Did You have any of these Toys from the 60s and 70s?

If so, congratulations on surviving.

slip n slidePhoto bycreative commons: Trevecca Student Government

It seems like the toys from the 60s were colorful and just a barrel of fun. I say that based, primarily on seeing them on TV commercials. Coming from a poor family, not many of them found their way to our house.

Maybe that’s for the best. By today’s standards, those toys are lethal weapons. How did kids ever reach adulthood? Now let’s go back to the thrilling days of yesteryear and take a look at those potentially lethal toys.

1: Slip N slide by Wham-O.

For lawsuit potential, it’s rivaled only by the slip n fall by ambulance-chasing lawyers. Some of us remember seeing kids slide on a wet strip of plastic. Just as a secondary thought, is it really a good idea for a company that makes kids’ toys to be called Wham-O? It’s like, I was sliding on the Slip N slide, then, Wham-O!

2: The Pogo stick.

A Pogo stick was an apparatus you jumped on until you lost your balance.At that point, all you could do was try to stick the landing and hope the Pogo stick didn’t end up having you be forever a soprano.And I’m not talking about being a member of a crime family.

3: Jarts.

I’ve had a hard time pinning down exactly when these things actually came into existence, but I remember them when I was young so they must be old. Jarts are basically lawn darts. I can’t remember the scoring system, but I believe you lost points whenever you stuck someone with them.

4: Silly Putty.

It bounced and could also pick up impressions of comic books. That’s what I remember about Silly Putty. It also seems less likely to cause you serious bodily harm than the first products mentioned here. Of course, you could eat it, but if you’re that stupid, that’s kind of on you.

5: Electronic Football game.

This was perhaps the most disappointing toy I ever received. It looked so good in the Sears catalog. The players were nicely painted, and you got the illusion the players could move in some orderly fashion.

As it turned out, you had to paint the players yourself. Also, all the players moved around in helter-skelter fashion. It was like watching the Chicago Bears’ offense. And kudos to anybody who could complete a pass with that thing.

6: Pong.

Ah yes, my first TV video game. Pong was like a cross between table tennis and an endurance contest.Players scored a point when their opponent nodded off from boredom and failed to block the bouncing ball when it came to their side of the screen.

7: Paddle ball.

In this game, you paddled the ball until the elastic band securing the ball broke. This game would have been more popular with kids in the 60s if the paddle couldn’t have been converted into a disciplinary tool for parents who believed in corporal punishment.

8: Tonka toys.

Tonka made durable toy trucks and pieces of machinery. In a bind they could also be used as a home security system as being struck by one of those things could be debilitating or worse.

9: Nerf basketball.

This is probably my favorite item on this list. At last, a way to play ball in the house without being chastised about it.

10: Tin kaleidoscope.

These were kind of fun for about five minutes. Now when I hear, “the girl with kaleidoscope eyes,” I think she must be on some serious stuff as I think back to my old kaleidoscope.

11: Superball.

These things would bounce insanely high or travel an extraordinary distance if hit by a bat. They were also very small. That combination of facts made them very easy to lose, which was a brilliant marketing ploy.

12: Mr. Potato Head.

Mr. Potato Head holds the distinction of being the first toy advertised on TV. That goes all the way back to 1952. Basically, you get to put Mr. Potato Head’s face on. There just seems to be pretty limited possibilities for fun here, but what do I know. There’s Potato Head rolling his eyes at me. Literally.

Those are what I remember, how about you?