Classic toys remain firm favourites

Toys continue to change and evolve as toy manufacturers come up with more sophisticated and modern ways to keep children wanting their products. However, despite developments in many electronic toys, including video games, there are a handful of ‘classic’ toy that have remained the same throughout the last few decades equally able to inspire imagination and keep children entertained for hours at the same time.

First up on the list is the rubic cube which came out in the 70s and is still just a 3D puzzle cube that is waiting to be solved. The cube has six sides and nine different stickers placed on each side. As anyone that has struggled with the cube for hours can tell you, the goal is to get every face one color, but it is a lot easier to say this than do it.

Up next is the hula hoop which has been around since the fifties and is simply a hoop that you swing around your hips. Although some hula hoops now have ribbons and sparkles on them, the hoop is essentially the same thing with the same goal: keep it in the air for as long as possible.

Next on the list is a yo-yo which has been around since 500 BC believe it or not. The yo-yo is simply a ball that has string wrapped around it and when pulled it drops down and then returns back to the palm of your hand. Although there are more tricks that professionals perform now, the shape of the yo-yo has gone unchanged.

Finally, there is the time honoured tradition of the teddy bear that is in reality a child’s best friend and security toy as they grow older. Perfect for snuggling as well as tea parties, you will be hard pressed to find a child that does not love their teddy bear.

Dave the Funky Monkey

If you haven’t encountered Dave the Funky Monkey yet, you’ve got something to look forward to.  The little cuddly and very talented robot monkey sits on his owner’s shoulder, attached by a cloth strap so he won’t fall off, and puts on quite a show for friends and passers by, especially kids of every age.

Dave is the product of a UK company called Wow!Toys; and he came out before the Christmas rush in 2010 and topped the most wanted list of toys from Hamley’s as well as Toys R Us in the UK and the United States. The ‘manufacturer’s suggested age’ is 3-5, but the people you’ll see carrying him around  may be anyone from toddlers to grandparents.  Dave’s repertoire is extensive, and any toy that burps and farts on command has got to be a winner.

The control is a small hand-held device easily concealed in a pocket or elsewhere, and offers four modes of behaviour that respond to different circumstances as desired.  There’s a greeting mode and a

conversation mode, and there’s the puppet and action modes, so he waves and laughs and talks back to his audience, but that’s only the beginning.

Dave was originally called ‘the Cheeky Monkey’, but Funky Monkey won out; either one fits quite well. He’s the animated version of a Capuchin or squirrel monkey, with a black body and white fur on his head and chest. He scratches himself just as realistically as you please, chatters at you and makes rude noises whenever you think it’s appropriate (or not).

There are some highly sophisticated micro-robotics in this unusual toy, but the real fun is the interaction with the people he/you encounter. We have yet to see the meeting of two Daves on two shoulders, but it would certainly be interesting and possibly even educational.

Diecast toys unique quality

Diecast toys are known for being unique and very high quality. When compared with plastic toys that are available they feel expensive and well made. They also usually feature things that a plastic toy would not and they are much more durable and long-lasting than cheaper plastic equivalents.

All Diecast toys are manufactured with skill and great technique which means they will last for a long time even after heavy use. When you compare them with plastic toys they last an significantly longer time and this makes them much better value over the long-term.

Many metal toys will eventually rust because the metal they have been made out of is of low quality but Diecast toys are different, and the metal they are made from is rustproof. Also, many metal toys that are painted suffer from paint damage but the work done to Diecast models makes them very resistant to this kind of wear and tear.

There are a huge number of different toys available all around the world made by the company and many of them have become collectable. Trucks are a particularly collectable item and they have been available in all sizes and shapes for a very long time. The toys are made in the image of major brands such as Ford, Chevrolet as well as other manufacturers.

It is not just cars and trucks that are made by the company and there are numerous other models made of other vehicles. Trailers and rigs are also widely available in toy stores and these are becoming just as collectable as the truck and car offerings from the company.

Delivery trucks are of particular interest to people as are those which are designed in the image of mail delivery trucks. What you can be sure of is that these toys will last a long time into the future.

The Sylvanian Family collection

The Sylvanian Family collection has been an institution in the UK since 1985 when Epoch launched the collection of plush dolls that quickly caught the attention of young children and adult toy collectors alike. Tiny plush families of animals make up the families in the forest, which is quite fitting given the fact that Sylvanian actually means ‘of the forest.’

Now available worldwide, the families of bears, mice, beavers, hedgehogs, and plenty of other animals have worked their ways into the hearts of many youngsters and adults and are a quintessential part of many children’s lives.
In fact, it is for this reason that even though the Sylvanian families may no longer be in the top ten lists of Christmas toys, they still have carved quite a niche in the Christmas market. Year round, the Sylvanian families still also sell well, with new toys released on a frequent enough basis to keep collectors satisfied and young children thrilled with the introduction of new houses, families, and other accessories that will make their make believe stories even more believable.

In fact, the delicate details built into each house and accessory is what makes the plush woodland creatures so enthralling. There are many more Sylvanian Families toys on the market then there were back in the eighties and even though most of the main houses have been introduced, the toys continue to modernise and bring out new fun perks.

For example, the Sylvanian Families caravan and car set is fully loaded with everything you may expect to find in a caravan, from large kitchen suite to bunk beds to a bathroom suite to a living room area. Add in the vehicle with room to fit the entire mouse family and you have a low priced treat that everyone can enjoy.

Another great new line introduction is the Pleasure Boat, which is designed for use with the Dalmatian family in mind since the dog loves water, but of course you can place whatever set of family toys that you desire into it. Like the other pieces, the top and side folds out so that you have full access to tiny little suites inside the mini cruise boat that is titled the ‘Martia May.’

With a tiny kitchen suite and little cupboards, a fold out picnic area on the side, and a living area and small bathroom and fishing area, it is hard to miss with this great toy accessory. When imagination is basis for a toy collection, it is not hard to imagine that even the Sylvanian Families can get sick at times which is why the Sylvanian Families General Hospital accessory house is also now on the market.

Inside the office is everything you would expect to find to treat the chipmunk family right. With a small work table, bench, check out table, doctor’s bench, waiting area, and a small cot for when someone is feeling down, this toy can also be a great way to introduce a child to the idea of visiting the GP.