Vintage Toy Love

  I was all about the Fisher Price!

One of the first toys I ever remember playing with is the FP telephone.  You could call your Grandmother while you took your phone for a walk.

I learned to tell time with my Hickory Dickory Dot clock.  The hands were moveable.  I loved my radio.  I found the handle especially convenient.   I loved that it played "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star" which  was the second song (right after "Delta Dawn"!).

I loved the dog the very most.

Remember, the school house???  With it's chalboard, and merry-go-round and the bell that actually rang on top.  This is how I learned my ABC's when I was a little girl.

Please take notice: EVERYTHING HAD A HANDLE!  Easy for little hands to manipulate.  Those Fisher Price people were gems weren't they?!

My ALLTIME FP toy was my house.  It was made in 1969.  They had the A-Frame and the grand ole Tudor, but I had the two story tract house and I loved it to pieces.  Me and my imagination took flight here.  In my house Daddy's never went away.  Mommy's never went to pieces.  And there was a black and white dog who loved you unconditionally and you never felt alone.

Remember the staircase???

And the secret hiding place underneath them.  My FP people never had to hide.  There was nothing to fear.  It was all fun.  You slept in your little bed next to your little brother.  And you got up and had breakfast in the kitchen by the fireplace.  You loved the braided rug on the top floor.  It meant continuity, dependability and safety.

And every weekend your FP Dad took you out on the FP boat!  Remember the diving board?  And the little yellow life preservers.  I had no idea how these icons of my childhood would arouse so many memories.  I lived in my head a lot as a small girl.  Making up happy scenarios with my little plastic people and my little plastic black and white dog that made me feel so loved.

After I got too old for Fisher Price I moved on to other worldly pursuits: Barbie Dolls and houses made out of shoe boxes.  Board games like Trouble and Clue.  I was the Jacks champion of all five elementary schools I attended.  I loved my record player and played all of my mother's 1950's hits on it when I didn't have Grease in 24/7 rotation.  Pretend was big with me: playing school, Charlie's Angels (I was always Jaclyn Smith), lost on the prairie without Ma and Pa, living on an island by myself...  That sort of thing.

I can't end this post without mentioning books.  They saved my life.  I could get lost in a world that took me far, far away from my own reality.  From Golden Books to Judy Blume...  I loved them all.  And luckily for me my own story had a happy ending so do not worry.  It all ended really, really well!

Thank you for taking a trip down memory lane with me.

And thank you to Jessi for hosting.

Comments

[Jessi Nagy]

so so cute!!!
i swear i had every one of those fisher price toys. they were the best.
i loved judy blume books too. about 3rd or 4th grade i started reading her stuff.
so fun!

oxoxo,
jessi

Your atc's are on there way!!

[Chiara]

oh gosh THose toys I had them all except the schoolhouse :( Gosh I even think mom might still have them now to go look

[stephanie]

What special FP toys you had. My daughter had most of these, too! Thanks so much for sharing! So glad your "story" has a happy ending! :0)

BTW, Jaclyn Smith was always my favorite angel, too!

Please stop by & visit my toys when you get a chance ~ I have so many I had to do TWO posts!

Stephanie
Angelic Accents

[Karen Young]

Loved seeing some of your favourite toys. I just bought a Fisher Price phone in Pink at ToysRus. They are the only ones who can carry them. I also liked your FP farm, my boys had one.

Karen

[jenn]

wow. never had the FP except the phone and the clock i believe. or it was at school. don't remember too well anymore. my fav. was the pull along dog - i called it snoopy....had black spots and black ears with red wheels. and it's tail was wired i believe. sigh. when toys were actually made to last (as i grumble over the monster truck wheel that just popped off...)

[Alison Gibbs]

Oh what fun toys you had. This has been such a great party.
Alison

[the feathered nest]

What fun toys! My daughter loved the Judy Blume books.

Manuela

[Robin~Thrifty Miss Priss]

Wow! I think I lived in your house! I had most of those FP toys too, I still have the clock and it works! I graduated to barbies, with shoeboxes and finally got the Barbie camper. I had a lot of dysfunction in my house so I guess you are right...a way to escape. Those books....I had to hide to read "are you there God it's me Margaret" I didn't want ANYONE to know.....And I looked like I was Laura Ingalls Wilder.....all the way down to the braids....Thank you so much for sharing today!

[Beverly]

My son had many of the toys you mentioned. Thanks for sharing your memories.

[Nancy@mycraftylittlepage]

I'm so thrilled you found the "Lets Go Shopping" book - it's really darling! My house was crawling with little people when my kids were little and looks like you SURVIVED playing with them too. Now they have to have big heads! Thanks for coming to my pity party. Wish my sister could read it - Hugs, Nancy

[Mendy]

I had the phone, the doll house, and Judy Blume was my world. That book was such a big part of my childhood! Thanks so much for sharing!! :)mendy

[Twyla and Lindsey]

Your Fisher Price stuff is awesome! I have never seen that house before I had a different version. I like yours a lot better!

[Sherry Wescott]

I remember the Hickory Dickory Clock. The Fischer-Price phone was a standard household item I think! Great toys!

[M.Kate]

so nice to see all these toys, tks for sharing

[fated follies studio]

i remember all of those toys. they were so much fun. my daughter likes to play with little people stil and she even has some older ones. thanks for sharing!

jenny

[Jackie]

oh, I had that phone!!! I miss my old FP toys! Thank you for the walk down memory lane.

[sherry]

Great photographs..and every girl has to have a phone!!!

[Alisa]

Oh Wow! I had every single one of those toys too!!! They were all so great! Thanks for sharing.
Alisa

[kari & kijsa]

What great memories!! Have a wonderful evening!

blessings,
kari & kijsa

[Sherri@Life As I Live It]

Just found your blog...I'll definitely be back!
You had me crying when talking about your hair at the walk...
On a happier note,I love these vintage toys! I was born in 1980 and I still have that same little phone (I believe it was a hand me down),I also had (don't know if I still have it or not)but the music box,the farm,and the clock. Heck,I probably had em all,lol.

[Joy]

My Mom has all those toys in her playroom..I remember playing with them as a child.

[Heather]

We had those wonderful FP toys...with the exception of the house, however we had the bard and silo. (I also remember the wobbly dog.) I also remember other FP toys, there was a clam or an oyster that opened up, the beauty salon set. Love the walk down memory lane!

Love the pictures from the cancer walk!

[Paula]

LITTLE PEOPLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I LOVED LITTLE PEOPLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Especially the schoolhouse with the chalkboard! Oh you are sending me back.............

[LiLi]

I have just scrolled a bit further, I was very touched by your post about your Mother and Mothers' day. My mother isn't around anymore too. I think it will always be hard.
Judy Blum's book: Hello God, it's me Margareth is one of my all time favorites too, as is the dairy of Anne Frank. I really should wake up my daughter now, as its time for her breakfast, but I'll come back!
Have a nice week!

[LiLi]

I have just scrolled a bit further, I was very touched by your post about your Mother and Mothers' day. My mother isn't around anymore too. I think it will always be hard.
Judy Blum's book: Hello God, it's me Margareth is one of my all time favorites too, as is the dairy of Anne Frank. I really should wake up my daughter now, as its time for her breakfast, but I'll come back!
Have a nice week!