Antique toys – Why I order toys on Ebay and go to yard sales

I love toys! I’m not sure if when I was a kid I just didn’t have enough or if I just have an inner child that needs extra attention. But I love toys. My sadness occurs when I go to big box stores such as Target or Walmart. I literally don’t understand how the toy buyers of the stores can even look themselves in the eye in the morning. I’m not gonna bad mouth them. Instead, I’m going to talk about toys that I love and why I love them.

Good Toys Engage Everyone Involved

I think a toy needs to have some special qualities. First of all, I am looking for a toy that allows a parent to interact with their child in an engaging way. I mean both of you need to get something out of this right? When you’re playing with your kid, you need to be having as much fun as they are. If you’re not having fun, most likely they aren’t either.

The other thing I think is important about a toy is that it has some sort of learning component to it. I mean some toys are fun just because of the sensory component or provide some sort of sensory feedback (think fidget spinners) but usually, I enjoy a toy that my kid is going to learn something from playing with it. 

Good Toys Are Fun But They Also Have Many Uses

I often go to yard sales, Goodwill, Salvation Army, or eBay in order to find toys that provide these qualities. Recently, I purchased an old RadioShack coin Bank from eBay. This guy is called Robie and when you put a penny on his hand, he dumps the penny into his mouth chews it up, swallows it, and licks his lips. Who can resist that? That toy works on so many different things. 

First of all, it’s entertaining. Second of all, it’s funny. Third, I can get kids to use an index finger to push down on that hand. That allows them to work on strengthening the skill side of their hand keeping the stability side of their hand quiet. Important for things like writing with a pencil, coloring with crayons, using scissors and utensils used with eating. 

Robie chews up money and swallows it. Now granted I don’t want any children doing that!  Remember I’m playing with the child!  So, I will make believe that these coins are cookies and tell the kids that they can eat a special treat (maybe an actual cookie) and chew it up with their teeth and swallow it and then lick too. So there you go, working on feeding and oral motor skills.

Robie also works on eye-hand coordination. You have to target where Robie is going to be. He kind of moves back-and-forth a little bit. Now, you’re not going to be able to get a Robie (unless your mom is a saver and has it tucked away for you). These are only on eBay and they’re from 1991. So let’s be real, we’re going to have to find something else that has the same great qualities without having to have a mad rush to eBay. 

Another great find was a Concentration game from 1961. They don’t make this game anymore either and I don’t know why. This game such a popular game that it became a game show on TV. Players have to match cards of various gifts and prizes. Once they are matched, those game pieces are removed and they begin to reveal a hidden puzzle underneath. The first person to guess the puzzle wins. I love this game! Once when I was a child in Maine, we stayed at a cabin that had this game. I must’ve played with this game for hours!

It has two components. The first is matching. Which is sort of like a memory game. The second is using your reasoning and deduction skills to be able to guess the hidden puzzle.  This game is great for kids to work on visual perceptual skills, executive functioning skills, reasoning, problem-solving, taking turns, so many great skills. I don’t know why they stopped making it. They really should revive it.

What’s your favorite toy and why??