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The Effects of Brexit Hit the Model Train Industry
The devaluation of the pound is being felt across Britain.
TOYS
Remembering the First Smart Toy: 2-XL
The sassy robot quizzed users with multiple choice questions stored on 8-track cassettes.
12 Works of Literature Recreated in LEGO
The Weird History of McDonaldland Toys
If you visited an older, well-established McDonald’s franchise during the latter part of the 1990s—specifically one of the corporation’s two-story restaurants boasting a “McDonald’s PlayLand”—you may have noticed some odd shapes and unfamiliar characters
Simple Kits Let You Make Your Own Smart Camera, Speaker, or Light Show
Kano's kits are easy enough for kids—or adults—to use without any help.
11 Collectible Facts About Hot Wheels
1. They were the brainchild of Elliot Handler, whose wife created Barbie.
You Can Now Make a Drone With LEGOs
Don't worry about smashing this airborne vehicle to smithereens—you can always rebuild.
7 Epic Toy Heists
If you plan on going on a Toys 'R Us crime spree, you might want to stop using your Rewards card.
7 Visions of the Future Sculpted in Play-Doh
They required 200-plus cans of the compound and more than 40 hours.
6 Other Puzzles Invented by the Creator of the Rubik's Cube
Ernő Rubik was no one-hit wonder.
26 Things You Didn't Know about Barbie
Don't miss an episode of mental_floss on YouTube!
The Newest American Girl Doll is From 1960s Detroit
The character of Melody Ellison loves Motown and is an active participant in the civil rights movement.
14 Justifiably Forgotten Milton Bradley Board Games
In the '70s, the family could settle in for a nice, relaxing game of 'Town Dump.'
Meet the Man Who Owns Over 5000 Toy Dinosaurs
Like many of us, Randy Knol enjoyed playing with toy dinosaurs as a kid. He received a Flintstones playset from his grandfather as a Christmas present in the 1960s, and his collection of prehistoric figurines has been growing ever since.
How the Pool Noodle Made a Splash for Water Toys
Two Canadians claim to have invented the popular foam toy.
Nabisco's X-Rated Toy Scandal of 1971
The strange story of how a cookie empire nearly came crumbling down over racy, violent model kits.
Introducing the Toy Robot That's Like a Real-Life Pixar Character
A former "WALL-E" animator helped design his expressive face.
A Bear Necessity: The Story of Teddy Ruxpin
Mary Brady was in the aisle of a Toys "R" Us near Miramar, Florida when she felt a sharp, stabbing pain in her leg.
Something Fishy: Big Mouth Billy Bass
Queen Elizabeth, Al Gore, and Tony Soprano all had one.
Silly String Has a Real Purpose: Exposing Trip Wires
Soldiers have used the sticky party toy to help scan areas for explosives.
Presidential Paper Dolls Satirize 2016 Election Candidates
Bernie Sanders even comes with snowshoes and maple syrup.
11 Playful Facts About Fisher-Price
You recognize the name from their baby gear—but they also made ammunition crates for the military.