Glow-in-the-Dark Toys
As a kid in the late 1970s and early 80s, glow-in-the-dark toys fascinated me. During the summer months, my friends and I would play outdoors as much as we could. Even after the
From Girl Talk to Girl Games: The Analog History of Games for Girls
Opening the 1989 Sears Christmas catalog and perusing the fifteen-odd pages of video game advertisements, filled with pictures of boys and accented with blue, reveals what many
Continue Reading about From Girl Talk to Girl Games: The Analog History of Games for Girls
The History of Play-Doh: Good, Clean Fun!
Chances are if you mention Play-Doh, your listener will know exactly to what you mean. Not only does the name elicit a mental image of the product in a small yellow can with a
Continue Reading about The History of Play-Doh: Good, Clean Fun!
Art and Creativity with Lite-Brite
What is it about light that makes it so appealing as an element of play? One of my recent blogs focused upon glow-in-the-dark toys that use phosphors and a form of light emission
Nerf Ball
“Stop playing with that ball inside the house! You’re going to break something—take it outside!” Those are familiar phrases that I heard when I was younger, and I am sure many
Preserving Rubber Toys
Rubber has been used to play ball since the first Mesoamerican ball games of the Olmec people began around 3,000 years ago. The ball courts used for that game can be visited at
Learning American History from American Girls
Let’s face it: When you’re a grown-up, getting real mail can be terrible. (Look, another bill. Great, a reminder to get my teeth cleaned.) Occasionally you receive a nice
Continue Reading about Learning American History from American Girls
Sidewalk Surfing: The Gnarly History of Skateboarding Part I (1940s to 1972)
In the context of toy and sports history, skateboards and skateboarding have had a relatively short existence. Skateboarding might be the phoenix of the sports world: rising, dying
Continue Reading about Sidewalk Surfing: The Gnarly History of Skateboarding Part I (1940s to 1972)
Monkeying around with Sock Monkeys
The beloved sock monkey is easily recognizable, cute, silly, and soft, but where did it originate? According to Bonnie Krauss Connelly’s book, Everything’s Coming up Sock Monkeys!:
