Do you recognize this toy? It was called “Thingmaker” and Mattel produced it in the mid 1960’s. It was basically a heating tray in which you placed molds filled with “plastigoop” and in a few minutes you peeled off your own homemade toy. You could make bugs, soldiers, creepy make-up and more.
I’m not sure which has a stronger memory for me, the smell of the cooking goop or the burning flesh from the inevitable accidental touching of the hot plate. That thing got pretty hot! Up until recently there was a modern version which was powered by a light bulb instead of the heating element, much like the conversion on the “easy bake oven” toy.
I know it is all in the name of safety, but there is something to be said for learning from your mistakes. After that first blister, I was definitely more careful. Based upon today’s safety standards for toys(most are a good idea in all honesty), it is amazing that so many of us survived our childhoods. But hey, kids do stupid things and no amount of safety features can stop the innate desire to look death in the eye and laugh as we often did when we hurled our bikes off homemade ramps a la Evel Knievel.
On balance, I think the burned finger would always be more desirable than the broken neck. Fortunately, I only suffered the former, not the latter, but not for lack of trying!
Toys are always cool! Bet you had fun plianyg with some like a little one, well maybe you didn’t play with any of them. If you were my husband though you’d have played with them.When I take him anywhere there is toys in the aisles and it has horns, sound effects or flashing lights he can click on, he does.Boys will be boys even if they grow up to be men.