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November 26, 2004
Batteries not necessary
Old-fashioned toys aren't just for children anymore.
Monika Ullmann
A few seasons ago, someone decided to do a study on what toys children
actually prefer. It turned out that the latest, battery-powered
gizmos lost out to old-fashioned do-it-yourself toys. Children like
playing with interactive toys that engage their imagination. And
so do adults.
In fact, one of the strongest trends in toys this year is board
games of all kinds. They've nearly doubled in sales, according to
a recent CBC news story. Yvonne Liu, a sales assistant at the Toy
Box on West Broadway, thinks it's about parents and children spending
more quality time together.
"That's what we hope, isn't it?" she said with a smile.
She recommends them because they're light and easy to mail, too.
Liu has been helping parents, aunts and uncles pick out gifts for
more than three years and she is seeing some other trends, as well.
The traditional Lego blocks have been updated so kids today can
build more than old-fashioned skyscrapers and cars. Among them are
fierce-looking creatures called Bionicles. Bionicles live on an
island and kids can log on to www.bionicles.com
to find out how the battle between good and bad Bionicles is shaping
up. In addition, there are games and movies based on these creatures,
who are fully developed characters. It's still Lego but with a 21st-century
twist. The Bionicles site has a link to Lego or you can log on directly
at www.shoplego.com.
It's one of the best toy websites around, though some of their products
are not available in Canada.
If the Middle Ages is more to your taste, there are five-inch medieval
figures like mounted knights in full armor and foot soldiers with
bows and arrows, all rendered with authentic period details by Schleich,
a German manufacturer. They have been on the market for only a year
but they're becoming collectibles for adults as well as children.
Liu says adults who are interested in this period often belong to
medieval clubs.
"They come in here and notice all the authentic details and
can't believe it," she said In fact, adults collecting old,
as well as new, toys are a growing trend, she said. Often, people
come into the store looking for a specific toy, but don't want to
admit it's really for themselves. Liu said they look slightly sheepish
and quickly invent someone. "Nieces are popular," she
laughed.
Dollhouses, especially vintage ones, have also evolved into being
highly collectible – by adults. A lot of women collect them,
much like men collect Star
Wars items.
Generally, toys (even as recently as from the '80s) are collectibles
if the manufacturer discontinued the line and now-grown children
are seeking them out in order to reconnect with their childhood.
This creates a scarcity and results in collectible items. This is
what happened with the My Little Ponies from the '70s and '80s.
The line has recently been relaunched, but the vintage ponies are
being snapped up by collectors. Liu owns no less than 60 My Little
Ponies from that period herself. She also has 10 new ones and is
currently looking for Bride My Little Pony.
"If I ever see the bride, she's mine," she said.
For background on the My Little Pony phenomenon, log onto www.hasbro.com/mylittlepony.
Why do adults of all ages collect these old toys? Liu has a theory.
It could be about reliving your childhood, she thinks, but mainly
it's just about having fun. Liu, who is in her 20s, said that eBay
is the best place to look for and trade old toys.
Anything to do with Star Wars is highly prized, of course.
And then there are old Playmobil toys. Aside from eBay, a website
called www.thisoldtoy.com
has hundreds of links to toy sites, including private collectors'
My Little Pony sites.
But apart from this global interest in recycling old toys, all things
artsy-caftsy remain highly popular. You simply can't have enough
crayons, markers, paper and even green (black) boards. Costco sells
a solidly constructed green board with a wooden stand that looks
like it would last 100 years, as well as buckets of crayons, markers
and pens.
If you don't have a Costco card or friend with one, there's always
the traditional craft store. One of the best is the Loomis Art Store
on West 4th Avenue, just east of Burrard. It used to carry only
art supplies, but has recently added a large toy section. Manager
David Saigo said they want to make art accessible to everyone.
"It gives everybody a chance to be creative," he said.
The store is crammed with craft projects ranging from decorating
mugs or plates and baking them in the oven, to sand art that allows
you to make colorful images with self-adhesive sand. And, of course,
there are crayons. But there are new versions of these as well;
you can now get crayons that give the effect of watercolors. Some
are scented and washable. Even the modelling dough smells good.
These products and many more are produced by a Montreal company
and you can check them out at www.
playart.info. The store also carries traditional sketch books
and a variety of origami papers that should be good for an entire
afternoon of creating birds, aeroplanes and stars.
Let's be honest, playing with toys and being creative isn't just
for kids. So go ahead, unleash your inner child this Chanukah and
have fun with the kids.
Monika Ullmann is a freelancer living in Vancouver and
spending her holidays getting creative with Playdough and origami
with her grandchildren. She can be reached at [email protected].
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