It’s almost inconceivable to think that it took until the latter half of the twentieth century for someone to improve upon the design of the basic single-line Chinese kite. It’s almost as inconceivable to think that the only change anyone could think of was to stick another line on it, so that it could be controlled with two hands instead of just the one. ... more>>>

Surely not? How can this iconic cliché of the decade that taste forgot (whenever that was, exactly) be in a catalogue of toys that we wanted as kids? Didn’t we all just own one? Weren’t they handed out by the government on January 1 1970 along with regulation loon pants, glitter and the pill? Well, no… we’re exaggerating, obviously. But we’ve still got some questions we want answering about this bouncing bloody behemoth. ... more>>>

Always the preserve of the Cream era family with a luxuriant and well-groomed lawn, Swingball was truly king of the outdoor games. It was also one of those great games of our youth that could honestly pass the test of time, thus explaining why our prowess as a nation of tennis players ain’t what it should be, ‘cos on the grass courts of SW19 you don’t get that “I’ll catch it on the next rotation” element of play. ... more>>>

Let it be known that the law of remote controlled toys of any sort must adhere to these commandments… ... more>>>

Tonka was the name in building site toys. The hardwearing, hard-hitting (particularly if one was dropped off a wall onto your head) playthings were the delight of young boys (and tomboy girls) everywhere. Best known for their trucks, Tonka made rock solid, die-cast metal vehicles, with real rubber tyres and tough-as-old-boots paint jobs. To paraphrase Henry Ford, they came in any colour you liked, as long as that colour was yellow. ... more>>>

A hundred and one outdoor hobby books showed us kids how to make plastic cup telephones, stretching a dozen feet of fraying string (or washing line) across the back garden into the den or treehouse. Like pre-infrared remote controls, though, they were deeply unsatisfying and could similarly cause one or more members of the family to trip up and drop a tray of Sunday tea and Jaffa Cakes. ... more>>>