Category Archives: Toys from 1960s

Troll Dolls also known as Dam Doll

Trolls or Troll Dolls are also known as Dam Doll is a small plastic doll which has furry hair often in bright and slightly pointy styles. They were first created in 1959 by a Danish guy called Thomas Dam, they became one of Americas biggest toy fads in the 1960’s and have had numerous come backs and fads in periods during the 1970’s, 1990’s.

Thomas Dam was a fisherman and woodcutter and was struggling to afford a gift for his young daughter, so he carved a troll doll especially for her. When other kids saw the dolls they also asked for one and so the Dam company began to produce dolls using plastic instead. They marketed the dolls as a Good Luck doll. The dolls were very popular in many European countries in the 1960’s they were then introduced to USA soon after. They were one of the biggest fads in the USA from late 1963 right through to 1965. The original Dam dolls were high quality and featured sheep’s wool and glass eyes. continue reading>>

Chatty Cathy Doll

Chatty Cathy is a doll made by Mattel from 1959-1965. Chatty Cathy spoke one of eleven phases at random when a ring aka “chatty ring” was pulled from the upper back of the doll. This string was connected to a simple record in the dolls abdomen which was driven by a metal coil wound by the toys string.Some of the phases included “I love you” or “Lets Play School”, others were added in versions from 1963 onwards which increased the number of phases to 18.

The voice unit in Chatty Cathy was designed by Jack Ryan who was the head of r & d at Mattel and had also been responsible for designing the Barbie doll. continue reading>>

Cluedo Board Game

Cluedo is a popular board game based where you try to work out who was murdered and where and using what. This well known game was first published in 1949 in Leeds England by Waddingtons by Anthony E. Pratt who was a solicitors clerk and part time child’s entertainer. In the United States Cluedo is published by Hasbro who acquired its US publisher Waddingtons and Parker Brothers.

The aim of the game is for players to move around the board, each player represents a character/person and you move around the rooms of the mansion collecting clues to solve the questions of who murdered who in the where with the what. continue reading>>

Chemistry Set Toy History

Did you have a Chemistry set when you were younger? The original Chemistry set was released by the A.C. Gilbert Co. in 1923. Originally marketed solely to boys, the kit was designed to teach basic chemistry skills, but by today’s standards, it would likely be watered down to ensure it was safer and did not become as security risk.

They went on to sell millions of sets over the next 30 years. Eventually, even girls were acknowledged by the manufacturers — but only to assist… A Gilbert’s Lab Technician Set for Girls was released in the 1950s, cloaked in reassuring pink shades. It would be another 10 years until 1960’s when finally the gender barrier in kiddie chemistry was brought down and boys and girls were finally allowed to play scientist together. continue reading>>

Radio Flyer Wagon

Radio Flyer Wagon were invented by a passionate 16-year-old Italian boy called Antonio Pasion, in the 1920’s he was among the millions who immigrated to America from Europe. He was a skilled carpenter and headed to Chicago. He began to construct small red wagons out of stamped pressed metal and by 1923 he had saved enough to form the Liberty Coaster Company.

Soon after he began mass-producing the radio flyer red wagons for under $3. Countless children have enjoyed playing with the Radio Flyer Wagon pulling friends or moving things and now the range has expanded to small-large wagons, tricycle and even wheelbarrow with prices from $20 upwards. continue reading>>

Original Slinky

Slinky is another favourite with kids of many generations, simply falling or slinking down the stairs still keeps the kids entertained, for a while at least just dont get it it tangled up. Just place it at the top of the stairs and then move one end partly down to the next step and watch it move down with that memorable swoosh noise.

The Slinky began in 1945 as part of an antivibration device by Richard James an American naval engineer. He thought the spring might be useful as a toy because of its comical walking behaviour. During his work one of the springs fell to the floor and seemed to ‘walk’. continue reading>>

Easy Bake Oven

Launched in 1963 and one of Hasbro’s top-selling items in the following decades and still respectable sales in current times. Easy-Bake ovens continue to be used some 50 years later. Over 30 million ovens have been sold and over 150 million mix refills used and counting.

Invented by designers from Kenner Products now owned by Hasbro the first oven was turquoise and included a fake stove top and included a carrying handle. 500,000 were sold @ $15.95 in the first five years.

Many children’s first baking experience was using an Easy-Bake oven. They allowed kids to pretend to be grown up by having their own cooking set and with the ingredients allowed them to experience the awe of mixing and then a short time later tasting their creations… and if they had some left decorating them. continue reading>>

Mousetrap

First released in 1963 by toy company Ideal and made by Ideal, Mouse Trap is a board game for 2 to 4 players. The aim of the game was at first to co-operate with each other in order to be able to build the Mouse Trap. After this had been completed it was each player for themselves as they go on to trap each others mouse pieces in the trap.

The winner is the last player remaining. In 2006 the game has been re-released with a design change and game play changes.

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Must Have Toy 2022 | Latest Toy trends, Games, history of retro toys