What were toys and games from the past like?

Toys and games have changed since the 50s, 60s and 70s. This section takes a nostalgic look at some favourite toys and games from that era.

The fifties was the time of traditional toys, Dinky and Corgi cars, dolls for girls and train sets and Meccano for boys. In the sixties, manufacturers started be more adventurous, expanding the horizons of playtime with technology and innovation.

Space Hopper - 1968

The "Space Hopper" may have been influenced by the space race in the 60s. It first bounced onto the scene in 1968, only a year before the historic moon landing. The bright orange colour was typical of the end of the sixties and the cartoon style face is full of fun. Is it meant to be kangaroo?

In those days the Space Hopper, made by Mettoy, sold for £1 19s 6d. That's about £24 in today's money.

Space Hoppers were popular into the seventies and are most associated with that decade rather than the sixties.

Playpax

Does anyone remember this cutting edge educational toy from 1967? Diane remembers playing with Playplax at nursery school. The transparent coloured shapes were fascinating. In the 60s it was cutting edge play.

Teddy bear

In spite of the new wave of toys in the sixties, there was still a market for the traditional teddy bear.

This Chad Valley Chiltern Bear was made from around 1968. The colour again is typical of the era. Bears from the sixties are somewhat different from older teddy bears. They were no longer made to resemble the real thing too closely. The two tone look was for the fashionable bear in 1968.

Monopoly

"Monopoly", the classic board game, was invented in the 1930s Depression in America. It was subsequently marketed in the UK with London street names. The game has changed little since it was first invented. The prices remain the same for rents and everyone gets a salary of £200.

The only detail that does change is the counters. In early versions they were made of cardboard. The original version of the game had a car, a boot, an iron, a top hat, a rocking horse and a battleship. This version from the 50s has a car, a bulldozer, a steam train, a tank, a motorbike and a sailing ship. The car makes the set easy to date - it is a 1950s Rover 75.

Careers

The game "Careers" was first sold in 1957. It contrasts with "Monopoly" which was invented in the Depression of the 30s when money, or the lack of it, was most peoples' concern. Monopoly has the objective of amassing as much cash as possible and bankrupting your opponents. "Careers" takes a more balanced view of life. The players have to choose their own goals - a combination of wealth, happiness and fame.

This version is from 1971. It has been updated to reflect social changes that were going on at the time. There is an opportunity to be the first woman in space and the first man on Mars. There is also a new "Ecology" career path, with an opportunity to invest in destructible containers - pollution was a big worry at the time and non-destructible containers were thought to play a big part in it. [See the 1973 film "Bless this House" where Sid's daughter, Sally, and her friends dump a load of tin cans at a factory shouting "No more non-destructible containers!"].

Spirograph

Spirograph caused a sensation when it was launched in 1965. As well as winning Toy of the Year, its geometric patterns inspired fashion design in the 60s.

Do you remember play from the past?

Testimony Films are making a documentary about how children played in the past and are interested in hearing your stories about childhood from the 50s to the 80s. If you have a story to tell please read the following and get in touch with Emily Sivyer from Testimony Films.

CHILD'S PLAY

Do you remember the outdoor games you played as a child?

If you have vivid and interesting stories to tell - from playground adventures, to imaginary worlds, to fun and games in the streets and fields - we want to hear them!

Noddy's Peddle car, 1960s Testimony Films (makers of Pocketful of Posies BBC2 and Green and Pleasant Land Channel 4) are making a BBC documentary history on how children's outdoor play has changed, based on people's memories. We're interested in child's play in Britain from the early years of the 20th century right up to the 1970s and 80s. Which was the decade of your childhood and what were the most popular outdoor games of your era?

In the past children often had more freedom to take risks and play away from the watchful eyes of parents which could be liberating - but it could sometimes result in danger or disaster. Did you do things as a child which you were lucky to get away with?

Children's play could also be cruel. Were you bullied as a child, or were you the bully!?

If you have a child's play story to tell, then please write, phone, or e-mail me - Emily Sivyer, Testimony Films 12 Great George St, Bristol BS1 5RH. Tel: 0117 925 8589. Email: emily.sivyer@testimonyfilms.com

Your comments on toys and games from the past

"I am from India we used to play the games that are lost in time and many youngsters don't even remember today" peter kumar

"I still have my chopper bicycle in our garage whenever i take it out for a ride i preety much get people stopping me and making me an offer." Surur Allie

"I am from Indonesia. 'ini pertama kali saya melihat mainan tahun 1970, saya ingin memiliki salah satunya'" Nanda Kurniawan

Google translate: This is the first time I see the toys in 1970, I want to have one

"hallo...if I have a time machine, I want to have one" Nanda Kurniawan

"I am 62 years of age this year. I was born in 1947. I will do my best to remember the early parts (13-15years). I think the games of playing cowboys and indians was finished at this stage. I think i still had my collection of dinkys (cars), and possibly a collection of cowboys and indians, that i would have bought in Woolworths. Also records were a big part of my collections (45's and lp's). I used to get a lot of my 45's in my local chipper. These i got when they were updating to what was new in the charts. These had the centre piece taken out so that they could play in the jukebox. I had a few centre pieces to suit so that i could play them on my record player.

I also used to buy a girls magazine called 'Valentine' the reason for this was they used to have transfers that you could iron onto your shirt, these were pictures of people like Elvis, Cliff Richard, etc.

I do not want to waffle on, so i hope this will be of interest to someone. If you want to contact me and ask me things that i did or remember from the early days just e-mail me. regards, " Des Burke

"The outdoor games we used to play- two ball on the wall, hare and hounds (involved either a paper or chalk chase), British bulldog, kick the can, Crackners (two plastic balls that you hit above and below your hand) A tennis ball in your mum's old tights ( looped around your ankle and jumped over with your other leg) Elastics (with two other friends holding the elastic open between their legs) Cats cradle, Hopscotch, skipping, the big ship sails on the ally ally ooh ( line game) hand clapping games, rounders, kiss the girl, kiss the boy, Swinging on a tyre on a tree.......what a great time we could have with next to nothing :)" Mo

"games rule and i rule too i am cool and so are you yyayayayayayayay" susie C

"Im 9 and im trying to find out about toys from 50 years ago dose anyone have any suggestions????" Bethany Dunion

"Does anyone remember Trik Trak, a battery car toy." sean

"What about the construction toys? Besides Meccano (in original read and green colours) Lego was around (but I remember when wheels were introduced) and there were MiniBricks and Bayko, where plastic walls were built on a frame of metal wires. Those were my favourites." Les

"Barbie doll in the 60's her cousin Francie with real eyelashes (my favourite) Tuttie and Todd, Skipper and scooter etc, Sindy dolls, Comics - Twinkle for younger ones, Bunty with the cut out dolls on the back (hours of fun), Judy, Jackie, Beano, hotspur, I loved cutting out figures from catalogues - could play with them for hours. Lego hours of fun making dolls houses when we could not afford one. Tiny tears dolls, (floppy dolls) gonks from the sixties - loads of teenagers made them (they look like humpty dumpty with beatles style hair and long legs/arms. So much fun. In the 70's cats cradle, elastic skipping, playing two ball on the wall and marbles all popular. We still played cops and robbers and cowboys and indians - very much outdoor play as no computers. Making dens in the fields or wherever. Kisschase. Postmans knock." jackie

"Does anyone remember the game 'Froggy in the Mill Pond' and how to play?" Cathy Smith

" I have a game of Careers, found it in a charity shop a few years ago......very entertaining" tracy

"does any one remember magic robot, a army figure with magnets that answers questions etc, weird, my dad (46yrs) used to have it and me and my brother used to play with it too over 25 years later!! fab, i love the 60's it makes me soooo nostalgic.xxx" sally cinnamon

"Sean, i remember Trik Trak I had a set just found set on e bay I can rember the car would go on floor and everyso often go on track to keep straight or go round a ben.Richard age 47 1/2 (Still also riding a chopper and a Grifter !)" Richard Seymour

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