Give A Toy from Your Past and Create Magical Memories

Are there any Toys from your past that evoke special memories or feelings of days gone by? I think that for most of us there are probably many such memorable toys from long ago. And that’s why today we’re taking a look at classic toy brands to try and find a toy from your past that you can give as a gift this year to bring back your own memories and create new magical moments for the children in your life. Read on for a nostalgic stroll down memory lane along with some great gift suggestions from the wonderful world of toys.

A Toy From Your Past: Barbie

For many of you, I bet the toy that stirs up the most warm and nostalgic feelings is the long-lived and ever popular Barbie. For decades, Barbie has charmed kids and inspired them to dream all kinds of amazing dreams.

After all, Barbie herself has achieved so much during her lifetime. She’s held nearly every career imaginable, and she’s accomplished things that no other doll ever dared dream of!

The incarnation of Barbie that I’m showing here today, the Barbie DreamHorse Toy, is by no means the only worthy choice. However, it’s the only one I saw that comes with a horse!  What’s more, this horse can actually do a number of very cool things.

For example, the DreamHorse can walk forward, turn up to 360 degrees, react to touch and sound (with over 30 different realistic reactions, such as neighing), and even be pretend fed some yummy carrots (a small bunch is included in the set).

As for Barbie herself, she comes with her own highly fashionable accessories that are perfect for riding the DreamHorse, and that even includes a special saddle that keeps her safely in place as she goes for an actual ride.

The Barbie DreamHorse uses responsive technology that allows kids to interact with their toy and engage in imaginative play that promotes cognitive, sensory, and motor development. It’s recommended for kids ages 3 and up and makes a great nostalgic gift that both parent and child can enjoy.

Tonka

If you (or your kids) are anything like I was growing up, then Tonka construction vehicles are a toy from your past that hold enormous nostalgic appeal for you.

Although the current Tonka selection at Best Buy isn’t overly large, one item that immediately caught my eye was the Tonka Classic Steel Mighty Dump Truck Vehicle.

I actually had one very similar to this when I was a kid, and it got an absolute ton of use. I would fill it up with dirt using a matching loader, drive that dirt to a nearby specific location, and then proceed to build roads for all my other toy vehicles. It was so much fun I could play like that for hours.

This particular model is built Tonka tough, with sturdy steel construction that’s so rugged and robust that it’s guaranteed for life. It also features an open-box bed that can carry and dump a full load of dirt, so you and your child can play together just as I did back in the day. The memories you create will last a lifetime!

LEGO

Another great nostalgic toy from your past is pretty much any LEGO set there is. I don’t know about you, but I have always been a huge fan of LEGO. They’re a toy that’s creative, challenging, and, most importantly—fun!

One of the many cool sets that caught my eye when I was browsing Best Buy online earlier today was the LEGO City Great Vehicles: Monster Truck. This 192 piece set is perfect for any fan of monster trucks (and what kid isn’t?). 

It features the beautiful, blue, big-wheeled truck itself (which really reminds me of the legendary monster truck, Bigfoot), one LEGO mini figure driver, a working suspension system, and even a buildable ramp that you can use to jump the (also included) flaming fire barrels. Sounds dangerous!

Ideal for kids ages 6-12, this one also suits any 40+ kids that have great LEGO memories from days of old. Enjoy building this relatively easy LEGO set with your child, and I guarantee you’ll both remember the fun for many years to come!

(For another great example of an amazing LEGO playlet, check out my recent overview of the LEGO Harry Potter: Hogwarts Great Hall.)

Fisher Price

Finally, what would childhood be without Fisher Price? I remember playing with Fisher Price play sets when I would visit the doctor’s office when I was little, which, unfortunately, was rather frequently. Still, something about playing with that fun barnyard set at least momentarily made me forget the unpleasantness that was to come.

Even though there are virtually unlimited examples of great Fisher Price toys to choose from, I couldn’t find a full barnyard play set. Oh well! Thus, for the purposes of this blog, I decided to show the Fisher-Price Mix & Serve Smoothie Maker (mostly because I really love smoothies!).

This particular set includes a number of different bits and pieces that are sure to really stimulate your child’s imagination. There’s the mixer itself, 1 strawberry, 1 banana (that spits into 2 halves), 1 apple (that divides 3 ways), and 1 bundle of blueberries—all plastic of course.

There’s even a couple of double sided (English language) recipe cards for kids to follow and make their own pretend smoothies, which is great for learning to read and follow instructions. Or, they can use their imaginations to create their own recipes their way.

All they need to do is toss some of the fruit into the mixer and press the big red button to engage the mixing action, with realistic movement and fun mixing sounds, allowing them to feel like real grown ups just like mommy and daddy. What fun!

As you can see, there’s a great deal of selection when it comes to reliving the good old days alongside the current generation of kids with a great Toy from your past that continues to beguile and impress today. Find what stimulates your imagination and share it with your child or another child in your life this Christmas. You’ll be so glad you did, and so will they. Merry Christmas!