Kids toys - without buying plastic mass-produced cr*p

[mikey9]

Also - many thanks to Danny - the Lego made a quick trip up the A9 and is fully assimilated into the general bedlam that is the playroom.

Lots of space themed construction occurring here - future astroengineers I reckon 

[martin]

Just love my local markets - picked up a complete, boxed, Hornby "Mighty Mallard" train set in very nice nick this morning for a princely £40!

[mespilus]

I always thought that Playmobil
were one of the few ethical companies
who kept production in Europe,
in 4 sites,
including strangely one in Malta

http://www.playmobilmalta.com/page.aspx?id=49

Any chance you could find me my son a Mallard set?

[martin]

I'll keep my eyes open -  I doubt he'll still have them next week - he had three complete sets, and several boxed engines/carriages - he'd apparently bought some old boy's complete collection - agonised over whether to have that set or the "Cornish Express" at the same price - went for the Mallard as it's ostensibly for my grandson, and kids tend to go for the "fastest" - it joins "The Flying Scotsman" in the collection....

[danny stardust]

Glad to hear packages made it to their destinations without being looted or set on fire!

I reckon Lego is good for starters, then progressing on to Meccano once dexterity and comprehension of how the toys are built and work is learned. This was the path I followed as a young un.  I am now known as Danny the Spanner.  

My old man was always into railways, and his interest and my Meccano had a marrying up one afternoon in the living room. We managed to build a crane from the Meccano and then powered it from a small steam engine driving the winch. Not many kids allowed to raise steam in the living room these days I will bet! The smell was just the same as at an old traction engine fair.  

I certainly feel there is a place and need for kids being taught practical skills and how stuff works, as the country now is sadly lacking in practically skilled young individuals. I blame a lot of this on manufacturing being shipped abroad, and also the fact that everything modern is designed not to be fixed and is a throw away item, meaning it is non-viable or impossible to repair and maintain. No point having a country full of academics if there is nobody able to build the stuff they design.

[martin]

"Mamod" working steam traction engines (H&S would love those!)

[smegal]

"Mamod" working steam traction engines (H&S would love those!)

You can still get those can't you. Expensive though, now.

I used to love filling the burner with meths and running it round the porch.

[danny stardust]

"Mamod" working steam traction engines (H&S would love those!)

Ha ha, the steam engine certainly was similar to those small model ones. I recall Meths was used for fuel too. Crikey the living room must have smelled bad.  

You mention Health and Safety, just don't let the kids have a push bike or they could end up like the legend that is Danny Macaskill.

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/ShbC5yVqOdI?version=3&quot; type=&quot;application" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/ShbC5yVqOdI?version=3&quot; type=&quot;application</a>

[dtl]

Water slide:

Long piece of polythene sheet on a slight grassy gradient, with a water hose at the top, hours of fun on a sunny day.

[clockmanFR]

danny, we know its you on that bike.

My eldest (11) says, "cool".

dtl, not possible here, my 3 boy's would end up doing something dangerous , like sit youngest on a sledge made from a concrete block or something, similar. Latest trick, the older 2 put 4year old in tree, they pull down branch while 4 year old climbs out. Then!!! flying 4 year old.

[biff]

that is the best i have ever seen on a bike.
                  i thought we were pretty good when i was a kid,sitting on the handlebars and pedling backways downhill,or standing on the seat and handlebars,or 5 of us on the old big fullsize black bikes of 60yrs ago.
   but that guy,s balance is so acute he can work out to the last gramme just exactly how much stress his legs and bike can take.his tyres and brake blocks are tuned to his exact weight.they have to be.its an incredible piece of film.
                                                                                                         biff

[mikey9]

Too late for our two with bikes - the 4 year old is off and riding after a year and a bit on a balance bike - no stabilisers allowed in this house....now the nearly 3 year old is wanting to move off the balance bike too.

"Islabike" (if you want to get a good quality kids bike with bits that really last - and that keep their value REALLY well - then this is THE ONLY brand to buy - put together in Ludlow I think).

Isla - is Isla ROwntree - who used to race Mountain Bikes when I was a twenty something and knows a lot about frame geometry - sizing brakes etc for little hands and feet and produces quality kit.

Have a watch on ebay and see how much second hand ones go for........but don't bid on a Beinn 20 Large for a few weeks.

If you are impressed by Danny - look out his other equally impressive videos - my (4 year old) lad scared me on holiday by trying to stand up on his cross bar whilst riding through the campsite - sitting on the saddle must have got boring 

[mikey9]

OMG - just watched the Danny film...I have seen a few - but this really takes the biscuit - and the bit at 2:48 riding along the crane cable (yes really) is just about as amazing a thing you could do on a bike - and I love the camera shots/cutting and music.

No safety nets were sued in the making of this film......daren't show the boys though

[smegal]

Do chemistry sets still exist, or has the H+S brigade killed them?

[danny stardust]

Clip from 1980. When did kids think playing a computer game is anywhere near as cool as practising and being able to do this? He is cool, even with those white socks! And not using any leccy too, unlike the 500w the modern game machines use.

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/SNzBkpxmEvw?version=3&quot; type=&quot;application" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/SNzBkpxmEvw?version=3&quot; type=&quot;application</a>