Toys of the 90's - Creative Play

Ok, I'm an only child...we've been thru this.  But unlike most perceptions of only children, I was not a spoiled brat.  I appreciated my things, and never asked for anything without offering up some extra chores in return.

I didn't have ALL the toys I ever wanted...that's why going to my friend's house to play was always new and exciting...like my own personal Toy's R Us!

Now, onto the good shit.

Colorforms

 aka: the poor man's Barbie

These pieces of crap were really thin, die-cut vinyl sheets of images and shapes that you stuck to a "scene" or "person" (depending on the kit).  I'm certain these would fail completely these days for children.  There's nothing like eating vinyl Barbie outfits...

Colorforms - Oh look, a travel pack...

Shrinky Dinks

aka: "crafts you can't hang on the fridge because they're too damn small"

Being an "artsy fartsy" person, I friggin LOVED these things!  I never followed the "rules" that came with them...which means I may or may not have screwed up the toaster oven at one point in time (sorry mom).  So these crazy things were flexible sheets with pre-printed outlined images on them that you colored before cutting out and baking them.  Once you baked them, they turned into smaller, harder pointless objects.

People actually make "art" with this crap now.

Lite Brite

aka: "Seriously someone made money off this thing?"

I'm not hatin' on the LB...I loved the thing.  But seriously...a light box + black construction paper + colored pegs = fun?  What the hell were we thinking?  I loved how they came with outlined "peg by numbers" that NOBODY ever used.  I kind of wish I had one now...

Light Bright, Light Bright, turn on the magic of colored lights!

Fashion Plates

aka: "Make your own damn coloring book"

Ok, so this crafty toy had a plastic flap thingy on the left side and all the plates with head, body, legs were conveniently stored on the right side.  You laid out the plates with the head/hat, then body, then legs/shoes on the left side and laid a piece of paper over them.  Then you took a "special" crayon and rubbed it lightly over the framed area over the plates.  And voila!  You have your own person and outfit to color.  I bet this is the same thing Diane von Furstenberg uses...surely she doesn't actually re-draw people every time!

PS: I NEVER wanted to be a fashion designer...that's why I'm not.

Easy Bake Oven

aka: "the toy Mom would never buy me"

I don't know if it's because she thought I'd burn the house down with an oven operated by a 60 watt bulb or if she was not comfortable with me eating things "cooked" with a 60 watt bulb...but I never got an Easy Bake Oven!  So sad, right?  NOPE, my friends had them...ha ha MOM, in your face!  Yes, the Easy Bake Oven was like a trophy that read "I'm a grown up little girl and I can cook brownies for myself...by myself."  And we can't forget the boy's version: Creepy Crawlers!

Cakes cooked with water and light...yum?

After reading that, don't you just want to pile up in the living room with all your friends and play an amazing game of Girl Talk?  Yes, 90's board games is up next in the blog...prepare yourself...we're going WAY back...