Fascinating Toy with an educational value is this building set invented by Andrew Sommerfeld of Hadley, Salop, England. Using moulds which reproduce sections to scale of famous buildings, youngsters cast the parts in a special concrete strengthened by copper wire. Here they are finishing a church.

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Clink, Clink, Clink Goes the Trolly

Jack Francis’ whimsical kiddie trolly is clanging along to the tune of merry dollars.

JACK FRANCIS is a dreamer who follows up an idea by saying: “Let’s try it.”

Optimistic as he is, even Francis thought his idea for a kids’ trolly was a bit zany. While he rode around on his motorcycle, doing his job as a traffic officer for the city of Oakland, Calif., he kept thinking about building a little trolly car.

In his work with traffic safety, Francis had plenty of experience with youngsters. He loves children and, with the trolly car scheme he had in mind, he thought he had something that would make them happy. But he had three problems: no money to build it, no place to operate it, and no time to undertake such a project. Read the rest of this entry »

I love the name of the sidecar. Nothing says fun like a Kiddy Tub.

Side Car Attached to Tricycle Adds Fun for the Children
THE use of side cars and rumble seats is now being extended to children’s vehicles, thus cutting down the expense of parents by making one vehicle serve two children. A recently patented children’s tricycle with a side car attachment suitable for carrying an additional passenger is pictured in the photo at the left. Children of small weight can be carried without adding perceptibly to the burden of the driver or to the wear of the machine. The vehicle is durably constructed of wood and metal and has an attractive appearance. It will prove a great boon to children who have a smaller brother or sister to take care of.

Robot Plays Card Games Press Button – It Deals a Hand

TO PLAY a game of cards with this robot merely press a button. Miniature cards are speedily shuffled and a full hand of five cards flash into view. Each hand is awarded points according to the value of the cards. A pair counts five, three of a kind counts fifteen, a straight represents fifty, and so on up the scale.
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I remember wanting one of these so badly when I saw The Toy.

Plastic Water Wheel
Swimmers have a new play item this summer—a huge water wheel which spins on the surface to provide the thrills of a roller coaster. The wheel, made of Vinylite, is six feet in diameter. When inflated, it forms a double ring that has circular openings spaced uniformly between the two rings. It can be made to roll across the surface, used in a competitive “king of the mountain” game or anchored as a float for diving or sun-bathing. The plastic resists abrasion, oil, grease and temperature change. Deflated, the wheel rolls into a small bundle weighing only eight pounds.

Mono-Scooter Is Speedy

With a little practice, you can get more speed out of this mono-scooter than out of a pair of roller skates. It is made from two roller-skate wheels and a hardwood block as wide as the shoe and about 5 in, longer. Round the ends of the block and slot them to take the wheels. Steel rods serve as axles, and washers are placed on either side of each wheel to keep it true. These should be lubricated. Triangular blocks serve as heel and toe plates, and a single toe strap keeps the scooter on the shoe. Tilting the foot to one side brings the block into contact with the sidewalk to get efficient braking

Unique Game for Party Amusement

“SPIKE the Potato” is a highly entertaining game for any party. All that is needed is a single large potato, a number of paper cones and some needles. The paper cones are about 7 in. long and 1-1/2″ in diameter at the large end. When you roll them into shape, slip a needle or pin into the small end and daub it with glue. This, when dry, will hold it in place. At the same time, glue the edge of the paper fast. Then pull a small tuft of cotton into a fluffy ball and after rubbing some glue on the inside of the open cone end, push the cotton in.
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Grooved Logs Build Toys

Logstix®, made by Charlen Products, Inc., West Orange, N. J., come in seven lengths. Each length has a different number of grooves that lock into grooves in other sticks. Permanent structures can be made by gluing the sticks. There are 201 pieces in a set.

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An Electric Miniature Mono-Railway

IT IS a well known fact among experimenters that when a whirling gyroscope is set in an upright or inclined position it will not change unless some strong exterior force is applied. Due to this peculiar quality, which is known as the precessive effect, the gyroscope can be utilized in the construction of many scientific instruments and practical devices which are used in every day life.

One of the most important uses to which the gyroscope is put is that of keeping a mono-rail train in an upright position as it speeds along on its single track. The most practical and outstanding railway of this kind is known as the Brennan Mono-railway, which is used in Ireland.
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TOTS Try Toys

Before trying to sell a new product toy maker Oliver Garfield (Toy Development Co.) tests child reactions to them.

Garfield and physicist Arthur Pinker-ton assemble Geniac, a toy electronic brain that flashes replies to queries.

TV WHIZ KID

Steve Allen, 13, with color TV he designed and built. Atherton, Calif., boy has been an electrical prodigy since the age of two.

Steve, whose color set was among first 100 in San Francisco area, made over $1000 last year repairing sets in his neighborhood.

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He’s Forever Blowing Bubbles

Nat Fisher’s fluid for forming sudsy spheres may be the start of a $1,000,000 business.

By Bob Willett

BUBBLES FISHER is no strip-tease dancer as the name may imply—he is Nat Fisher of Hollywood, Calif., who says there are three things that will never die: marbles, tops and bubbles.

Most Americans are familiar with Fisher’s Billion-Bubble machines which he ‘began manufacturing nine years ago. A standard attention-getter at fairs, conventions, theaters and department stores, Nat’s bubbles have also become an important part of ice show, circus, nightclub and TV performances and his miniature plastic bubble-making machines are sold in novelty stores throughout the nation.
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REPEATING SLINGSHOT

A repeating slingshot, recently placed on the market, makes it possible to shoot 200 BB shot without fumbling about for ammunition and without reloading. The magazine is a metal cone that fits into the wire frame of the slingshot, forming a grip. The tip of the cone, slotted to form a prong, admits a single shot from inside the magazine.