Best Toys Ever
May 9th 2008
Julia LondonOn Writing!
My little ward of state discovered a Winnie the Pooh bear in a closet that belonged to me when I was a kid and latched onto it. He will not part with it now. My maiden name is Winn, which turned into Winnie somewhere in grade school, and naturally, Winnie the Pooh bears followed. And as much as I do love Winnie the Pooh and his honey pot, he was not my favorite toy. When I think of my childhood, I almost always think of Elizabeth first.
Elizabeth was a tricycle. She was green and she had streamers on the handlebars, and I loved her so much I named her Elizabeth. I don’t know how old I was, but I know where we were living at the time and I know I couldn’t have been more than four or five. That green trike was my first brush with freedom and the depths of my imagination. I didn’t get very far, but it seemed like miles and miles to me. And as we lived way out with cows, the landscape was nothing but an empty easel where I began to paint my stories—almost always of danger and almost always involving Indians, and Elizabeth was my trusty steed.
I had Barbies, too, but that was before the Barbie dream house, so my mother made us a house with her shoe boxes. I had older sisters, so that meant they got the shoes and the little combs and I got Midge. We created plays with those Barbies, with three acts, and used the shoe boxes for stages.
I had siblings, too, who sometimes can be as good as toys. We would go to the wheat fields and stomp down a house—I mean literally stomp the wheat down and make rooms amid stalks that stood higher than our heads and be a different family. The next day, we’d be a wagon train, circling the wagons for the night in that wheat, and guess who was lurking in the wheat where we couldn’t see them? Yep, a few Indians. The next day, we probably were discovered and got in trouble.
Do you remember when you first started making up stories, and do you remember what toy or activity sparked your desire to do it?
29 Comments »
Margay on 09 May 2008 at 4:45 am #
I have been telling stories for so long, I can’t really remember how it all began. I know that there was the usual Barbie-induced stories and then there was the I-didn’t-like-how-this-book/movie-ended-so-I’ll-write-my-own-ending type of stories. But most notable is the fact that my sisters and I were always doing some sort of talent show (especially my older sister and me) and this inspired us to write our own shows, then perform them on our front porch (which was huge - perfect for a stage) for the neighbor kids. We charged about a dime to get in and even sold brownies and lemonade at intermission. Those were the days…
Kate on 09 May 2008 at 6:07 am #
One of my sisters and I made houses from leaf piles in the fall. We had a huge Maple tree that dropped leaves that were the size of my dad’s palm. We’d rake them up and make walls and rooms. We had baby dolls - we called them our Big dolls - they had the plastic head, arms and legs and then the cloth body. We went on adventures with them all summer. The best summer was the year my brothers and dad converted the back part of the barn into a dollhouse. We had a door and a door bell. It was great fun….until the wasps came.
On rainy days we played in our room and pretended the floor was a body of water that had nasties in it…alligators - or sharks. We had a lot of fun with our imaginations.
Karen Rose on 09 May 2008 at 7:03 am #
Fun topic, Julia! I remember creating my first stories in first or second grade and they involved the Partridge family and rollerskates. LOL!
I can remember seeing the Wizard of Oz on TV one year - remember how they used to play it only once a year? - and deciding I’d direct the class in a play. I wrote the script and took the lead of Dorothy, of course. We never actually did the play - I think my teacher didn’t want to and found ways of distracting us away from it. I guess I wasn’t meant for the director’s chair!
Margaret Garland on 09 May 2008 at 7:04 am #
This one of the down sides of being an only. Especially one living in the boonies. And had no cousins close in age to me. I had to rely on my own self for entertainment. Sometimes that’s good & sometimes not.
I was always somebody else. I broke my arm at age 6 while hanging from the clothesline pole playing Tarzan. I fell on the garbage can that I had used to get up there. Then, I sliced my leg open with my mother’s sewing shears while I was cutting out things to create a stage back drop for some story or other. Bled like a son-of-a-gun. It required more than 1 stitch. LOL
When I was 10-11, I was Sheena, Queen of the Jungle with her faithful black panther companion. Cleverly disguised as a brown mutt of unknown ancestry. I would run around in a bathing suit with some sort of cape hangin off my back. The best cape I ever had was a long piece of brown paper that had covered sheet rock during a remodel.
Wah! I want sisters-in-crime.
Karen Rose on 09 May 2008 at 7:05 am #
My favorite toy was a cloth body, hard plastic head “Waah Baby” doll - when you turned her over she said “Waah.” I named her Charlotte. She was almost bald and never had proper attire, but I loved her. (Little sister puked all over her a year or two later and she had to be … sent to a farm in the country… sob.)
DebMarlowe on 09 May 2008 at 7:25 am #
Bikes equaled freedom for me and my cousins, too, Julia! We rode our bikes and big wheels all over. They always wanted to play Dukes of Hazzard on them! Hee hee. I wanted to be Leather Tuscadaro, Fonzie’s true love!
In the summer we lived in the pool day and night and we had a gazillion games that we’d made up. We also played the Grease album over and over, making up dances and singing along.
Now I try to convince my kids there was life before video games and they don’t believe me.
Karen Hawkins on 09 May 2008 at 7:39 am #
Our neighbors owned the lot in between our house and theirs. They had six boys and one girl — that’s right — six GORGEOUS boys. Since there was no grass on the lot, we called it The Dirt Pile. We’d all meet on that dirt pile with our bikes and we’d make a circuit with ramps, dips, tight turns and all sorts of breathless fun things. I had a hot pink bike — a hand hand-me-down that my dad spray painted with neon pink. Why? I must have asked him to, though I don’t remember. I do remember how much I loved that bike and how I thought I could fllllyyyyy when I was on it.
And when I’d ride my bike, in my mind, I was always on a beautiful horse, galloping somewhere important — usually to save someone’s life with my extraordinary ability to wield a magic sword or the such.
Ah, I miss that lot. There’s a house there now and I never see it without regret. That empty lot was a magical place.
SuzyQ on 09 May 2008 at 8:07 am #
I lived across from a school and there was a huge playground there. My friends and I would take sheetrock (from the extra my dad had from remodeling) and use it as chalk to create an entire town on the playground. Then we would “drive” through the streets on our rollerskates (do you remember wearing the skate key around your neck on a piece of string?)
Meg on 09 May 2008 at 8:41 am #
I have been creating my own stories for as far back as I can remember. Growing up, I always lived in or around the woods and my younger sister and I were always playing in there. (Amazingly enough we never got any redbugs or ticks on us!) We would sweep aside the fallen pine straw with our feet to make our houses and then visit each other.
We would also ride “horses” together but most times we didn’t have bikes. It was a skipping that we did and when our feet hit each other it sounded like a galloping horse.
I also had a stage where I ADORED paper dolls. I had so many that I had to keep them organized in a grocery bag! There would be couples, enemies, elegant balls… I would play with them for hours! Even though they are rare these days, every time I see a new book of paper dolls I always remember the ones I had so much fun with and want to buy them.
Julia London on 09 May 2008 at 9:00 am #
K-Ro, the Wizard of Oz was a yearly EVENT in our house. We couldn’t wait for it every year!
Lisa H on 09 May 2008 at 9:00 am #
I too lived in an “all boy” neighborhood. 3 boys right next store. The youngest being Jimmy. Jimmy and I played house with the other kids all the time. He was always “Scotty” and I was always “Barbara” (the best female name of all time, I believed) We had tons of fun playing hide and go seek, Ponderosa (his choice) and I Dream of Jeannie ( my choice)
I dreaded night-time when my dad would whistle for me and I had to come home, but longed for the moment school ended when I could come home and play.
Sabrina Jeffries on 09 May 2008 at 9:01 am #
I used to make my friends play parts in whatever drama I dreamed up. The only one I remember involved Greeks, for some reason, maybe because togas were cheap and easy costumes? I don’t know. I do remember I went through a spate of fascination with the Greeks–I remember reading some book about the Spartans.
When I was really small, I do remember making a “house” with one of my friends out of chicken wire. All we did was separate out rooms with it, probably the way you used the wheat.
And I remember a huge sand pile next to our house (left from some construction project of our landlord’s). I had these plastic crabs (I have no clue from where) that we would take out in the sand pile, and we would make houses for them with the sand and have them live little lives.
(cont.)
elsiehogarth on 09 May 2008 at 9:04 am #
In my family, as a kid you got to hang out with the cousins that were in your age group. Luckily for me, my age group only had boys with me as the only girl. So I was a tomboy. With the exception that I had ballet classes once a week with my cousin Michelle. I loved playing marbles, Cowboys and Indians, climbing trees, trail bike riding etc. And I have all the scars from my childhood. I’m especially proud of the 6 inch scar behind my right knee….I got while chasing my cousin Paul over a fence and getting stuck on it. Good times, good times.
Sabrina Jeffries on 09 May 2008 at 9:05 am #
If forced to play with my baby brothers (who were 4 and 8 years younger than me, respectively), I loved to drag out all their stuff and mine and build elaborate kingdoms. One of my brothers had a plastic castle, complete with knights and drawbridge and everything. We’d take their Hotwheels and the castle and the figures and build elaborate fantasy kingdoms.
And yes, I also stole their GI Joes when possible for Barbie. They hated that–said I was turning GI Joe into a girly guy.
Claudia Dain on 09 May 2008 at 9:12 am #
Deb Marlowe, from now on you’ll be Leather Tuscadaro to me!
I had an empty lot next door when I was a little kid and used to play there all the time. I’d flatten out the thick, wild grass and make a house for myself. The grass was up to my hips when standing, so I’d hunker down, smashing out a living room, bedroom, kitchen for myself, pretending that no one could see me when they walked by. The fantasy was blown when my mom strolled over to ask if I wanted an afternoon snack. Sigh.
My other favorite place was an orange tree in our backyard. It was made for climbing and had a special spot that made the perfect seat. I’d sit up there and eat one orange after another, watching my backyard, spying on my dad at the barbeque, my mom watering the roses. It was my special place to be alone and undisturbed.
Things I did with other kids is another post! I never shared my orange tree. That was *mine*.
Julia London on 09 May 2008 at 9:19 am #
Oh, I forgot that I also had a Dino doll from the Flintstones. I bet that would be a huge collector’s item now.
I love how we all made houses out of whatever we could find. But Kate, I am extremely jealous that you had an actual DOLL HOUSE made out of your barn!
Kim on 09 May 2008 at 9:33 am #
Its SO funny that you guys brought up the Wizard of Oz again! Everyone make sure to check out the new contest that starts on Monday
My favorite toys were books. I didn’t have barbies and my brother destroyed my doll house. When I sat down with a book I could ignore everyone, it was bliss.
Kathy/Cookiedough on 09 May 2008 at 9:40 am #
Gee remember the days when you spent all day playing around the neighbourhood and you only came inside for food and when it got dark.
sigh!
My friends and I would hide in the mashed down center of a huge rhododendron in front of my house. We thought no one could see us at all. silly little girls. my mother would pass us snacks through the flowers.
Most times we would play in the garage. It was a huge two car one that had this really neat car turntable. it was for turning the car around so it would face out- never needing to back out of the driveway.
We would start running to spin it as fast as we could go then try to walk to the center. my mom drove the car in once when we didn’t have a chance to stop it, just slowed it down enough for her car to head into the wall.
Our dad poured concrete down the center shaft later that day and it never spun again.
hmm, should that have gone in the risky behaviour blog? lol!
Julia London on 09 May 2008 at 9:44 am #
Kathy, I have never heard of such a thing!
Karen Hawkins on 09 May 2008 at 9:58 am #
Kathy . . . BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Ok, that wasn’t funny to your parents, but oh for just one second, how much POWER you kids had! You didn’t just jump your bike over a ramp, or pretend your Barbie car was flipping down the ditch. No, you made AN ACTUAL CAR RUN INTO A WALL.
Oh, to be so young and to have had such power!
cail on 09 May 2008 at 10:28 am #
Ah, memories. My little brother and I played many a make believe game growing up, usually “Mikey on the Farm” “Mikey on the Ship” or “Mikey on the Ranch.” His alter-ego character name of choice was Mikey. Mikey on the Ranch was a very elaborate game where we had registrars and maps of our dude ranch that we ran alone since we were orphans. I feel like kids are always orphans in make believe games.
When he was younger he was my pet dog, and I’d train him, but I’m pretty sure I’ve already told you guys all about that.
Julia London on 09 May 2008 at 10:44 am #
Cail I tried for years to train my brother, but alas, it never took
Kay on 09 May 2008 at 10:59 am #
I was 6 years younger than my sister, and very upset that she went to school ALL DAY and I had to stay home. So I made my own school. The only toys I liked were stuffed animals. My favorite toy was a white cat, covered with real rabbit fur (yes, I now know that’s gross) and was named Furry. My mom still has Furry. LOL We would go on “field trips” and sing songs. There were lessons on math and spelling. The class was assigned homework. My mom told me she loved to listen in, but she never let me know at the time.
cail on 09 May 2008 at 11:40 am #
Julia, the trick is to start young. He was my dog from around age 2 or 3 to 5. By the time he was five he was pretty good at doing tricks AND he was big enough to give me rides.
Lisa H on 09 May 2008 at 11:44 am #
Kathy—that is sooo cool! I’ve never heard of anything like that either.
Suzanne Enoch on 09 May 2008 at 12:59 pm #
My dad made kind of a land-based tree house for us girls. We put an old dolly carriage wheel on the front as a steering wheel. It served as a space ship, a pirate ship, an island, a raft, an actual tree house, etc., while we were pirates, explorers lost on a dinosaur island, you name it. I LOVED that old thing.
Kathy/Cookiedough on 09 May 2008 at 1:11 pm #
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_VEDcSV1Om4
here is a video of one
Ours seemed so much bigger but then I was a skinny little kid.
I liked dolls alot and would forever be cutting my barbies’ hair.
I had a stuffed snoopy toy that I slept with for yrs. My older sister took a great blackmail pic of me with it while I was sleeping. I used to cring when I saw it but it doesn’t bother me now.
ahem, lets just say I REALLY loved it in my sleep!
lol
Nicole Jordan on 09 May 2008 at 1:37 pm #
I don’t remember having toys that I wrapped stories around, but my sis and I had a bunch of old clothes and we used to play Bonanza and Big Valley and Gunsmoke all the time. Cowboys and Indians, pioneers, all that stuff. It was great fun — and I do sometimes think those formative years put the seed of the idea in me to start writing someday.
dbrown3400 on 09 May 2008 at 1:59 pm #
I used to make up elaborate stories from the time I was little because I had insomnia even then. It was lights out early so I had nothing else to do. I still make up stories when I can’t sleep and wish I could remember them when I wake up. It wouldn’t do to try and write them down or record them as it would just wake me up more. I also have elaborate dreams which someone once described as novels, not dreams.
My younger brothers and I used to make forts in the corner of our backyard and play cowboys and Indians. It was one of the few fun things I remember about “the boys” as I was the only girl. I think all that ended when I was about 12 and broke my arm. I guess that was the end of my wild days in the backyard. (By that time I was actually babysitting more than playing.) I was still a tomboy though.