Children's Toys in the EOTWAWKI.

[Kelvar]

I grew up on a farm and found that tobacco sticks make great make-believe swords. (Note: tobacco sticks, not tobacco stalks. As in, the sticks used to skewer tobacco stalks to hang them).

[Jeriah]

I grew up on a farm and found that tobacco sticks make great make-believe swords. (Note: tobacco sticks, not tobacco stalks. As in, the sticks used to skewer tobacco stalks to hang them).

We used surveyor's stakes. Most of the time we had to use the thin (1/4") ones, but occasionally we'd find a 1/2" thick one that makes a KICK-ASS gladius. I'd actually still pick one up if I found it (not in use, obviously) to make a rudis (wooden training gladius) just for fun.

[JTNieman]

We used shovel, rake, or hoe handles from the garden tools that broke. That or we'd wittle one from an apt tree limb. We grew up on 20-22 acres that is mostly thickly wooded, mostly deciduous oaks/maples with some pine and cedar sprinkled about (and a field of random persimmon trees)

Kevin Costner's Robin Hood came out right when I was the prime age to start woodland construction fantasies... oh holy crap did we ever have a ball. My dad was -more- than happy to gift us with plenty of rope, saws, hammers, nails, and anything we needed to do in the woods. Luckily our favorite playing areas were at the opposite end of the creek than where the best deer stand placements were, so we didn't disturb the deer trails much. Of course, the deer probably went where they did BECAUSE they wanted to avoid our areas, so maybe it wasn't coincidence... dunno.

We mainly had platforms built up in trees with cedar or pine thatch awnings above, with swing ropes, one zip line and an unfortunate lack of ladders. We had to climb trees to get to our hovels. It was sweeeeeet. Of course, they typically only lasted a year or two at best... I dunno how Robin Hood did it without Thompson's water sealer Winter was hell on our stuff...

Good times though, good times.

[absinthe beginner]

Not so long ago, there lived an active, healthy boy. One day, he was gifted a mobile phone.

The End.

http://knuckledraggin.com/2017/07/amen-27/

[teotwaki]

What the heck is wrong with firearms, bows and arrows, slingshots and knives to play with?

[flybynight]

Teo beat me to it. Sling shots. Fun and productive ( small game ). Plus teaches important lessons about responsibility and stalking/hunting.

[Kelvar]

It depends on the age of the kids, of course. I often think that the toys made by the "Green Toys" company would be good.
http://www.greentoys.com/shop-page

They're very basic and sturdy. I like how simple they are. To some extent, I think that fuels the imagination more than a toy that does everything for you.

[teotwaki]

Tea beat me to it. Sling shots. Fun and productive ( small game ). Plus teaches important lessons about responsibility and stalking/hunting.

Slingshots using 1" round ice "cubes" make for a great way to discourage neighborhood pests.

https://www.amazon.com/Hutzler-Ice-Ball ... ubes+molds

[TacAir]

in the EOTWAWKI - I suspect kids will have to make their own toys.....

[Ellywick]

Kids, at least the kids I have worked with and those I have spawned, will make toys of anything. In fact, my house routinely has an area of what I lovingly refer to as "trash toys"...the empty plastic bottles, paper towel rolls, empty wrapping paper rolls, boxes, egg cartons, etc that my kiddos (and sometimes me, tbh) use for play. They are used until they start to fall apart and/or too many get amassed and I throw them away. I would think a number of TEOTWAWKI scenarios would have lots of derelict items that kids could and would use for play as they have forever.

[teotwaki]

[Asymetryczna]

Already been said, and demonstrated, but kids can make a toy or a contest out of just about anything. Slingshots and marbles can serve many purposes. I had not heard of the iceballs - interesting. What my grandfather taught me was to take two pieces of tissue paper and lay about 10 BB's on top of them. Then, using a can of spray starch I would apply a light mist to the paper. Once it was damp I would squeeze the paper around the BB's until I had a tight little ball. Once I had enough of the BB balls made, I would sit them in the windowsill to dry until they were stiff. Up close it produces a wallop but further out the BB's mostly come free and increase my chances of a hit.

When I was a kid, a bag of those little, green army men could be found for less than a buck. Cowboys and Indians too. I know these images will disturb people now and/or promote violent tendencies so I doubt they can be found in every grocery/drug store, but they were nearly indestructible. I must have had 100's of them before I learned how to make napalm.

[ZombieGranny]

The army men still sell about 50 - 100 to a pack at the dollar stores.

(We used to melt them when they got all messed up. )

[ManInBlack316]

Swings. Their own bodies (not doctor...).

I guess I'm one of the weird ones in my generation, most of our childhood was spent outdoors in the neighborhood, mom liked to kick us out of the house and we'd have to be home when the streetlights came on.
There was a very simple rope swing on this creek, couldn't tell you how many days we played with that until the rope finally broke. Could have just flung another rope up and kept going if we wanted to. Then of course there was "kill the carrier", kid who has the ball needs to run to the other side of the yard other kids tackle and otherwise try to break each other's bodies Anything could be used as the ball as it wasn't really important what kind it was, but football was usually the choice.

How hard would it be make a wooden wagon? I think they'd be a big hit in PAW, useful and great for playing as kids.



Oh, and every little boy needs a stick. Otherwise we just find other ways to destroy things.

[Ellywick]

Oh, and every little boy needs a stick. Otherwise we just find other ways to destroy things.

Or little girl...I have to find things my daughters can destroy unless I want them to go searching for something to tear apart, poke at, or tinker with.

[teotwaki]

Or little girl...I have to find things my daughters can destroy unless I want them to go searching for something to tear apart, poke at, or tinker with.

Ever hand a nice Fresnel lens to a smart young girl?

[JackBauer]

Personal favorite, Large cardboard boxes..if any still around in the PAW.

For inner city kids customizing empty refrigerator boxes into multi room forts was bliss..

[ZombieGranny]

I was a country kid...
We used to go flatten the tall grass in empty fields or hayfields into rooms.
(It would pop back up in 2 days or so.)
Once the hay was baled, we were allowed to stack the bales up for walls until they came to collect them.

[Asymetryczna]

I was a country kid too. I miss riding on top of hay wagons we had stacked...and cutting tobbaccer

[therter1937]

Dinosaur Grasping Toys is so cute and it is great for developing skills.

[Close_enough]

The guts to a music box?

I saw that film too. But, 50 years into the PAW, any decent musician or storyteller is going to be in demand. Early flutes and whistles, percussion, and maybe some string instruments will be around. So, it stands that kids versions will also be around.

Low tech games like checkers, dominoes, and Mancala will also be around.

The usual make believe toys like dolls and wooden horses.

And, the boys will probably have hunting or fighting related skill games.

[annies]

Hello,

I want to buy some 3d toys for my kids on this new year.
Can you please suggest me any idea which type of 3d toys are good for kids and from where I can buy them??

[w3rdtoyamama]

Legos?

I know...not all that creative but I cant tell you how many hours/days with that. Not much use besides a toy...maybe a booby trap?

[analysis autonomy]

I think the best type of toy would be something that can be built from the child's creativity. I mean this could be something like legos, but perhaps something even more creative.

Like you could get a boy a toy building, or you could have the components for him to build his own makeshift little building. It's better for several reasons. Firstly is that it's more interesting. It requires more hard work. This also means it's more satisfying. Kids need not just a distraction, they need a pursuit. This ties in to yet another benefit - that it can grow with the child. They start by making a little building, a few months later they have a little city. It becomes something they are proud of, something they wake up with motivation to do.

And best of all, along the way they are inadvertently learning the skills to innovate and survive in the real world