Silly Putty was invented by accident, the result of a failed experiment undertaken during World War II to develop a synthetic alternative to rubber.
Atari Centipede Board Game from IDW Games
Fans of the classic Atari Centipede game will get a kick out of IDW Games’ officially licensed analog version. The Atari Centipede Board Game pits two to four players against each other in a race to eliminate their opponent.
If you want to be creative, stay in part a child, with the creativity and invention that characterizes children before they are deformed by adult society.
– Jean Piaget
Toys! Amazing Stories Behind Some Great Inventions
Author Don Wulffson provides a light-hearted and fun take at the stories behind some classic toy inventions in his book Toys! Amazing Stories Behind Some Great Inventions.
Top 10 Toy Tales Articles of 2018
A year-end top 10 list of the most popular articles on Toy Tales based on readership statistics and engagement through various social media channels.
International Clown Hall of Fame and Research Center – Baraboo, Wisconsin
The International Clown Hall of Fame and Research Center preserves the rich history of the often underappreciated art of clowning and pays homage to some of pop culture’s most recognized clown performers.
Toy Tales Weekly: Hot Wheels, Aquaman, Nancy, and more
A look at the backstory of Hot Wheels and 7 other things we wanted to share this week.
Joshua Lionel Cowen: Fast Track to Success
Cowen applied his talent for engineering and innate curiosity to create model trains that captured the attention of rail enthusiasts for generations.
Golferino from Hubley (1962)
Released in 1962 by Hubley, Golferino was a 9-hole tabletop miniature golf course molded in high-impact plastic.
Bob Ross: Happy Little Accidents Game from Big G Creative
Big G Creative’s Happy Little Accidents is a “positive party game” inspired by the chill and wisdom of Bob Ross, the legendary painter and host of the PBS television program The Joy of Painting.
Lolli Plop from Milton Bradley (1962)
In 1962, Milton Bradley released Lolli Plop, a brainteaser in lollipop form.
The Vermont Toy Museum – Quechee, Vermont
The Vermont Toy Museum contains a collection of over 100,000 toys from the 1800s to the present.
Toy Tales Weekly: Harry Potter, Sesame Street, Battlestar Galactica, and more
A Harry Potter Shop has opened at London Gatwick and 7 other things we wanted to share this week.
Collector Spotlight: Nick Prueher
Nick Prueher’s fondness for obscure VHS videotapes led him to co-found VCR Party Live! and the Found Footage Festival with his childhood friend and fellow videotape collector Joe Pickett. Nick talks about his collection and reveals the story behind one of their most treasured acquisitions.
LEGO Trains Book from No Starch Press
In LEGO Trains Book from No Starch Press, author and hobbyist Holger Matthes provides an in-depth look at brick model-railroading.
The game Operation was invented in 1962 by John Spinello, while he was an industrial design student at the University of Illinois.