When I was little, GeoSafari was the “it” toy for educational fun. And from what I remember, Educational Insights (the company that created the GeoSafari brand) was the first company to actually make a computer-esque learning game. Or at least the first ones to do it successfully. Now, there are all kinds of educational toys and brands out there to make sure your child is learning and having fun at the same time. However, that certainly wasn’t always the case.

Growing up, I owned a GeoSafari that had all of the different cards with maps on them. Of course, mine was straight out of the eighties with its bulky design that stood up so the card would continually fall off while I played it. Now, the GeoSafari devices have an easy-to-carry, laptop design with 63 two-sided cards and over 2,000 questions. I think mine had about 5 to 10 two-sided cards, in comparison. What amazes me more is that GeoSafari has created hundreds of other educational games, like a talking globe, a talking microscope and a fossil collection. You can find all of them at Arsa Toys, but I’m still partial to the original map or atlas GeoSafari game. It was educational, but my brother and I would still fight over it like kids do for the Nintendo controller now. Ahh … to be a kid of the eighties!

For over 35 years, Playmobil has been one of the most popular toy series around. While the simple figurines and the many accessories might seem similar to LEGO sets, the lack of a construction factor makes it more of an interactive, imaginative toy. The world of Playmobil explores many facets of o day-to-day modern life and even historical eras — such as Ancient Rome and Egypte. The high-level of detail and ability to mix sets makes it an ideal toy for imaginative play for a variety of age groups.

Playmobil was kind of born out of the 1973 Oil Crisis. Faced with rising petroleum costs, the parent company that creator Hans Beck worked for was looking to get more out of the plastics the company was purchasing. The system of customizable toys, with its interchangeable parts, offered unlimited possibilities for re-combination and expansion, and became a highly marketable toy.

Here are some fun facts about this iconic and always popular toy:

• Playmobil figures are built on 1:24 scale
• The first Playmobil sets were of Native Americans, construction workers and knights
• There are 33 available Playmobil themes and 19 retired themes
• Discontinued themes include Antartica, Grocery, Space and Old House
• Proposed themes have included Chinese Railroad Workers, Grave Digger and Medieval Torture Room. Prototypes were made. However, these sets were considered insensitive and inappropriate for young children, and were never released
• Founder Hans Bec, nicknamed “The Father of Playmobil”, died earlier in 2009 at the age of 79
• Playmobil figures are great for stop-motion animation films.

Featured in this post: Firing Catapault ($11.99); you can get this set, and many other new Playmobil sets at Arsa Toys now.

There are very few toys that have truly withstood the test of time; the doll, Jacob’s Ladder, marbles and hobby horse all come to mind. After going through a box of items from my parent’s house, I came across an old jack-in-the-box, and I couldn’t resist the urge to turn its magical crank. Even though it had the same result as it has as long as I can remember, it brought a smile to my face and I remembered why I kept it all of these years. It would never go out of style and will be a toy that I can share with my own children someday. And, I was surprised to learn that I probably wasn’t the only one to share a jack-in-the-box across generations; the jack-in-the-box dates back to the 1500’s. Here are some fun facts about this popular classic toy.
There are a lot of different theories and stories behind the jack-in-the-box, but the most widely-accepted version entails a 16th century German clockmaker named Claus. As a birthday present for a young prince, Claus made a simple wooden box with metal edges and crank, a simple tune and a comical devil that popped out. This theory may explain why in French, a jack-in-the-box is called a “diable en boîte” (literally “boxed devil”).

Thankfully, the devil character was changed to a jester or clown figure over the course of several generations. Of course these days, its not just a clown that emerges from a jack-in-the-box. Many popular characters and figures are used in modern versions, including Curious George. Modern jack-in-the-boxes also use rubber belts to convey the motion of the crank to the music box and release mechanism.

Use of the song Pop Goes the Weasel in jack-in-the-boxes was originally a feature only of those  made by popular toy maker Mattel in the 1960’s. Of course, Mattel jack-in-the-boxes famously became part of the opening to the long-running television show Romper Room. Most Jjack-in-the-box use 18 tines to play the song.

[Toys featured in this post are available at Arsa Toys: Jester Jack-in-the-Box $15.99; Curious George Jack-in-the-Box $17.99]

Who hasn’t played with a Mr. Potato Head? As one of the most popular toys in modern American history, he is not only the source of great fun, but also great trivia.

Mr. Potato Head was the first toy advertised on television on April 23, 1952, the day before he was released to the public. Over one million kits were sold in the first year. When he was first released by Hasboro, it was merely a potato decorating kit. It included hands, feet, ears, two mouths, two pairs of eyes, four noses, three hats, eyeglasses, a pipe, and 8 felt pieces to decorate a real potato. The facial features were human-looking and not brightly colored at first.

Of course, like any long-living toy, Mr. Potato Head has experienced a number of major updates over the decades. The plastic “potato” body and part container was added in 1964, well after Mrs. Potato Head, Brother Spud and Sister Yam were added to the product line. Mr. Potato Head came with a pipe accessory until 1987 when he became a spokes-spud for the American Cancer Society’s annual “Great American Smokeout” campaign in 1987.

His extreme popularity as a iconic toy led to his own comic strip by Jim Davis, the creator of Garfield and later, he had a animated television series on Fox and a role in the Toy Story franchise. Now there are Star Wars, Indiana Jones, Spiderman and Transformers themed versions on the market. A KISS-themed edition is due out later this year.

As I’ve talked about before, there’s something special about the simple pleasure of building a fort as a child. It’s a great activity that kids and parents can do together and kids can enjoy their own little world. It can be a real pain to gather and lost supplies, so there is a company that has developed a simple, affordable product called Build-a-Fort.

These kids come with jumbo plastic clips, suction cups, rope, fabric and even glow sticks. The fabric has loops to string the rope through, and you can use the clips and suction cups to fix onto furniture, windows and doors.

Now you don’t have to worry about ruining your own chip clips, blankets and other fort-making devices. Best of all, it comes with a storage bag, so you don’t have to run around collecting supplies. Kids can assemble these themselves, too. This is a great product to have around for the next rainy day or slumber party.

The iconic Sock Monkey doll has definitely stood the test of time. The original home-made versions of the toy emerged during the Great Depression when the Nelson Knitting Company added a red heel to their socks to get customers to verify that they were buying original Rockfords and not imitators. The “de-tec-tip”, as it was trademarked, became the mouth of the toy. Rockford was awarded a patent for the Sock Monkey pattern in 1955 and began to include it with each pair of socks.

Around 1951 the knitting company discovered their socks were being used to make monkey dolls. In 1953, Nelson Knitting became involved in a dispute over the design patent on the Sock Monkey pattern. They were awarded the patent in 1955, and began including the pattern with every pair of socks.

Sock Monkeys have remained popular over the decades, but the efforts of Dee Lindner (known as the Sock Monkey Lady) have taken Monkey themed creations to the next level. Several craft sites even offer an annual “Sock Monkey Challenge“.

For those of us who aren’t very crafty, you can buy pre-made Sock Monkeys at most toy stores. Non-doll Sock Monkey products have also evolved, here are just a few examples:

Sock Monkey Jack-in-the-Box ($17.95 at Arsa Toys)
The Jack-in-the-Box is another classic toy loved by children everywhere. This modern version replaces the creepy clown projectile with a smiling Sock Monkey.

Sock Monkey Playing Cards ($4.98 at Tiny Tin Toys)
Each playing card features an image of a cartoon Sock Monkey and comes packaged in a handsome tin case for safekeeping.

Sock Monkey Keepsake Box ($10.75 at Arsa Toys)
This adorable tin case can be used for storage, decoration, or as a lunchbox. Each side features a different Sock Monkey image.

Sock Elephant ($10 at Kites Tails & Toys)
Monkeys weren’t the only toys recycled from footwear; the Sock Elephant is a common companion. This adorable version is about “7 tall and perfect for toddlers.

Okay, so an ant farm isn’t exactly a toy in itself…but it serves as one, thanks to its ability to captivate the minds of people young and old for hours on end. I remember when I first received an ant farm - I was five, and very much enthralled with observing nature. It looked just like the ant farm pictured here. I just loved watching the ants work, and admiring the tunnels that would ‘magically’ appear overnight.

Nowadays there are many different variations of ant farms, besides the original. There’s a gel colony, which allows you to see the tunnels in 3-D. There’s a vintage ant farm, which shows ants building bridges, digging tunnels and moving mountains. There’s even a GeoSafari ant factory! But no matter which version you have, the ant farm is a classic “toy” that will never disappoint.

Buy your ant farms at ArsaToys today!

 Sometimes, it’s just better to stick to the classics when buying your children gifts.  In light of the faltering U.S. economy, parents are searching for ways to cut expenses this holiday season without skimping on the fun.  Toys that have been popular for decades have been tested over time to be safe and entertaining, and they are often much less expensive than the latest electronic toys.  Here are a few great classic toys that your young ones will enjoy finding under the Christmas tree this year.

Rubber Duck, $2.44 - Just about every kid has had the rubber duck for a bath toy. A great size for kids to play with in he tub! Phythalates Free.  For all ages.

Tin Kaleidoscope, $6.13 - This Classic Tin Kaleidoscope by Schylling is a cherished favorite of children and adults. Spin the end of the Classic Tin Kaleidoscope and watch the explosions of color inside the tube! Ages 3+

Toy Tin Marbles Games, $8.73 - I used to play with marbles for hours as a kid!  For almost 25 years, Channel Craft has been manufacturing Authentic American Toys, Games and Puzzles that are “Quality Crafted” right here in the U.S.A. *choking hazard*

Deluxe Wood Easel, $129.99 - Creativity, functionality and style come together in KidKraft’s Deluxe Wood Easel for kids. With classic lines that will enhance any room or play setting, KidKraft’s Deluxe Wood Easel will bring out your child’s inner-artist. Ages 3+

Kazoo, $2.13 -

It’s hard to believe that GUND has been around for over a century!  Since 1898, GUND has been creating unique, high quality teddy bears and other plush animals.  GUND is the leading soft toy manufacturer in the U.S.  

German immigrant Adolf Gund founded the company in 1898 in Norwalk, Connecticut, and GUND was one of the first companies to design and produce teddy bears in the early 1900’s.

GUND’s trademarked under-stuffing technique makes their plushes extra soft and huggable.  GUND has always been committed to product safety, and the company set an important industry standard by devising a way to attach eyes securely to plush animals, preventing them from being pulled out by small children.

In the 1980’s the famous GOTTA GETTA GUND advertising campaign led to the company’s recognition as a leading consumer brand.  Today the company makes all kinds of unique characters and licensed plush under the GUND and GUNDbaby brands.

Wondering how you can clean your GUND stuffed plush?  The company has provided detailed Cleaning Instructions to ensure that your GUND always looks its best. 

Thinking back now I can see what a pain this toy must have been to my parents, but I loved my flamingo pincher grabber toy!  I got mine at the Zoo, where you could pick from a wide variety of animals including Crocodile, Wolf, Zebra, Giraffe, and Rattlesnake. 

While some kids liked to run around pinching one another with these, I preferred trying to pick things up using the weak “jaws” of my flamingo.  Anything was game, from pennies to shoe laces to gum balls.

I have no idea what the appeal was of using what was essentially an extension of my arm, but I thoroughly enjoyed my flamingo pincher grabber toy.  It did come in handy as a kid when I couldn’t reach some things that were too high.  What an ingenious toy -it’s a simple design, and yet it succeeds in keeping kids entertained for hours.

Did you have one of these toys?  Which one was your favorite?