Flashback!
Everything old is new again with these classic toys and retro-style products.
There’s something lovely about reading kids a story you treasured as a child. Similarly, it always raises a smile to see kids playing with toys familiar from your own childhood. And when you find a classic toy that you forgot existed, or you thought had disappeared, it can send you hurtling back through memory lane, straight to a happy place of “Oh, I remember this!”
Some of these finds might give you that jolt. Others might look more familiar to grandparents! Still others are brand new items with classic styles or solid wood construction - a perfect counterbalance to the brave new world of digital play.
The original Slinky. Remember trying to make it walk down stairs? Available at American Apparel, RRP $10.00
He likes marmalade. He washes his ears with toothpaste. He’s from Darkest Peru. You know him. You love him. The next generation will love him too. This Paddington Bear stands 36 cm tall and is $69.95 at Tarbea.
We love this iconic Melbourne tram. It’s made of wood and painted with authentic colours, based on the W-class Melboune tram. This wonderful creation comes complete with 12 wooden passengers and two uniformed tram conductors. It has wheels on the bottom and the lid comes off the top for little hands to access the wooden passengers. This toy can be kept for generations to come and the more your child plays with it and dints and scratches it – the more vintage and treasured it will look.
Available at Monkey Caboose for $90.
Seedling is a New Zealand company with a stated aim of nurturing children’s creativity. These packs feature old-fashioned things for boys and girls to keep hands and minds busy.
The Good Things For Boys pack includes a wooden balloon powered boat, juggling balls, dominos, playing cards, glider plane, notepad and pencil. The Good Things for Girls pack contains a knitting doll, 3 colours of acrylic yarn, skipping rope, pick up sticks, sketch pad and coloured pencils.
The Chad Valley Tin Racing is a replica of the famous Chad Valley car from the 1950s. It is a thing of beauty, but it comes with a warning. Because it is made of tin like a genuine 1950s product, it doesn’t comply with today’s safety standards and shouldn’t be used without adult supervision – edges can be sharp. It would look great high on a bookshelf though, or as a collector’s item for teenagers or grown-ups. Available at Moo Woo for $30.
This spinning top ($8.50) and the Bovow ($39.95) are just a taste of the range of beautiful wooden toys from Earthtribe. Click on the pictures and follow the link to their online store to see their wonderful range of Fair Trade products.
I saw this wooden pinball machine at Flying Penguin in Newtown, and couldn’t keep my hands off it. It’s gorgeous, it’s fun and doesn’t need batteries! Made of eco-friendly sustainable rubber wood and finished with non toxic paints, it’s a fun way for kids three years old and up to develop their hand-eye co-ordination – although they might have to fight the grown-ups for it. $89.95
