12th Mar 09
Top 10 Best Toys Ever
by Adam Dunning
One of the top ten best toys of all time is Mr. Potato Head. The toy first came onto the scene in 1949. Then it was just bits and pieces of facial parts which were supposed to be attached to fresh produce – namely the potato. It was also initially given as a prize for every purchase of a certain brand of breakfast cereal. It was a crazy idea then and you just wonder whether today body parts can accompany cereal and still make sales! Mr. Potato Head didn’t look like it had a promising future until two brothers (why is it always brothers – the Wright brothers, etc?) purchased the rights to the idea and did a repackaging of the parts so that now it included a Styrofoam potato that was used to aid in the demonstration of what children could do with the toy.
But he's not even made out of Potato!
The coming of television helped popularise the toy especially when Mr. Potato Head starred in the Pioneer toy commercial which aired nationwide. The most fascinating feature of Mr. Potato Head, and what probably has made it so popular with children, is the face of the toy and the fact that kids can assemble the various body parts by themselves.
The Chatter Telephone is another top ten toy of all time. It first burst (or is it rung?) onto the scene in 1962. It initially bore the name Talk-Back Phone but it was changed to Chatter Telephone in 1963. Not only has the Chatter Telephone stood the test of time but it has also refused to change with the times! This was best illustrated at the turn of the century when the manufacturers of the toy decided that the original rotary dial had to go and be replaced by the modern push buttons. Well, there was a customer uprising of sorts and before someone could say ‘hello?’ the original rotary dial was back!
I had one of these. Now all the kids have real ones, don't they?!
One of the things that make the Chatter Telephone so popular with children is the faces that it makes when the cord is pulled around as well as the chirping sound it makes when the rotary dial is turned. At the end of the day though, it allows children to just be like their parents talking on the phone and making up their own dialogue. And of course the good thing is there is no telephone bill that shows up in the letter box!
Another top toy of all time is the Corn Popper. It first popped into the scene in 1957 and many decades later, over twenty million of them have been sold. The Corn Popper is credited to Ralph Crawford, an inventor. Initially what he wanted was a toy where balls could pop up randomly but in the process the balls kept bouncing off the working area and he ended up covering it with a transparent polythene sheet. If only all mistakes we make could turn into inventions that sell like hot cakes. Or Corn Poppers!
The Corn Popper – delighting and infuriating in equal doses
The reason the Corn Popper is such a hit with toddlers is that push toys are a favourite with kids
who are experimenting with walking because they help in learning to balance. And because the tots can immediately see the effect of their actions, it is very fascinating for them and it makes children feel like they have control and a lot of power.
Building Blocks are another top ten toy of all time. Building Blocks join the likes of Mercedes Benz and the Volkswagen Beetle as a German export. The concept of Building Blocks is attributed to a German named Friedrich Froebel; the same man who came up with the idea of the kindergarten in 1837. Other than the fact that when kids are throwing tantrums they can throw the blocks all over till it feels like a riotous crowd throwing all sorts of stuff at the police, kids love Building Blocks because they offer an opportunity for open-ended play like no other toy does.
Available to play with in any doctor's waiting room throughout the world
Then there is the Etch-a-Sketch, which is another top ten toy. This particular toy originated from France in the late 1950s and it is credited to Arthur Granjean. It wasn’t a hit till 1960 when the American Ohio Art Company took over the marketing of the toy and to date there have been more than one hundred and fifty million copies sold all over the world. When you seriously think about it, Etch-a-Sketch probably provided the inspiration for today’s touchpad screens popular with smart phones. How doodling on the Etch-a-Sketch helped reduce or increase writing graffiti on school walls we may never know, but one thing is for sure; kids love it.
Etch-A-Sketch can be enjoyed by kids of all ages!
Yet another top ten toy of all time, Shape-O, also goes by other names such as ‘shape sorter’ and ‘form fitter’. The origins of Shape-O are not known since there have been so many modifications over the years. However the earliest classic design appeared in 1968. Lincoln Logs is yet another top ten toy. And if you thought it had something to do with the great American President, Abraham Lincoln, you guessed right. It was called Lincoln Logs because Abraham Lincoln at one time lived in a cabin that was made out of logs. The idea for the toy came in 1916 when its inventor was visiting Tokyo and he was introduced to a revolutionary method of hotel construction which involved beams being interlocked.
Shape-O, inspired by architecture
Crayons are definitely a top ten toy of all time. It is hard to believe that the first users of crayons were not children but industrial workers. They were first used as markers till they were redesigned to suit children and manufactured in varied and brilliant colours. The first company to manufacture crayons was called Binney & Smith and the crayons were released under the brand name Crayola. They were sold in 1903 for the first time.
Iconic I think is the term
The Radio Flyer Wagon is another top ten toy of all time. The idea is attributed to Antonio Pasin who came up with it in 1930. Then there is the Rock-a-Stack which was released into the market at the initial price of one US dollar way back in 1960. Since then over fifty million pieces have been sold.
But, none of them are as good as my personal favourite – the Transformer that is Devastator…
Don't leave the fun to the kids
What’s your favourite ever toy? Barbie or Ken? Polly Pocket or Action Force? Or even Buck-a-roo! Why not comment and let us know?
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