OUR CHILDREN'S TOYS

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 7301, 3 December 1910, Page 11

OUR CHILDREN'S TOYS

Many children like a toy to take to bed with them, and a doll often acts as a “lullaby.” But I have memories of the funniest of substitutes: a long white furred monster that once was called a monkey, accompanied a dear little boy to his crib for many, many months, and bitter was the grief when “monkey” wgs pronounced too old and dirty to do duty as a soporific any longer. Children want something to cuddle and fondle and sootho them when they are tired, and longing, though they do’not know ft, for sleep and rest. There are any number of other toys little .children may have with safety, such as "Teddy hears,” and soon wo shall have the new American “Billy possuin." Then older children play happily with horses and carts, wooden trains and engines, soldiers, bricks, picture- blocks and puzzles. But it is a wise ■ rule 'not to allow, a child to have all its toys out at once—a few at a.time is a.much ■ better plan. And certain toys should bo kept for wet days—l moan really very’ wet, rainy days when the children cannot get out . of doors, for little showers will do them ho harm. Now a doll’s house is the ~tov for such a day. It is a most delightful institution, and of endless resource in the way of amusing even old children. I had a doll’s house that had descended tc mo from ray grandmother. It was quite a large piece of furniture and filled 'up a good space of the nursery wall. The dining-room was so; spacious, we cou. ,! ' > by squeezing, get our-naby sister into it. This dnll’a house ivas far bettor .furnished than the modern doll’s “villa.” It had a staircase, copper coal scuttles, aiic. preserving pans shone in the kitchen. ' T I had a cooking stove' and a real tap to

the boiler, and tiny brass candlesticks, etc. The dolls were ugly, wooden things, •and we soon improved them away; alas! ’now they would be rather valuable. Then there should be Sunday toys, which must be of quite a'different sort to the week-day collection. ; X hope I am shocking .no one, but children can’t do , without toys on Sunday. They will soon hate Sundays if they lose all their beloved playthings every time it combs round—and Sundays come very often ! The best Sunday toy is, undoubtedly, a Noah’s Ark! , What happy memories I have of ours. It was a monster, and over one hundred pairs of animals, some fabulous, I am sure, and many halt, lame, and crippled, paraded round oui wide nursery window seat on Sunday mornings, more years ago than I care to recall! Noah’s arks can still he bought at prices varying from. 2s to 435, but I fear mothers vote them rather old-fashioned—-quite a mistake 1 . ■ All the new toys must be kept for Sunday until their first beauty has worn off: such as the new doll, the last horse aud cart, and so on. When ih • get a little shabby, degrade them to the “week-day” toy cupboard. ~ . Toys that have to do with natural history are particularly suited for Sundays—-block-bricks with pictures of birds and beasts, fishes or the . insect world. .Of course, picture books galore, hut these are not strictly toys, ami, 1 so- do not come within the scope of .this article. - One word, though, may I say: let a . good collection of. sacred, pictures (coloured by preference) form one of the Sunday amusements.; Don’t give you: children any of -those -vulgar, grotesque, German pictures on sacred subjects,‘that fairly shock- all ro-vorent or artistic minds. —Prom “The Babies’ World.” : :