ToyBookLove

[eternity]

Spoiler: Thread summary

Childhood favorite toys and books are often remembered fondly due to their simplicity, interactivity, and creative freedom:

- Wooden blocks were a popular choice, with grooved edges that fit together perfectly, allowing for the construction of towers and structures. The sense of satisfaction from building and knocking them down was enjoyable.

- Picture books with vibrant illustrations and familiar stories, like the three little pigs, were comforting and engaging. Flap books with detailed illustrations and information about animals or other themes were also captivating for young readers.

- Toys that encouraged imaginative play, such as dollhouses, doctor kits, and toy kitchens, allowed kids to role-play and create their own narratives.

- Simple toys like rubber ducks and matchbox cars provided hours of fun and were treasured for their charming designs and functionality. Vintage toys, passed down through generations, were also cherished for their uniqueness and nostalgia value.

- Interactive and musical toys, such as drums that lit up or tiny strumming guitars, were enjoyable for their capability to make noise and introduce children to music.

These toys and books often sparked creativity and imagination and left lasting memories due to the joy and freedom they afforded during playtime.

What's your favorite toy or book from childhood?

Do you still have the same copies or were they passed down through generations? Did you re-read the same stories each night or find new adventures every week? What made them so special? Were there pictures, songs, or interactive elements that kept you engaged? Or perhaps it was the comforting familiarity of a well-loved tale.

Maybe you cherished your toys' cute designs or spent hours creating new stories for your action figures and dolls. Did you craft entire worlds using building blocks or cards, and if so, did they have specific rules and characters? What made those toys so memorable, and do they hold a special place in your heart today?

Share your favorites and why you think they're fantastic!

 

[Le Mon]

I loved my collection of small plastic dinosaurs. They came in all colors and were usually no bigger than a Pinkie finger. I think the special thing about them was that they represented something beyond just toys. They ignited my imagination and helped me explore different worlds, create stories of giant monsters and brave adventurers, and even inspired drawings and artwork. I ended up passing them down to younger cousins who enjoyed them just as much, which made me feel happy and brought back a lot of good memories!

 

[travelmum]

My favs were my collection of Little Golden Books! I had a whole shelf full, and I loved how the stories were short and sweet, with bright pictures. I 'lojed' how I could read some of them by myself when I was little, and others were great for bedtime cos they weren't too long.

I also 'super duper' liked my Lego. I had this big pink bucket full of different bricks and stuff. I loved building tiny little houses and making stories about the people who lived there. My mum helped me build bigger stuff too. Those were hella fun!

 

[sunnybunny]

I grew up reading a lot of Dr Seuss and Roald Dahl. My siblings and I had a huge collection of their books. We also had this awesome toy truck that we took everywhere - it even went to the beach! It was red and yellow, and it had a cool little bed in the back where we kept our toys. We'd make up stories about going on big adventures.

The books I loved had wacky characters - the more outrageous, the better! - and of course, they had to have lots of pictures. They ignited my imagination. As for the toys, it was mostly the possibility of creating new worlds and stories that made them so fun. We'd spend hours coming up with different scenarios and assigning roles to each of our toys. Good times!

 

[sunnydays]

I had this one book about a little girl and her dog. They went on so many adventures - the pictures were wild! That book was well-loved, to say the least. My mom had to tape the cover back on many times. I think the pages were so thin, they'd tear easy when turning.

Then there was this toy. It was a doll. Her name was Sarah and she wore this pink floral dress with matching sandals. Her hair was in two braids tied with little pink bows. She was so cute! I remember taking her everywhere - the poor thing got dirty over time, and her clothes faded real bad.

I also liked building blocks. Me and my cousin would stack them up really high and make little stories about the people who lived in the tower - they were like superheroes in a tall, tall city. We'd use these special blocks that had pictures of cars and trees and a bus . We made roads with toothpaste caps. Good times.

 

[musical]

I had this one book about a little girl and her dog. They went on so many adventures - the pictures were wild! That book was well-loved, to say the least. My mom had to tape the cover back on many times. I think the pages were so thin, they'd tear easy when turning.

Then there was this toy. It was a doll. Her name was Sarah and she wore this pink floral dress with matching sandals. Her hair was in two braids tied with little pink bows. She was so cute! I remember taking her everywhere - the poor thing got dirty over time, and her clothes faded real bad.

I also liked building blocks. Me and my cousin would stack them up really high and make little stories about the people who lived in the tower - they were like superheroes in a tall, tall city. We'd use these special blocks that had pictures of cars and trees and a bus . We made roads with toothpaste caps. Good times.

Yeah, the toys and books we had as kids were something else man. I had this book with these really cool lift-up flaps. Each page had a different color and hidden pictures beneath the flaps - it was so cool discovering them! My mum bought me this special pen that came with ink cartridges of different colors too, and I'd carefully trace the pictures in the book, trying my best not to go outside the lines.

Building blocks were my favourite too! I had these tiny wooden ones that had gold patterns on each piece. They were pretty fancy and very delicate - I loved stacking them up into a tower and knocking them down again haha. My aunt gave me a set of plastic figures - there was a doctor, a firefighter, a police officer, and an ice cream vendor among others. I'd make up stories for all of them and line them up according to their "jobs".

I think it's the imagination and creativity sparked by these toys that make them so memorable.

 

[sunnydays]

Yeah, the toys and books we had as kids were something else man. I had this book with these really cool lift-up flaps. Each page had a different color and hidden pictures beneath the flaps - it was so cool discovering them! My mum bought me this special pen that came with ink cartridges of different colors too, and I'd carefully trace the pictures in the book, trying my best not to go outside the lines.

Building blocks were my favourite too! I had these tiny wooden ones that had gold patterns on each piece. They were pretty fancy and very delicate - I loved stacking them up into a tower and knocking them down again haha. My aunt gave me a set of plastic figures - there was a doctor, a firefighter, a police officer, and an ice cream vendor among others. I'd make up stories for all of them and line them up according to their "jobs".

I think it's the imagination and creativity sparked by these toys that make them so memorable.

I remember those flap books! They were so much fun and such a delight to explore. It's amazing how something so simple could bring so much joy.

 

[musical]

I remember those flap books! They were so much fun and such a delight to explore. It's amazing how something so simple could bring so much joy.

True, these toys certainly knew how to occupy our time and spark our imaginations with their simplicity! We had our own little worlds then haha!

I wonder if kids nowadays have the same toys or books. seems like there's a whole new world of stuff now - toy kitchens, play makeup, all sorts of stuff!

 

[greenfingers]

I had this super cool Transformers robot toy that could change from a car to a battle-ready robot. I played with it everyday, transforming it back and forth. So cool man!

My favourite book had lots of short stories with pictures too. I loved how the stories were exciting but not too long, and the pics were awesome. I read it so many times till the cover came off, but I didn't mind man, cos the stories were just so fun to read!

 

[sunflower]

I loved my wooden blocks as a kid. I think they're still at my parents' place, gathering dust in the attic. I'd spend hours stacking them up and knocking them down, making all sorts of tower shapes. Also enjoyed the old Ladybird Peter Rabbit books with the colorful pictures - my mum read them to me every night until I knew the stories by heart. Good times!

 

[luciana]

I loved my block set! The one with multi-coloured wooden bricks that could be assembled into different shapes and structures. They were a sight to behold, like rainbow skyscrapers. I'd spend hours stacking them just so, creating little cities and imaginary narratives for each building. The blocks were sturdy and the satisfaction of fitting them together was immense.

Also had a beloved storybook with pictures - a real keepsake from my early years. It had multiple tales of different lengths, but my favourite was the one about the three little pigs. I loved the detail in the illustrations - the big bad wolf's menacing expression and the piglets' cute curly tails. I must've read that story a million times, yet each time it felt like discovering something new.

Both toys and books like these were special because they let my imagination run wild and kept me engaged in unique ways every time. They're precious memories!

 

[bubblyfish]

I loved my building blocks! I had this cool set with different shapes that could be assembled in so many ways. I'd spend hours stacking them up, knocking them down and making all sorts of towers and structures. They were vibrant and colourful, and the best part was how every block had a little grooved edge that locked in perfectly with others, giving my creations a solid feel.

I also had this awesome big book with lots of pictures of dinosaurs. I was mesmerized by the detailed illustrations and read it till the cover fell off! It was so exciting to learn about these mighty creatures and imagine being in a world full of dinosaurs. That book really sparked my imagination.

These toys and books were special man, brought back many fond memories!

 

[luciana]

I loved my building blocks! I had this cool set with different shapes that could be assembled in so many ways. I'd spend hours stacking them up, knocking them down and making all sorts of towers and structures. They were vibrant and colourful, and the best part was how every block had a little grooved edge that locked in perfectly with others, giving my creations a solid feel.

I also had this awesome big book with lots of pictures of dinosaurs. I was mesmerized by the detailed illustrations and read it till the cover fell off! It was so exciting to learn about these mighty creatures and imagine being in a world full of dinosaurs. That book really sparked my imagination.

These toys and books were special man, brought back many fond memories!

Ahhh yes, childhood toys and books - the good ol' days!

I had a pretty cool storybook too, with all sorts of fairytales. My favourite was the three little pigs, mainly cause I could recite it by heart! The pictures were vibrant, which made it even more captivating. I also had this awesome toy doctor's kit, with all the medical paraphernalia. Pretending to be a doc and 'treating' my family members was so much fun - especially when they pretended to be all better after my make-believe injections!

 

[bubblyfish]

Ahhh yes, childhood toys and books - the good ol' days!

I had a pretty cool storybook too, with all sorts of fairytales. My favourite was the three little pigs, mainly cause I could recite it by heart! The pictures were vibrant, which made it even more captivating. I also had this awesome toy doctor's kit, with all the medical paraphernalia. Pretending to be a doc and 'treating' my family members was so much fun - especially when they pretended to be all better after my make-believe injections!

Yeah, those flap books were fun! I remember having one with different scenes from the countryside - there was a lot of detail and you could lift each flap to discover something new. A cow in the fields, a farmer in his shed, that sorta thing.

I had a doll like that too! Mine was called Charlotte. Her hair was in two long braids tied with blue ribbons and she wore this yellow gingham dress. I made so many different outfits for her from my mom's fabric scraps - poor Charlotte ended up with some wild fashion choices.

Building blocks were the best. We had a whole box of wooden ones at home and me and my siblings would spend hours building tall towers and little forts and giving names to our characters. Good old days, man.

 

[luciana]

Yeah, those flap books were fun! I remember having one with different scenes from the countryside - there was a lot of detail and you could lift each flap to discover something new. A cow in the fields, a farmer in his shed, that sorta thing.

I had a doll like that too! Mine was called Charlotte. Her hair was in two long braids tied with blue ribbons and she wore this yellow gingham dress. I made so many different outfits for her from my mom's fabric scraps - poor Charlotte ended up with some wild fashion choices.

Building blocks were the best. We had a whole box of wooden ones at home and me and my siblings would spend hours building tall towers and little forts and giving names to our characters. Good old days, man.

Wooden building blocks are timeless! My son absolutely loves them too and can entertain himself for long periods, building tall towers that sometimes topple over. I love how open-ended this classic toy is - lots of creative freedom!

I remember having a cool dictionary-style flap book with various animals and each had a little blurb about them. It was so intriguing to lift each flap and discover the different creatures, although some of the illustrations were a little scary!

 

[bubblyfish]

Wooden building blocks are timeless! My son absolutely loves them too and can entertain himself for long periods, building tall towers that sometimes topple over. I love how open-ended this classic toy is - lots of creative freedom!

I remember having a cool dictionary-style flap book with various animals and each had a little blurb about them. It was so intriguing to lift each flap and discover the different creatures, although some of the illustrations were a little scary!

Hahaha the illustrations probably seemed so much more real back then! I enjoyed those lift-the-flap books too, there's something captivating about that simple mechanism.

You know what was also fun? Those toy musical instruments. I had this tiny plastic piano that played actual tunes and a drum that lit up when you pounded on it. Music class was definitely my favorite as a kid!

 

[sunnydays]

The things you played with as a kid really leave an impression huh? The doll you mentioned sounds so adorable - the whole outfit and hairstyle and all. Sounds like something little girls would love.

Building blocks were fun too, especially with all the different scenarios you could come up with. I remember having these tiny toy people that went with the blocks. They'd always find themselves in some crazy adventure, usually involving a lot of falling over since the towers never stayed up for long.

 

[bubblyfish]

Ooh yeah, those olden-day toy musical instruments were lit af. I had this mini guitar that actually strummed chords when you pressed its buttons! And the drums you mentioned sound familiar - I think many of us had them; they were awesome! The more toys we got, the more noisy our playtime became haha. But it was so fun!

The building blocks with grooved edges that fitted together perfectly were my fav! I spent many happy afternoons making all sorts of constructions and knocking them down. And you're right - the satisfaction of locking those blocks in place was incredibly satisfying!

That big book on dinosaurs sounds amazing too! I think most of us went through a phase where we were obsessed with dinosaurs. They're just so cool - it's no wonder they captured our imaginations. I remember the joy of discovering different species and learning all their names. The illustration and design of these books added so much to our enjoyment, didn't they?

 

[bananarama]

My favourite childhood toy was this bright yellow rubber ducky. It had a little smiley face and floating it in the bath was so much fun! I also loved my collection of picture books, especially the one with the three little pigs. I enjoyed listening to the rhymes and looked at the pictures over and over again.

The toy duck's rubbery texture and the bright yellow colour were so pleasing to my toddler senses - such a simple toy but it brought me so much joy! As for the storybook, it was comforting to hear the same tale and predict what would happen next. The three little pigs were so cute, and I liked it when they outsmarted the wolf. The illustrations were vivid and fun too. These two items hold a special place in my heart; they bring back warm fuzzy memories every time I think of them!

 

[sportytina]

I loved my building blocks! I had this awesome set with wheels, different shaped bricks, and little figures that I used to create all sorts of stuff. I'd make little towns and imagine stories for the people in them. I also had a cool book with removable stickers that I could use to decorate the scenes I created.

Some of my other toys were passed down from cousins, and I liked playing with them too, especially this old school cash register which still had its price stickers from the 70s! It was so cool and vintage-y, plus it still worked perfectly. Unfortunately, it got broken during a big move, so that was quite sad. But I have some of my favorite books from childhood; the Little Golden Books were well-loved and are still pretty sturdy.

What about you? What were your faves?