout and Weasel Armoured Car. On the Scout, the guy uptop would rotate. On the Weasel, the gun turret would sweep back and forth.
20210509_073234A by Chako, on Flickr

20210509_073252A by Chako, on Flickr

Field Gun, Swamp Rat, Personnel Carrier, and Armoured Jeep. The Field Gun would shoot little projectiles. The Swamp Rat did nothing, but you could rotate the seated gunner around manually. The Personnel Carrier had two rows of soldiers that would jump a little when rolled. The Jeep had a manually rotating cannon.
20210509_073330A by Chako, on Flickr

Those were the ones I had back in the day. Now that I have pristine copies, I keep them in one of my curio cabinets. Now that I am an adult...I have moved onto bigger and more expensive toys...but these will always hold a special place for me.

What are your favourite toys and why?

[Barry Rowland]

I loved that set Chako!  I still have the Weasel and the Troop transport.  I wish I could find my Swamp Rat... Matchbox and GI Joe Adventure Team were what made me 

[Aloha]

Not much to add.  We we outside so much when I was growing up so for us it was bikes, skateboards, footballs, baseball, and martial arts tho that was indoors.

[RF52]

Pretty much the same as Aloha, and Lego indoors

Sent fra min M2002J9G via Tapatalk

[ReamerPunch]

Batman and Robin action figures, Transformers too, a few odd McDonalds toys, back when they were awesome. Lego was nice.

But honestly, I have great memories with sticks, stones, pebbles, and pine cones.

[Millhouse]

My favourites were Dinky and Corgi vehicles from popular TV shows. My most played with were the Space 1999 Eagle and the Batman set.

[pfrsantos]

I had a stone. And a stick, but it broke. So, I had a stone.

 

[Chako]

Now if you had a string, you could have done away with the stick and stone. 

[pfrsantos]

Now if you had a string, you could have done away with the stick and stone. 

Good thing I hadn't. Sticks and stones can break my bones, you know?

 

[Reinier]

Lego. And Lego.
More Lego.

And Lego.

[Reinier]

Also: Lego.

[pfrsantos]

Lego. And Lego.
More Lego.

And Lego.

Forget about it, Just le'go...

 

[Reinier]

[Chako]

  

[Adam5]

An Evel Knievel stunt cycle and a small blackboard. I would see how many Matchbox cars he could jump over.

[Chako]

That brings back a lot of childhood memories. My neighbour and best friend had one of those. That was one tough toy. We never did manage to break it. 

Here are a few more modern toys...yes...men never do grow up it seems. 

Here are a pair of RC tanks, a pair of Lego style tanks, and a cheap plastic one that caught my eye at the dollar store years ago.
20210511_060457A by Chako, on Flickr

A great RC tank with at scale soldiers, and all those little 3D printed tanks I made last May.
20210511_060503A by Chako, on Flickr

A pair of larger 1/16 scale RC tanks that shoot airsoft. These are great fun.
20210511_060508A by Chako, on Flickr

[Whoey]

http://www.toysyouhad.com/Smash.htm

 

[Chako]

I remember those. I never had a set but a kid on the block did.

[SteveC]

Played a bunch with these, first Action man and then GI Joe when we moved to the States.

[Echotech]

Action Man was huge when I was a kid (late 60’s/70’s), as were toy guns and playing war or cowboys and indians, kicking a football (soccer) about and the odd game of cricket

I also really liked meccano and lego…but growing up in the country I reckon our main toys were sticks! Mucking about in the woods and fields they were swords, rifles, walking sticks, all sorts…ah the joy of childhood

[SteveC]

Action Man was huge when I was a kid (late 60’s/70’s), as were toy guns and playing war or cowboys and indians, kicking a football (soccer) about and the odd game of cricket

I also really liked meccano and lego…but growing up in the country I reckon our main toys were sticks! Mucking about in the woods and fields they were swords, rifles, walking sticks, all sorts…ah the joy of childhood

Same here, many hours were spent playing in the woods with my brother and friends.

[ToolJoe]

Matchbox and Hot Wheels hands down. I still have some of mine (also quite a collection of newer ones). 

[neillcurrie]

Sekiden pistol, in my case.
With the proprietary ammo they were reliable, but dried peas worked 99.9% of the time too, and were much cheaper.
These days that pistol is a collectors item, the prices are high.
https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/lot-vintage-sekiden-toy-pellet-guns-1830032586

[Chako]

I had a gold coloured one when I was a kid as well. The ammunition didn't last long if I recalled. My parents were not all that impressed at the mess I made either. 

[Sneider]

As a child, my toy world was very simple, my family was pretty poor. Some Legos for indoor and a SAK for outdoor in the forest. My SAK (111mm Rucksack) and a small Lego castle were my favorite toys for a long time, and I remember very well the moments when I was given these two things