Toy stories recall childhood memories
Marchelle Abrahams asks the names behind some of the biggest brands in SA what their favourite toys were
IDGET spinners are the bane of my existence. I’ve tried in vain to keep this nuisance toy out of my home and my son’s life.
But after months of pleas and negotiating, he managed to convince his aunt, much to my displeasure, to get him one.
Now it sits atop his book shelf gathering dust.
Toy crazes have come and gone, from the annoying Pokémon playing cards to those scary looking Cabbage Patch Kids, but the fidget spinner trend just refuses to release its stranglehold.
But there is good news. It seems toy nostalgia is making a big comeback. The Nintendo Entertainment System is literally a blast from the past, including gaming cartridges.
Remember the Fisher Price Chatter Phone? Everyone born in the ’80s had one of those.
In a bid to take a walk down toy memory lane, we’ve asked the names behind some of the biggest creative brands in SA what their favourite toy was growing up.
Here’s what they had to say…
FClint White, brand strategist The founder of 7 Steps Innovation Hub, which helps Cape Town’s youth empower themselves through creative measures, remembers upgrading to a Sega gaming console when he was 7.
“We played Sonic The Hedgehog and Earthworm Jim, and we would each play until our character lost a life,” 29-year-old White laughs before adding it took a while for his turn because they were four brothers jostling for the controls.
“We’d literally wake up early over the weekends before our
The Sega gaming console
parents, put the sound off and sit in front of the TV playing. My brothers would trick me into thinking I was playing by plugging in both controls and playing at the same time!”
Tshepo Mafokwane, fashion designer
Head designer and creative director of Sober Design House, Tshepo Mafokwane, 36, recalls her mom buying her a walking doll when she was 7 or 8. “You held its left hand and it could walk. It was almost the same height as me,” she said. “I think I called it Veronica and handed it down to one of my cousins – it’s still in the family.”
Dustin Botha, owner of LUKSbrands
The creative genius behind Skull Candy headphones, Dustin Botha’s favourite toy while growing up was his G.I Joe collection.
“We were three brothers in the house and we would come up with the craziest games to play,” recalls the 35-year-old.
“We each had our own collection of G.I Joe’s; we built a fort. And once, while we were playing World War 3, we set firecrackers alight underneath our house, subsequently almost burning the place down!” Renate Klass, entrepreneur The founder of local beauty products supplier, Futurethis, Klass’s most memorable toy was a stuffed panda.
“I always adored animals,” says the 54-year-old, whose company is behind the Skinny Green Products brand.
“I sucked its ear until it only had one left and then cried because he had only one ear. He eventually had no fur on him, but I loved him nonetheless.”
Michele Higginson, Crabtree & Evelyn chief executive
Business owner Michele Higginson, 38, admits she was never a fan of dolls when growing up.
“I hated dolls, but adored animals as I was born in Kenya and was always surrounded by wildlife.”
Her favourite toy was “a fluffy, blue elephant with an extremely long trunk”.