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Sometimes we take our computers for granted. I know I do. So knowing a little about them helps me to decide whether they make a good present or not. It also helps me to decide whether I need a new one or not. I needed to learn about respecting the machine I had in my hand. I suspect it would work that way with the kids too. They only know games, school lessons and their friends in chat rooms or email, whatever way they communicate now. What they do not know is how they started.

Computers actually started out in 1936 which is amazing to me, the Z1 Computer. From there, it grew and grew so fast that it was amazing that by 1951, computers could reliably predict the outcome of elections. Just in time for Eisenhower to win the election and take office in 1952. President Eisenhower for those of you who have no idea. The original internet came along in about 1969 and, no, Al Gore did not have anything to do with that despite rumors to the contrary.

The IBM home computer showed up in 1981 but I suspect they were totally unaffordable to those of us who might have wanted one. Those were for the rich guys. Also in the 80s, my husband was going to school to learn more about computers. They had these enormous computers with tape drives the size of a washing machine. The hard drive was the size of an apartment freezer.
I don’t believe we really understand where the machines we currently use came from or we would respect them a good deal more. Some of that, I had no idea about. I look at my laptop and think how grateful I am that I do have it since it looked like I was never going to have one a little earlier this year.

And now, we come to the area of the post where I say this to you. If you plan to buy a PC computer, a laptop or anything related to it, do your homework. If you plan to buy it for a child, really do your homework. Some computers are simply not good for young children, some are better than others for older ones. If your teenager is headed off to college next year or at the beginning of the year, they will have different needs than a young child learning their first things on one.

For instance, it would be much better for a college bound person to have a laptop. There are loads of them out there. My personal favorite is an Acer but people have very good experiences with most of the others as well. But since there are so many differences, it is imperative that you get an idea of what the person needs and work within those parameters. It would not be a great idea for a small child have free reign on a laptop. Better to start out with some good learning tools like the LeapFrog learning toys. Those are very close to computers and have a lot going for them. Other learning games and tools are out there. Just look for them depending on the needs of the individual. After all, this is not like going to the store, finding a toy or game and bringing it home. These machines are much more personal than that. Many things are stored on it including many personal items. It is hard to share a computer because of that.

So, do the research on your computer purchases. If you have no clue much like me when it comes to things like this, ask someone who does know, check online for specs and have it all explained to you in a way you understand. Sometimes that is not easy but go to your local computer sales and bug them, ask everything you need. They are there to help you pick out the computer you need or want. And the reason I can’t just sit here and name a few computers that are hot or reliable is because I can only go by what my experience is. There are many out there that I have no idea. Yet, there are reviews on all sorts of computers, PCs and laptops. I ran into several when I was shopping for one myself. The information is there.

Technorati Tags: tape drives, personal computers, PC, computer history, laptops

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Remember that commercial? Well, you would have to be old enough to have kids in their 30s if you saw the first ads. But they are one of those pre-schooler and very young school kid toys that is timeless. Although they are no longer on the market in their original form in toy stores and discount stores, they are still available and memorable. I like where these toys originated since they came from a television show that had been around since the 50s, Romper Room. Hasbro bought the television show back in 1969 and got the idea for Weebles from the bop-punching bag on the show. Weebles came on the market in 1970. Kids had hours and hours of fun with them. My daughter sure did love them.

Originally, they were made short and round with peelable stickers that wore off quickly but the fun remained. The original family comprised of father, mother, brother, sister and baby. After the tree house and cottage were introduced they became much more popular. Other accessories including vehicles were quickly following. After a time, Disney also produced character Weebles sets like the Magic Kingdom, Winnie the Pooh treehouse and cottage sets, Winnie the Pooh circus, Mickey Mouse Clubhouse set and many more characters.

In 1978, a new set of Weebles came into being called the Tumblin’ Weebles. While the other Weebles had a fixed weight in their bottoms, this type had a free motion weight thus making it easy for them to tumble when the child tipped them. Sets came out with them as well. In the 80s, they came out with Sesame Street characters Bert, Ernie, Cookie Monster and, of course, Big Bird. A Sesame Street playground was available then too.

Weebles are still available through the Playschool brand at Hasbro though not in their original form. They are recommended for ages 3 and up (preschool).

Technorati Tags: toddler toys, preschool toys, weebles wobble, romper room, weebles, sesame street

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Now this is truly a vintage toy. Chatty Cathy is, from what I can tell, only available through collectors as she is no longer for sale in regular toy stores or department stores. Chatty Cathy was born in 1959, made by Mattel, and introduced into stores in 1960. She was a lively talker speaking 11 different phrases when you pulled the ring in the upper part of her back. By 1963, she was speaking several more phrases adding up to 18. One of the revolutionary dolls of the time, her speech came from a phonograph in her belly that activated when the string was pulled. Chatty Cathy was introduced as a Caucasian blond, blue-eyed doll and as an African American doll with brown skin tones the first year. Later, a brunette and redhead were made available.

Her accessories included two types of clothing, a shoehorn, storybook and a paper wrist tag that was a warranty. The first six years on the market, she was the second most popular doll after Barbie, also made by Mattel. With the success of Chatty Cathy, others were also put onto the market such as Chatty Baby, Tiny Chatty Baby, Tiny Chatty Brother, Charmin’ Chatty and the last to be called Chatty was Singin’ Chatty in 1965. Several of the Chattys were redesigned and reissued in 1970 looking completely different from the first ones. Those dolls were on the market for only two years.

Mattel once again issued a Chatty Patty who looked different from all the others 1984. They also released special editions of Chatty Cathy in 1998 and in 2001. Those dolls were made to resemble the original Chatty Cathy dolls of the 1960s. This time they were only sold in specialty stores and toy stores with a price tag of $99. Other versions of Chatty Cathy were made for Canada and England. Having looked at a page from a collector’s group, there were others that spoke different languages.

This doll is no longer available in regular stores. Chatty Cathy is truly a vintage toy that collectors find extremely valuable. Some dolls are being sold for thousands of dollars. There you have the history of Chatty Cathy.

Technorati Tags: Chatty Patty, vintage toys, Mattel, Chatty Baby, collector toys, Chatty Cathy

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Tonka is a name I remember from way back. The Tonka brand trucks were manufactured for the first time in 1947 in a factory meant for garden tools. Mound Metalcraft Company was located in the basement of a school house in Mound, Minnesota near Lake Minnetonka. The first year, 6 people put together 37,000 trucks in that basement factory. Naturally, the baby boomers loved the toys so there was an immediate success story. All of the first production was sold out in a short few months. The creators of Tonka trucks believed that toys should be durable and long lasting. And now 250 million trucks later, they are still making sturdy, durable toys.

For more information on this rather extensive line of toys, please go to the official website for Tonka where they have far more than just a list of toys. There are games and puzzles for the kids, coloring pages, videos, demos and much more information than I could give you here.

Technorati Tags: kids toys, trucks, Tonka toys, cranes, Tonka trucks

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I got my first Mr. Potato Head for Christmas. I do not recall the year though I loved it at the time. Mr. Potato Head began his life in 1952 when George Lerner of New York City invented him. And based on a toy called ‘make a face’ that actually used a real potato for the head, Mr. Lerner decided to make his toy all plastic. He then sold his creation to Hasbro who marketed Mr. Potato Head with a styrofoam head for all those wonderful little facial expressions, noses, eyes and ears. There were instructions included that suggested using a real veggie for the head. I used a potato since I was a literal child and the thing was called Mr. Potato Head. Also, there was a drawback to the styrofoam head. If you really loved Mr. Potato Head and gave him constant expression changes, the styrofoam would get so many holes in it that it became useless. Thus, use a potato.

Strange and unusual: Mr. Potato Head received 4 write in votes in the election for mayor in Boise, Idaho, in 1985. Didn’t say much for the then incumbent mayor, did it? Or maybe it said all there needed to be said.

The manufacturer recommends for ages 3-5. 13 pieces included with a snap together body.

Technorati Tags: mr potato head, toys, preschool toy, hasbro, veggie head

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Ever wonder where this little gem came from? I have seen Rubik’s Cube since my daughter was young, about ten or eleven years old. They were a mystery to most people but some were able to solve the puzzle in a short time. I have always been amazed at how quickly some folks could do that. But where did it come from?

Emo Rubik, a Hungarian college professor, had always wondered about combining engineering and art. His father was a mechanical engineer and his mother was an artist. It was natural for him to want to find a way to do this. In 1974, he began to dream up “Magic Cube”. He loved geometry, three dimensional forms, shapes and the way they changed into other forms and, of course, puzzles. Rubik wanted to create a three dimensional shape that was a mental challenge. The first “Magic Cube” was hand carved, attaching the individual smaller cubes to make the larger cube. He applied for a patent for his design in 1975. It was approved in 1977 which goes to show you that it takes a while to get anything done in government. A small number of cubes were made and placed out for sale. It did not go well.

A Hungarian businessman noticed the cubes and wanted to show them at the Nuremburg Toy Fair. That was a good call because the cube got the notice of British toy inventor and marketer, Tom Kremer. Kremer took it to Ideal Toy Company who renamed it the Rubik’s Cube after the inventor and put 1 million cubes on the market in 1980. And the rest, as they say, is history. Over 300 million Rubik’s Cubes or their copies have been sold world wide.

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Once again drawing from my childhood although at the time younger friends were playing with this toy more than I was, Etch-A-Sketch came out in 1960 after being introduced at the 1959 Toy Fair in Nuremburg, Germany by Frenchman, Arthur Granjean who called his creation L’Ecran Magique. Once it hit England, they called it DoodleMaster Magic Screen. Then when it came to America, a gentleman named William Casley Killgallon renamed it Etch-A-Sketch. Since then, kids and adults have been sketching with this amazing little screen. People have gotten quite good with the controls and now make incredible pictures with it. What happens when someone shakes the screen? Gone. And then you can do another picture.

Etch-A-Sketch is a timeless toy that will be here long after the flash in the pan type toys that are here and gone the next year. In fact, there is an official website that is interactive with your child. They can find the gallery where the pictures are kept. Fun and games gives your child an online Etch-A-Sketch to create his or her own online pictures. It also includes Concentration, Virtual Village and other fun things to do.

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There was a time when I was at the age that Barbie was a huge deal. I can’t think why that would be since I was about 13 at the time but that was the reality. I asked for it for Christmas that year by writing out my list of wants. My parents tell me that because my handwriting was not what it should be, what I got was a baby doll instead of a Barbie doll. I can laugh now but it wasn’t as amusing then. My friend got one for Christmas. And that was that.

Barbie has a fascinating history of her own. She was born in 1959. Her creator was Ruth Handler who, with her husband Elliot and friend Harold Matson , was co-founder of Mattel (so named by the MAT(T) in Matson and the el in Elliot) in 1942. Barbie became a household word by the time I knew about her in 1960. Ken came along a year or so later and became a hit too. Both were named from the couple’s children. She was created specifically to look like a model due to the trip Ruth had taken to Europe. Over the years, her popularity grew, more versions became available as well as a whole line of clothing and accessories like pets, younger sisters, houses, cars and so on. While Barbie has her critics who say her body is an unrealistic idea for young girls, she is still a highly collectible doll and quite a play thing for children today.

Mattel still has the Barbie collection for anyone interested in her. They sell the Barbie dolls for play and collecting.

Technorati Tags: Barbie, Mattel, models, kids toys, Christmas, Ken

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Slinky has changed over the years. I had one when I was a kid. You may notice me saying that a lot. That’s okay. I did have some of the toys I plan on featuring here since they were fun to play with when I was young. They are still here today, just in another form. In fact, the slinky I had was made of metal, would walk down the steps and was very durable. Today’s slinky is plastic and is more easily broken.

As with many toys, this one was found by accident in 1943 by Richard James, a scientist who was trying to find a way to make a meter to gauge horsepower on battleships. While working with tension springs, one of them fell to the floor. It just kept going. He saw the potential in it for a kids toy. Working on the gauge of steel for a couple years, he finally settled on it. Once his wife gave it a name, it was placed in the Gimbel’s stores at Christmas in 1945. He was so nervous about the sales of the slinky that he had a friend buy the first one. It wasn’t necessary. Over 400 were sold in 45 minutes and Slinky came on the market. Richard James and his wife, Betty, then founded James Industries with $500 and began production. The rest is history.

Slinky is available in it’s original metal form and the plastic form as well. Both are recommended for 5 and up.

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This particular substance was something I had when I was a kid. It was fun kid’s toy and relatively safe to play with although there were stories (in my class at school) about some kids either eating it (tastes foul) or sticking it in places that Silly Putty should never go (new meaning for stick it in your ear! It would melt into the ear and make for a difficult time hearing). You could do just about anything with it. It stretched and bounced. We used to find newspapers and lay the Silly Putty on it and it would copy the print right off. If it got the least bit warm, it melted. Silly Putty could be made into just about any shape, it was elastic. The crazy part is that it was made by accident.

A General Electric scientist named James Wright, who was working for our government in 1943, accidentally dropped boric acid into some silicone oil. The result was a goopy substance that was extremely bouncy, acted sort of like rubber but was more fun and could copy print from comic books and newspapers. What he had been trying to find was a synthetic rubber. This, however, was not going to work for any application the government needed. Since it had little practical use, the substance was more or less shelved. But it did float around a little bit.

Years later in 1949 while attending a fancy party, Peter Hodgson who at the time was unemployed, noticed the rubbery substance was the main entertainment. Up to then, no one had noticed the potential for greatness. And then along came Peter. He bought the rights to the nutty putty for $147, renamed it Silly Putty and packaged it in a plastic egg because Easter was coming up. Seemingly overnight the Silly Putty became a multi million dollar kid toy success story. I received my Silly Putty, I think, for a Christmas present and the rest is history!

Technorati Tags: childrens toy, toys, silly putty, nutty putty, kids toy

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