Collecting Toy Soldiers - Marx Military Playsets

Before the start of World War II, action figures were already some of the most popular toys among little boys. During those days, military action figures and their complementary accessories were usually in the wish lists of kids for Christmas and birthdays.

Toy soldiers made by Marx during 1930s and the 1940s were some of the most popular to play with, particularly the playsets that were themed around different battles. During those decades, the military playsets were made up of metals that were assembled and manufactured at the toy making facility of Louis Marx and Company. The toys made a big impact and inspired a variety of other toy manufacturers to design and make similar toy soldiers.

At the onset of the World War, metal toys were scrapped because almost all toy plants were asked to spare the metal for military purposes. Thus, other materials were sought and used. Tin and aluminum provide better alternative to the usual metals used to manufacture the items.

In the 1950s, such action toys started being manufactured using plastic resources. The toys were not popular initially, but the flexibility and endurance associated with plastic won both children and parents over. So the material started gaining popularity as a toy making material.

The Marx military playsets included different types of figures like trees and rocks, animals and accessories, cannons and wagons and, of course, toy soldiers. Thus, kids were able to run a story plot and construct dioramas whenever they played.

Usually, the action sets included different figures in an environment such as a battleground, or with centerpieces like barns in a farm set, metal forts in a medieval castle and plastic forts in Fort Apache sets. The toy soldiers stood on a flattened base that enabled them to stand on their own without manual assistance.

Most of the Marx playsets are very colorful. The environment looks like miniature versions of actual environments while the accessories like cars were so beautifully crafted that they look just like actual but miniaturized objects. The soldier figures were not colorful, but they readily and appropriately serve their purpose and could be painted by hand as well.

Nowadays, the vintage Marx military playsets sets are still very much sought after by collectors, though they can be difficult to find intact.

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You can find terrific deals on Marx military playsets and other vintage toy soldiers at: http://toysoldiers.collectiblesnook.com/

Jenni Kerala is a writer, collector and Ebay addict who loves to find interesting and beautiful collectibles - especially vintage and antique items - on the online marketplace.

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Educational Baby Games and Toys

Educational Baby games and toys are so important, they stimulate your babies brain, creating interest and arousing curiosity for further development of their mind. When your baby is born their eyesight is blurry. In the first two months of their life they can only focus on objects eight to ten inches in front of him, so the first colours your baby sees are black, white and red. Lets make their environment exciting.

Education Baby games and toys should be bright. The brighter the better! Bright colours, moving objects, classical music and textured toys will all help to stimulate your baby, as he begins to discover his whole new world.

Baby educational games and toys will help your baby to learn about the world in a fun and safe way, they will have more fun with a toy if it's stimulating to the sense of sight, hearing, touch, taste or smell than they would if it was just cute or pretty.

As your baby grows, you will want educational toys that help your child learn eye-hand coordination and develop their large and small motor-control skills, you will also need educational baby games and toys that stimulate social and language development, imagination, and creativity.

The first senses babies use to learn, are sight and sound. When your baby is born their favourite sight is you, and they love to hear your voice. Now you can sing to your hearts content, they will love it.

So what else do baby need?

Not a lot, so don't go over the top with toys, they don't need it and neither does your bank account. It won't be long before they will want every toy and game there is, so be sensible while you can.

Interaction is your great fun learning game, seeing you, listening to you, giggling and laughing at you. But you cannot be your child's only entertainment system, you will need some time out!

So lets look at some other toys and games that your baby will love.

Up to eight weeks old your babies favourite sight and sounds are human faces and voices, they will also enjoy watching brightly coloured mobiles, wind-chimes and cot-toys, if clearly in view, they will focus best on hand-held toys that are 8 inches from their face and will respond to soft music and being rocked gently.

At twelve weeks your baby can focus for longer on mobiles and cot-toys, they will also be able to see them at a greater distance. He will show a preference for bright colours and look at them for longer, but he will still have more interest in human faces and large pictures of faces, he will also enjoy wrist rattles, musical toys and squeaky toys.

From three to six months he will start to grasp a toy that is placed in his hand, and will begin to reach for toys. Your babies favourite early toys will be lightweight rattles and colourful teething rings, he will have learned to use both hands and will start to play with foam bricks, soft balls, cuddly soft toys or grip-toys with an internal squeak.

He will love floor activities up to the age of nine months, large bright activity quilts are a good idea, as is a activity centres. He will also love colourful toys with interesting designs and textures to study during quiet play, and of course, noisy toys for rattling and banging will have them enjoying and laughing.

Their first books should be brightly illustrated and made from "Chew Proof" card or Textured Fabrics, push and pull along toys will encourage walking and be a great aid for balancing.

Learning to walk is a fabulous time for your baby, but can be testing on you, as they will be everywhere, and while trying out their newfound skill, there will be bumps, cries and tears, and some of those will be yours.

The average ages for walking is between nine and thirteen months, but remember, this is only guideline so don't be concerned if they're not quite on the move yet.

The timing is determined by your baby's muscle strength, his ability to balance and most importantly, his personality, his motivation and confidence. The weight of your baby may also play a part; a heavier baby will take longer to get up on their feet.

Give plenty of praise when he starts walking, they need encouragement just like we do, but don't try to rush him along if he's not quite ready, if he is pushed to quickly he may go back to crawling until he feels ready to give it another go.

Walking Aids or 'Walkers' come in many shapes and sizes, from simple baby learning toys such as Building Block Trolleys to Walkers that develop from simple aids to ride on toys, as you toddler's skills develop.

Baby ride on toys, are great for developing and strengthening the muscles in his legs and arms, the best one of all, has to be The Rocking Horse. This is excellent for learning to keep their balance and start their pretend play, there are others such as sea-saw and trikes, but you can't beat the classics.

This form of play benefits all toddlers. It improves mood, appetite and quality of sleep and brings better general health, it also develops their muscles, increases their strength and agility, and improves their co-ordination,

Just a quick note about the First Pair of Shoes

While your baby is still crawling, shoes are largely there for decoration, although it's important that they are not too small.

When children start to walk, they often curl their toes, so it's better for children to go barefoot or wear socks for as long as possible. The bones in a child's feet are very soft and can easily be damage, which can lead to posture problems.

Wait until your child is walking unaided, and ready to walk outside, before buying his first pair of shoes and please get his feet measured by someone who's properly qualified.

But it's not just baby games that your baby will need, he'll also enjoy physical contact and will enjoy being massaged, and this will help relax your baby, keep his joints flexible and encourage muscle coordination.

Massage will also give you confidence in handling your baby and help you get to know him.

Ask your doctor about massaging your baby, it is important to get the right information before you start.

Food is a brilliant way for children to learn it stimulates your baby's sense of taste and smell by allowing him a wide variety of tastes and textures, it is important to allow your baby to experiment and see how your baby reacts to different foods and varying taste.

Eating food with his hands is natural and beneficial, and should be encourage.

So many children come to fear food by having to eat everything on the plate, others become fussy eaters through not being taught to experiment with food.

Most importantly remember that you are your baby's super hero; he looks up to you for the best start in life and what you do and how you react in his environment, will be reflected in him, he will follow in your footsteps.

You can make a difference

Your baby will grow more now, in the first year of his or her little life than at any other time, both physically and mentally.

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Toys - Open Up A World Of Imagination And Adventure

Why children will always enjoy the simplicity of toys

These days, children seem to have much more sophisticated - and expensive - tastes when it comes to playing. Simple toys and pastimes have been replaced by video games, electronic gadgets, and the internet, and it is easy for kids to get too wrapped up in the latest technology to think of playing outdoors or with dolls or action figures. But the truth is, whatever the age, children love to exercise their imaginations, and toys and figures let them do that in a way video games never can.

Computers and technology can teach your children valuable skills for the modern world. But the imagination is an important tool too, one which helps your children to think creatively, learn empathy and problem-solving skills, and come up with new ideas. These are all traits which will be just as crucial in adult life as an affinity with technology and the internet. And it's good for children to get aware from the glare of those screens, too.

Toys can set your child's creativity free

Boys and girls of all ages can really get a lot from toys, dolls, and their accessories. From dolls' houses to medieval castles, farmyards to pirate ships, toys can help your child create their own world of adventure where anything can happen. They can also learn a little about history or the wider world while they play, too.

For example, in its own small way, a dolls' house can help your child to start learning organisational and social skills. Dressing dolls and decorating the house challenges and sharpens their creative thinking, as well as developing coordination and an aesthetic sensibility. Similar skills can also be developed by playing with a toy fort or castle, and these kind of toys can also spark off an interest in history and world events. All children are hungry for knowledge about the big wide world, and toys, figures, and accessories have their own small part to play in feeding that hunger.

Toys and figures are a powerful tool for learning

There is something to be learned from every kind of toy, whether about social interaction, how things work, or the different jobs that people do. A toy farm or zoo can help them learn about animals and how to care for them. Toy ships or castles can teach them a little bit about different periods of history, and how life was lived in those times. And dolls and dolls' houses set them on the road to developing valuable social skills for later life.

So, get your kids away from the TV or computer for a while - give them some toys to play with. You'll see their imaginations take flight. Who knows, maybe those computer games might not seem like nearly so much fun!

Choice Dolls Houses are an online supplier of children's & collectors' dolls houses in the UK . They also stock a wide range of children's toys and accessories, including wooden toy farms and castles, pirate figures and ships, and other figures and animals, from trusted brands such as Papo, Schleich, and Le Toy Van.

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Wooden Toys For Little Girls

Little girls are treasures. I enjoy watching them play in their own little pretend world and think back to the days when I did that and also when my daughter was in that "little world". There are many toys in the market today for little girls to play with. I have a few favorites that I think are essential for little girls.

Little girls love to cook. What better way to introduce them to cooking then to give them their own little kitchen. I like wooden kitchen play sets best as the durability is so much better. Many wooden play sets include a wooden kitchen cupboard, wooden stove and wooden refrigerator. These are what I call the basic wooden kitchen sets. There are also a few "extras" which include a wooden dishwasher and wooden microwave. Another needed item for a kitchen is a wooden table and chairs. A wooden table and chairs is a very versatile toy that is well worth the money. Children can practice table manners while playing and also perhaps use it when coloring, playing with puzzles or many other activities.

All little girls love their babies and love to "mother" them. A little girl will feel much better if she knows her little baby is well cared for. A wooden doll crib, cradle or bunk bed will be a wooden toy that she will cherish. There are many styles of cribs and cradles. There are some that are stained while some are left unfinished. There are even some swinging doll cradles that look so very realistic. Some doll cribs come with a pillow and a delightful cozy comforter set. I especially like the wooden bunk beds set as many little girls have more than one doll that will need a good night's sleep.

Another wooden toy that little girls will love is a wooden doll swing. This wooden doll swing is hard to find but is designed like an outside yard swing. Little girls will love to swing their dolls on this old fashioned wooden doll swing. The wooden doll swings that I like best are made of a hard wood and have chains that are adjustable to lengthen or shorten the wooden seat.

Little girls are not just all about dolls. There are many little girls that love their dolls but also love to run and pretend in another world as well. Wooden stick horses are an excellent choice for little girls as well. Perhaps she has a dream of becoming a barrel racer! There are many types of stick horses. Some are made of wood, others are fabrics. Some wooden stick horses even come in a kit form so that she can custom design her own wooden stick horse. Other stick horses are constructed of soft poly fleece fabrics that are soft to the touch. They come in a variety of colors. Black, brown, gray, white are some of the colors and then there are the carousal type of stick horses that are full of colors.....even a bright colored blue with a brightly colored mane from yarn.

By giving your little girl a wooden toy, you are giving her a toy that will have durability and perhaps even your grandchild will enjoy playing with. No, you will not have to buy batteries but you will enjoy watching your little girl's creativity and imagination as she grows and matures into a young lady.

Copyright 2007

http://myuniquewoodentoys.com Author: Teresa Martin Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Teresa_Martin