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The Playmakers: Amazing Origins Of Timeless Toys
A fun book that feels like it should accompany a museum exhibition, Walsh's history includes toy timelines (beginning with the Flexible Flyer in 1900); postcards, ads and articles (such as a 1980s Newsweek cover on The Cabbage Patch Craze); and close-up photos of game pieces (including a board from a 1949 version of Candy Land in which a boy has a peculiar line running up his leg, which Walsh supposes might speak volumes to...young polio victims). Centred on toys that sold at least 10 million copies, were invented outside of the major toy companies (so no Mattel Hot Wheels or Hasbro Easy-Bake Oven) and that had significance to the author - a game inventor and 15-year veteran of the toy industry - and his friends, Walsh's account gives the particulars of 75 toys that enchanted American kids from 1900 to the 1990s. Among the playthings, Walsh examined are Lincoln Logs, Monopoly, Barbie, Slip 'n Slide, Mouse Trap, GI Joe and Rubik's Cube. The book's nostalgic feel should appeal to fans of Americana.
298 pages, Hardcover
First published June 1, 2004
2 people are currently reading
259 people want to read
About the author
Tim Walsh
3 booksTIM WALSH is a professional speaker, author, game designer and filmmaker. His first book, Timeless Toys (Andrews-McMeel, 2005) was praised by The Wall Street Journal and USA Today. His second, WHAM-O Super-Book (Chronicle Books, 2008) was picked by NPR as “One of the best gift books of the year.” His third, Right Brain Red: 7 Ideas for Creative Success, was written with super-entrepreneur Reyn Guyer. As a play advocate, Tim is out to prove play is a means through which we connect with family and friends. Now more than ever…. amen to that!
A 30-year veteran of the toy industry. His designs and co-designs of games have sold over 7 million copies in 13 countries and include the games TriBond, Blurt, Mad Gab, Feed Fuzzy, Bull’s Eye, Mega Mouth and many more. He’s appeared on numerous TV and radio shows including CBS’s The Early Show, NPR’s All Things Considered, This Way Up (New Zealand), Top 100 Toys (BBC), and CNBC’s The Big Idea, among others.
Tim also creates video for his YouTube Channel, Seize the Play where his popular series, Where’s the Fun From? tells the stories behind the most popular playthings of all time.
A 30-year veteran of the toy industry. His designs and co-designs of games have sold over 7 million copies in 13 countries and include the games TriBond, Blurt, Mad Gab, Feed Fuzzy, Bull’s Eye, Mega Mouth and many more. He’s appeared on numerous TV and radio shows including CBS’s The Early Show, NPR’s All Things Considered, This Way Up (New Zealand), Top 100 Toys (BBC), and CNBC’s The Big Idea, among others.
Tim also creates video for his YouTube Channel, Seize the Play where his popular series, Where’s the Fun From? tells the stories behind the most popular playthings of all time.
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
January 8, 2022
As you can surmise from the title, this book is about classic toys and the stories of the people who created them. The author used the following criteria for the toys he features in the book:
the toy had to have sold at least 10 million copies
the toy had to have been on the market for at least 10 years
the toy had to have been invented outside of the the major toy companies
the toy had to have been invented by an identifiable person or persons
the toy had to have significance to the author or his friends.
The book is broken into seven different "chapters" -- 1900-1920s, 1930s-1940s, 1950s, WHAM-O, Marvin Glass, 1960s-1970s and 1980-1990s.
This book is like revisiting old friends -- and finding how funny they used to look back in the "olden" days! Check out the photos of the original Mr. Potato Head, the first Matchbox car and the very first Barbie (you've got to get the book to see the inspiration for Barbie ... let's just say, she's not very "family-friendly.")
Another of my favorite things about this book are the photos that show the evolution of the toys over time. I guess you could "age" yourself by seeing which version you remember best!
The book is full of interesting stories behind the development of the toys. The story behind the development of Monopoly is filled with drama, back-stabbing and intrigue -- as good as any novel!
There are also tons of little-known factoids sprinkled throughout the book, such as the one about the 1949 artwork for Candy Land: "The boy in the illustration to the left on this early 1949 board has an odd line running up his leg. The board on the right represents a later version where the line is removed. Could this have been a hint of a leg brace, subtly added by the artist or inventor? If so, it would certainly go unnoticed to the casual player, but would speak volumes to the young polio victims for whom the game was initially created."
The book is also chock-full of the original ads for the toys, original mock-ups of board games, and the inventor's drawings and original patent applications -- all of which provide a fascinating glimpse into the development and marketing of these toys.
The book also has interesting information on how some of these toys are put together and work --helping to remove some of the "mystery" of the toys but also some of the magic.
It was also fun to learn how toys adapted to the times ... for example, you find out how GI Joe adapted when he got into the 1970s!
This book is so fun to page through and read. It is like taking a trip down memory lane! But this book can truly appeal to kids of any age -- from 2 to 99! My 4-year-old son loved looking at this book and recognizing some of the toys he has today, such as Legos.
Pretty much anyone who has seen this book at our house grabs it and must sit for hours paging through and reading the text. Which is exactly what a good coffee table book should do! (Unless you want your guests to actually, you know, talk to you!) The book is also printed on lovely, shiny, heavy paper, and the layout and text are easy to read. I can't wait for Timeless Toys 2!
the toy had to have sold at least 10 million copies
the toy had to have been on the market for at least 10 years
the toy had to have been invented outside of the the major toy companies
the toy had to have been invented by an identifiable person or persons
the toy had to have significance to the author or his friends.
The book is broken into seven different "chapters" -- 1900-1920s, 1930s-1940s, 1950s, WHAM-O, Marvin Glass, 1960s-1970s and 1980-1990s.
This book is like revisiting old friends -- and finding how funny they used to look back in the "olden" days! Check out the photos of the original Mr. Potato Head, the first Matchbox car and the very first Barbie (you've got to get the book to see the inspiration for Barbie ... let's just say, she's not very "family-friendly.")
Another of my favorite things about this book are the photos that show the evolution of the toys over time. I guess you could "age" yourself by seeing which version you remember best!
The book is full of interesting stories behind the development of the toys. The story behind the development of Monopoly is filled with drama, back-stabbing and intrigue -- as good as any novel!
There are also tons of little-known factoids sprinkled throughout the book, such as the one about the 1949 artwork for Candy Land: "The boy in the illustration to the left on this early 1949 board has an odd line running up his leg. The board on the right represents a later version where the line is removed. Could this have been a hint of a leg brace, subtly added by the artist or inventor? If so, it would certainly go unnoticed to the casual player, but would speak volumes to the young polio victims for whom the game was initially created."
The book is also chock-full of the original ads for the toys, original mock-ups of board games, and the inventor's drawings and original patent applications -- all of which provide a fascinating glimpse into the development and marketing of these toys.
The book also has interesting information on how some of these toys are put together and work --helping to remove some of the "mystery" of the toys but also some of the magic.
It was also fun to learn how toys adapted to the times ... for example, you find out how GI Joe adapted when he got into the 1970s!
This book is so fun to page through and read. It is like taking a trip down memory lane! But this book can truly appeal to kids of any age -- from 2 to 99! My 4-year-old son loved looking at this book and recognizing some of the toys he has today, such as Legos.
Pretty much anyone who has seen this book at our house grabs it and must sit for hours paging through and reading the text. Which is exactly what a good coffee table book should do! (Unless you want your guests to actually, you know, talk to you!) The book is also printed on lovely, shiny, heavy paper, and the layout and text are easy to read. I can't wait for Timeless Toys 2!
July 30, 2017
Timeless Toys provides the story behind the greatest games and toys of the 20th century. Two things make this a great book. First, the stories are fascinating and told well by Walsh. Second, the aesthetic appeal (pictures, layout, formatting, etc.) of the book is excellent.
November 15, 2020
Well researched book perfect for those who love toys or pop culture. It covers the toys from 1900-2000.
November 18, 2025
I found this book to be a delightful, insightful and all around enjoyable read. Many of the toys in it I have had at some point in my life. A few I still play with like my Erector set, Lincoln Logs and Lego's. The stories behind the toys are fascinating.
October 28, 2024
A very informative and fun read
February 18, 2026
2.5 stars
I thought the history of some of these toys and games were super interesting. Though some of the details went on a bit longer than I would like.
I thought the history of some of these toys and games were super interesting. Though some of the details went on a bit longer than I would like.
December 10, 2008
This is a fantastic book full of information, photos, and nostalgia.
Without touching on any toys/games that were developed 'in-house' by toy companies, this well-researched, coffee-table styled book manages to report on most of the major toys developed over the past century. It somehow managed to be incredibly inclusive and I never felt as though I wasn't getting the full story.
Certainly, having just read both the historys of Parker Brothers and the development of Monopoly, I knew there was more than the four or five pages that this book covered, yet it still seemed quite complete.
The ability to include early development drawings, photos of first runs (many of these toys were manufactured and sold by the inventors in very limited numbers), and detail the route to major manufacturer seems quite a coup. Looking at the photo of the first Trivial Pursuit game, drawn on an old cardboard box, is truly fascinating! Or looking at the first model of a Super Soaker - made from PVC pipe and a 2-litre pop bottle!
A great book for anyone interested in history, games, toys, nostalgia, memorabilia, or just a great read.
Without touching on any toys/games that were developed 'in-house' by toy companies, this well-researched, coffee-table styled book manages to report on most of the major toys developed over the past century. It somehow managed to be incredibly inclusive and I never felt as though I wasn't getting the full story.
Certainly, having just read both the historys of Parker Brothers and the development of Monopoly, I knew there was more than the four or five pages that this book covered, yet it still seemed quite complete.
The ability to include early development drawings, photos of first runs (many of these toys were manufactured and sold by the inventors in very limited numbers), and detail the route to major manufacturer seems quite a coup. Looking at the photo of the first Trivial Pursuit game, drawn on an old cardboard box, is truly fascinating! Or looking at the first model of a Super Soaker - made from PVC pipe and a 2-litre pop bottle!
A great book for anyone interested in history, games, toys, nostalgia, memorabilia, or just a great read.
June 7, 2007
I love the bits and pieces that make up culture and history and so this book was right up my alley. The author Tim Walsh skillfully combines memory (his), nostalgia, and fact to write appealing short bios of popular American toys. His stated criteria for choosing the toys is
The toys had to have sold at least ten million copies.
The toy had to have been on the market for at least ten years.
The toy had to have been invented by an outsider to the toy industry.
The inventor had to be identifiable thus ruling out tops, chess, and other such classics.
The toy had to have significance to me or my friends.
I think my favorite aspect is how often he refers to the sensory qualities of toys especially the senses of sound and smell
The toys had to have sold at least ten million copies.
The toy had to have been on the market for at least ten years.
The toy had to have been invented by an outsider to the toy industry.
The inventor had to be identifiable thus ruling out tops, chess, and other such classics.
The toy had to have significance to me or my friends.
I think my favorite aspect is how often he refers to the sensory qualities of toys especially the senses of sound and smell
February 29, 2008
The origin, history and inventors of lots of classic toys. The one I found most interesting was Monopoly. The woman who developed that game meant it to be cooperative and illustrative of the evils of monopolies. It was altered by some folks who loved the game but wanted to be cut-throat and competitive, and that's the version that made it big. I guess nice games finish last, too.
December 29, 2013
Timeless Toys is a stimulating and rewarding romp through the world of playthings. Tim Walsh explores the origins of each toy - the who, how, what, when and where from a time-line beginning with 1900! A little long-winded at times but well worth the reading. Many eureka moments and even more fond memories.
May 30, 2016
A fascinating collection of the stories behind many of the iconic toys of the 20th century. While not all my favorites were included, there were enough to spark my own childhood memories! I chose to read this book at a leisurely pace, achieving my goal of experiencing hours of enjoyment in the process.
February 27, 2008
This is a fun, history of toys book. Learn about how playdoh started out as a wallpaper paste. Chad could be glued to it for hours. I just like to hear fun tidbits. It's a good one to have on your coffee table.
November 18, 2007
someday I will b in this book. hahahhaha. AMIN
June 19, 2022
This is a really fun book that allows for reminiscing about old toys.
December 10, 2008
I am still upset about not getting the Big Wheel, Christmas 1976, but a lot of fun to look at. Loads of interesting trivia about the creators of some childhood classics.
March 11, 2012
Fun trip down memory lane.
August 6, 2015
A book with the old toys you played with as a child. Lots of fun to learn from this book.
January 20, 2016
Very interesting. Brings back a lot of memories.
May 12, 2016
Wonderful collection of photos and histories of all our favourite toys. Impressive. It is extremely heavy! Best to look at it at a table. :-)
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews