That little voice

I have continued my look back to the 1940s and decided to recall what toys were invented or introduced in the United States during that decade.

Here are some I found, and most of them I remember.

Crayola’s have always been a favorite of mine. The colors, the smell, and the excitement of picking one continues to make me want to start coloring. Crayons were first introduced in 1903 with an 8-crayon box, but in 1949 the box size increased to 48 magical colors and the number keeps climbing.

The board game Clue was invented by Anthony Pratt in the United Kingdom in 1947 but wasn’t introduced in the U.S. until the mid-1950s. It remains a popular game for those interested in sleuthing.

My research shows that the game Chutes and Ladders was imported to America in 1943, but it is not a game we ever played, so I can’t help you with the rules. It began in India and was used to teach Hindu children right from wrong.

Now who doesn’t remember Cooties? The colorful wooden bug bodies that could be assembled with legs, eyes and antennas were invented by Herb Schaper in 1948 and is now owned and distributed by Milton Bradley.

Are you looking for an answer to a pressing question? Then pick up that Magic 8 Ball that is sitting on your desk or coffee table and ask away. If you don’t like the answer you get, then just shake it again and get a revised reading.

Alabe Crafts company began producing the ball in the late 1940s and marketed it as a paperweight and/or a conversation piece. Mattel now owns this universal toy that remains popular and comes in all sizes, from key rings to the original 4” high black ball.

Scrabble is the game that is my biggest challenge. Meaning: I never win. Alfred Butts began designing the board game in the early 30’s, but it didn’t hit the market until 1948 after redesigns and a name change from the original Criss Cross. The game took off in 1952 when Macy’s Department Store began selling them. The demand grew and was licensed to board game manufacturers Selchow and Righter.

Accidently discovered during World War II, Silly Putty became a popular children’s toy beginning in 1945. Earl Warrick reportedly was researching potential rubber substitutes for use in the war and learned reacting boric acid and silicone oil would produce a gooey, bouncy material that was non-toxic, would bounce and would stretch beyond regular rubber. It also had a high melting temperature and did not collect mold. It was a perfect match for children’s creative talents. And my final item to recall is the still in demand Slinky. It was

And my final item to recall is the still in demand Slinky. It was shown at a Philadelphia department store in the early 1940s and was officially introduced at the 1946 American Toy Fair by owner and designer Richard James. Did you know the Slinky is Pennsylvania’s official state toy and more than 300 million have been sold?