meghan anderson

This is one of the many reasons that I'm a garage
sale/thrift store fanatic! The majority of my dd's
toys are older 2nd hand stuff. She still has and plays
with some of my old FP stuff, dolls (and clothes for
them) that were mine, and doll house furniture that my
mom made for me. The only toys she's had that have
broken are modern ones that she's gotten! She even has
an original Tinkertoys set that I found at a garage
sale for $3. Now if only I could find a metal kitchen
set like I had (stove, sink and refrigerator)! I
played with that for years. I guess I'll just continue
with my plans to make her a wooden one, 'cause I
certainly can't afford to buy her one!

Meghan (mum to Tamzin, 7yo)

>I've noticed that toys are becoming more and >more
>close-ended, that
>they are being designed so they can only be >played
>with in a few ways.
>That way, we now have to buy 4 or 5 toys to have >the
use of one,
>well-designed toy from 30 years ago. I really
>noticed this with Fisher-Price
>toys. My son was given the garage playset when >he
was 2, it was one of
>my favorite toys when I was a kid, but it had been
>redesigned so that
>only the accessories from Fisher-Price could be >used
to play with it, it
>wouldn't take hot wheels or toy trains, or any other
>toy that he had.
>They removed all the handles from the cranks, and
>you have to use the
>little people that come with it to turn the cranks.
>Once he lost the
>people, he didn't really care about playing with it.
It >also broke when
>he sat on it, I used to use my garage as a step
>stool.

>Allison

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