My mom did something pretty genius as she was waited nearly 20 years for her kids to move out of the house and watch her grandchildren grow.
She saved our old toys.
The wooden cars, the Matchbox racers, the Fisher-Price little people. My mom’s not a pack rat, she just knew the good stuff would come in handy again one day, and while it took a while, she eventually got to use that old toy box in the corner of her home office.
As we visited my parents this past week, my boys spent hours on the carpet playing with the same toys I did 30+ years ago. I often wonder which of the toys my boys are playing with now that will find their way into a Rubbermaid bin and dug up again decades later, for their children to play with.
The Thomas trains and tracks will be saved, and the Lego will find its way to a safe place until it’s needed again, but most of the toys my kids have are garbage. They either don’t last or they don’t hold the imagination of my children longer than it takes to open the box.
I don’t want to go old-man on you, but they don’t make toys like they used to. Here’s the vintage gear that still makes them smile, and what it would be worth on the Antiques Road Show:
FISHER PRICE PLAY FAMILY CIRCUS TRAIN
My sons run laps around the kitchen and living room dragging this play train behind them. Had my mom kept it in the box, it would have been worth $140.
FISHER PRICE VILLAGE
My brother and I used to line up army guys in the street and throw marbles as artillery. My boys get down and play mailman. Had my mom kept it in the box, it would have been worth $220.
FISHER PRICE PLAY FAMILY CAMPER
A boat that comes off the top, a camper that comes off the truck. I like to think this toy has something to do with my boys’ love of camping. Had my mom kept it in the box, it would have been worth $55.
FISHER PRICE PLAY FAMILY AIRPORT
This is genius. A hand cranked luggage and helicopter port, and a huge plane, all celebrating the golden age of air travel. Had my mom kept it in the box, it would have been worth $170.
FISHER PRICE MINI BUS
I love the patches on the side of this hippy bus. Had my mom kept it in the box, it would have been worth $15.
FISHER PRICE DAREDEVIL SPORT PLANES
Mine was the white one, my brother the orange. My boys still fly dogfights in the playroom making plane noises. Had my mom kept it in the box, they would have been worth $40.
ASSORTED FISHER PRICE CARS
We have dozens of random cars and people that perform all sorts of imagination fueled activities. Had my mom kept it in the box, they would have been worth $15.
VINTAGE MATCHBOX CARS
There are trays, and trays, and trays of cars in my Mom’s closets. They’re all priceless because they’re used relentlessly by my boys on every visit.