Favorite Vintage Toys of My Readers – Super Ball, Sparkle Plenty Doll and More

I love my readers and I love hearing what interests you, so today’s post features some of my readers’ favorite vintage toys. Some of these toys have stood the test of time and are bound to be classics.

First, I’d like to thank Marge Flathers for sharing memories of some of her favorite vintage toys.

Marge said: “Hi Lynn—In between the holiday rush, I’ve enjoyed your posts about childhood toys (a real trip down memory lane!) I was born in 1938 (yikes!) and my favorite all-time toys were my dolls and paper dolls, especially the Elizabeth Taylor paper dolls, which coincided with her FIRST marriage and included the beautiful gown she wore. I wanted to BE that bride!”

“But the toy I never had but wanted so very much, when I was about 10, was the Sparkle Plenty doll. Gals my age will remember it was taken from the Dick Tracy comic strip, and Sparkle had long, wavy blond hair, one of the first tie-ins of toys with popular comics, etc (before TV). But the price was around $10 or $12, and with a ‘regular’ doll selling for around $1.98 at Woolworth’s, it was way beyond my parents’ Christmas spending. A little girl down the street got one, though, and I SO longed for one, too.”

Photo via Pinterest

“Flash forward about 18 years, and I gave birth to my youngest, Gail, who had (and still has) very blond hair (the only blond in the family), and it just grew and grew and grew, until it fell in pretty curls down her back! My very own Sparkle Plenty!”

Thank you, Marge, for sharing your precious memories. I especially love the fact that your youngest daughter looked like a real life Sparkle Plenty doll. Isn’t that the perfect ending to your lovely trip down Memory Lane?

Favorite vintage toys of Alex J. Cavanaugh:

“I had G.I. Joe and a Big Wheels. Plus Pong! Remember that video game?”

Yes, Alex, I do remember Pong and I just did a post about it here.

I found a G.I. Joe with Kung Fu Grip vintage commercial from the 1970s because you’re known as the Ninja leader of thousands of bloggers, so I thought it was a fitting commercial for you, and it’s only 31 seconds long:

And here’s a Big Wheels commercial (28 seconds) from the early ’70s:

Favorite vintage toys of Patricia (Patricia Rickrode w/a Jansen Schmidt):

“Well one of my favorite ‘vintage’ toys was my super ball and jacks. I loved that little bag of spiked jacks, and I played for hours on the kitchen floor or the garage floor. I think I still have them somewhere in my box of old things.”

I liked Super Balls, too. They were a big hit, and today’s kids can enjoy them, too.

This is a very cool video. I spent hours playing jacks as a kid, too. Patricia, if we ever meet up, we’ll have to play some good old-fashioned jacks!

Do any of these vintage toys resonate with you? Were you a fan of any of them? What were some of your favorite childhood toys or games or activities? 

I love hearing from you. Feel free to leave a comment if you’d like.

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3 Responses to Favorite Vintage Toys of My Readers – Super Ball, Sparkle Plenty Doll and More

  1. I had those all right! Wild to see the old commercials. I still have two of my G.I. Joes.

    • That’s so cool that you had that G.I. Joe with the Kung Fu grip. Those old commercials are a hoot! Hang on to those G.I. Joes that you still have. That’s awesome that you still have them!

  2. Pingback: Favorite Vintage Childhood Toys - Part 5 - Beanie & Cecil Puppets, Brooke Shields Doll and BB GunsLynn Kelley, Author

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