As I was headed out of my local thrift store the other day a bright yellow box caught my eye. It was in the 'Free' pile, next to a few mugs and ball caps. Once I noticed it was a suitcase with a cheap plastic handle I knew there must be something special inside. I grabbed it, threw it in the car, and forgot about it for awhile. I opened it just yesterday and was delighted and mystified by what I found. Plastic blocks with removable pictures, a few toy buses, alphabets, numbers, animals and a classic old game spinner. I have no idea how it all works, but I dig it.
It's the vintage graphics that grab me. That older style of line drawing that seems to ooze innocence. Iconic images done in bright colors and with just enough detail to get the point across. As a game, it is hopeless. Too many missing pieces, including the game boards. What I am interested in is to see if I can somehow use the cubes, or the removable pictures within them, as a design element.
I have a twenty-month old daughter and another baby due in a few weeks. My wife and I are planning and reconfiguring our spaces to get ready for the new arrival and are currently focused on turning our old office into a playroom. It would be the perfect time to work these into the mix, but I am coming up blank on an innovative way to do so.
Do you have any ideas or suggestions? Help a tired daddy out and share them in the comments below. Thanks!
(Images: Richard Popovic)
Must-See Small Cool Homes: Week Two
Beth's Romantic & Retro Residence
Good Food to Share 
The Big Book of Small, Cool Spaces 
Apartment Therapy Presents 
The Eight-Step Home Cure 
Commercial Flour Sa...
How to Cook Moist & Tender Chicken Breasts Every Time
How To Cook Tender, Chewy Wheat Berries on the Stovetop
You could drill holes into the plastic blocks, string rope through, and and turn them into mobiles. They might be too heavy, though. You could always just string them up vertically from the ceiling. Or you could string them up horizontally as a garland.
What a great set you have! I have 6 or 7 from this set that I used in my pre-k/ Kinder classroom. The kids loved them. They would play with them more than the legos. Since they are in such great condition, maybe consider letting your almost 2 year old use them...they can be used for stacking, sequencing, language activities, etc. They still have some life in them (probably until your kids are 5 or 6) & I haven't seen them anywhere "new" for purchase. Just a thought! Best.
My mom saved the entire set, and my 4 yr old just had it out to play with yesterday. So many game possibilities and it's practically indestructible.
It's an activities set, yes? As in not a board game per se, but different game-like activities can be played for learning skills including language, spelling, alphabet, color, narrative, etc. I mention this to emphasize that whereas missing pieces could make a game unplayable, many activities still could be done with what you have. This blog has photos of a more complete set: http://dimestorethrift.blogspot.com/2010/02/readers-digest-playskills-kit.html
I realize this doesn't answer your decor question - maybe some sort of flexible display that allows your children to rearrange pieces according to the ever-changing rules of a kid's imagination?
I see you would like to use it as design, but as both a design-lover and a former teacher, and a mother of a child who underwent 6 long years of speech therapy, I know the agree with our friends re: the value of flexible and multi-functioning learning toys. Why don't you enjoy displaying them on a shelf a bit higher than your child can reach; perhaps a box shaped shelf in a color that sets off the block's colors? Then allow your child to play with the blocks in the many ways she can as time passes? You will both have fun!
High-res scan all those illustrations and send them to me. : 3
Here's some info I found from someone selling the same kit - it used to have a booklet listing 66 different games to play.
*********
This Reader's Digest 1972 Playskills Kit has a ton of activities tucked away inside it's compact carrying case!
It comes with activity blocks that have the alphabet, images, colors, shapes, and can be put together to spell and show an animal (cow, cat, and fish are shown in photos). Also included are cards for learning games as well as a booklet to guide you through activities and games to play with the set such as Bingo, games to help learn the alphabet, numbers, words, and more! It doesn't stop there - the set also comes with two vinyl activity mats (48" x 30" each) that are washable and a 'Spin-a-Dial' spinner for playing games on the mats. All of this fits into a carrying case with a handle!
The set is very good condition with some signs of use and age but is absolutely still usable and ready to go! The carrying case does have some staining and scuffing from age and storage. The set is very close to complete but 4 of the road game cars are missing as well as the cars for the road game (all items included are listed below). Although, any small car or token you have could be used to play the game.
There are endless possibilities for hours of fun learning for everyone with this set!!
Included in the set:
~ 2 Vinyl Sheets/Activity Mats - each measure 48" x 30"
~ 26 Plastic Blocks
~ 1 Spin Dial
~ Booklet for 10 Steps to Learning
~ 26 Color Cards
~ 26 Alphabet Cards
~ 26 Shape Cards
~ 26 Road Game Cards (4 are mising)
~ 12 Blank Cards (for you to create your own cards)
Edit to add: I'm still laughing at the drawing of the toddler with the sharp knife going after that pumpkin! Times do change...
I too love the simple lines. I would put them on a low shelves (out of a baby's reach) so that they are decorative as well as easily rearranged. Obviously you already know how to use them because in the second picture you have sorted by category and arranged in sequence. As others have said there are many alphabet, colour games you could teach while playing.
As a retired primary teacher my only additional advice would be don't try too hard it was supposed to be a game and make sure that your children can touch them when they want to do so. You might be surprised at the way they see things. You might also be surprised at who else wants to rearrange them.
funny I had this as a kid, hadn't thought about it for years
I see someone else suggested a mobile. That was my first thought.
They might be just the right side to turn them in to clothing & baby gear peg-hangers, just above your changing station.
You could also adhere them to the top of Ikea Lack table and use it as an end table next to your nursing chair, and when your new potato grows into a tater-tyke, it could become a little play table. http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/40104270/
I echo the many who suggest letting your child play with it; for now, your 2-year-old can enjoy the blocks and other colorful pieces for stacking, sorting, etc. You can save the smaller bits, like the spinner, for when she is older and ready to start inventing her own games. The graphics are, indeed, awesome, and what AT reader wouldn't love a child's toy that looks good even when it hasn't been put away?
THIS. It seems like such a shame to let these cute toys sit on a shelf when they could be enjoyed. Put the set up on a shelf, with some of the items out of the box, on the shelf in front of it. Switch the items up once in a while, but never forget to let the little one play with them.
Great find! I'd just wait until your kids are preschool aged and let them play with it. Until then, maybe display some of the cute pieces on a shelf. I've picked up a bunch of different vintage games at garage sales and stuff. I love them.
As much as I truly love the vintage and functions of this amazing find, is there any way the pictures can be removed from the boxes? If so you can re-purpose both parts. Frame the images and put in the baby/toddler's room-- or a room that the children access so that it continue to be used as a learning tool. Then you can reuse the boxes by placing pictures of your family in them. They could still building blocks or maybe just picture frames.