What Soviet toys can tell about the history of a great country

2024 Author: Richard Flannagan | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-15 23:55

Soviet toys were not the same as modern ones. They will probably seem primitive to the current generation. All these babies and bears, little trains and cars are simplicity and limitation in comparison with modern "fancy" toys. But that doesn't make them worse. Soviet toys changed along with the country, reflecting the changes taking place in society. Read what were the children's favorite things in different years of Soviet power, and what events influenced them

Post-revolutionary failure: cardboard cubes and rag dolls

After the revolution, manufacturers had no time for toys, unfortunately, they were almost never made. Building a new life occupied the minds of people, what kind of fun is there. The children still wanted to play, political and economic problems were of little interest to them. Therefore, those who had old toys left from the time of tsarist Russia were lucky. If there were no such stocks, they had to make homemade dolls, cars, carts. Adults (and the children themselves) made cubes from cardboard, dolls from shreds. From rags mothers sewed balls, and fathers cut out figures, cars, strollers from wood. The times of minimalism and revolutionary ideas left their mark on children's games.

Toys from the 30s, which were made in artels: ideological orientation and a small number of dolls

As time went on, in the 30s of the 20th century artels began to appear that were engaged in the production of toys for children. Of course, these were mainly options made in the style of the new era: small figures of Red Army soldiers and sailors were offered, it was also possible to buy a whole pioneer detachment, equipped with a flag, horn and drums. Fortunately, not only "ideological" toys were available in stores. You could also find ordinary dolls (most of all they had long hair made of tow, and they were dressed in a pioneer uniform or formal suit), plush bears with sawdust inside, wooden horses on wheels.

Post-war cars, dump trucks and guns, as well as the use of natural materials

After the end of World War II, toy military equipment, various cars, dump trucks, as well as pistols, sabers and rifles were very popular. Of course, this arsenal attracted primarily boys. The girls enjoyed playing with aluminum dishes and dolls. Unfortunately, the choice was small, and people had little money, then they still used homemade toys, from balls to toy cars and dolls.

Until the beginning of the 60s, folk toys were in disgrace. Such things as a painted nesting doll or a clay whistle could be obtained, but not in a store, but in a market where folk craftsmen sold them.

But for the production of toys, only natural materials were used: plush, wood, metal, rubber. Not a big consolation for a child who didn't get a doll, but still.

In the 50s, mechanical bears began to appear in stores, whose paws were occupied with a barrel of honey, a balalaika or a bottle of milk. To put the toy into action, it was necessary to start it with a key, and the cute bear cub began to play a musical instrument, shake his head or bring a barrel or bottle to his mouth. Such bears were very popular and were considered in short supply at first.

The invasion of bears and the impact of space flight: 50-60 years

Bears were generally a very popular figure in the toy industry. They were different - soft and wooden, mechanical and stuffed with sawdust, in clothes and without. And when the 1980 Olympics took place, toy stores were filled with Olympic bears made of rubber, rubber, plastic, fur, plush, celluloid. Almost every child who lived at that time had such a bear with a belt made of Olympic rings.

After the first man conquered outer space, toys began to reflect this great event of the 60s. In toy stores, satellites and rockets appeared, as well as figures of cosmonauts with a large inscription USSR - this is what the stake was made on in the initial period of space exploration. The lunar rover or space station became the dream of Soviet boys.

Toys for the stream and the appearance of heroes from TV, 70-80s

Since the 60s, the manufacture of children's toys in the USSR has been put on stream. Artels gradually receded into the past, their place was taken by toy factories. New materials began to be used, it was already difficult to surprise the buyer with plastic, rubber, foam rubber, celluloid, synthetic fabrics and artificial fur. As a result, new toys began to appear on the shelves in large quantities. Unfortunately, this was a trend towards an increase in the number, not the variety of the assortment.

Identical baby dolls with blue eyes, in simple outfits, delighting with pink cheeks and a cheerful expression - no one was surprised at this. The set was monotonous: the children were offered a rope and a typewriter, a drag and a ball, a drum and a water pistol, a teddy bear and doll furniture - at that time they could not dream of more. If foreign-made dolls were "thrown away" in the store, then a tail-queue immediately grew behind them. And to buy Indians or cowboys, or the coveted railway from the GDR - it was incredible luck.

A very striking trend was the emergence of toys-cartoon characters. For example, Cheburashka, Winnie the Pooh, Buratino. They were especially in demand, because, in fact, they were talking about the kind of stars of their animated films. How great it was to put the hero on a train from Romashkino, and take him to the country where his beloved heroes live.

Every child in the USSR had his own favorite toy. It doesn't matter what it was - a strange plastic doll, an airplane or a ball, a bear or a railway, a baby doll or a toy soldier - it was a favorite toy that was kept and with which favorite memories were associated.

The teenagers of the Soviet era were very different from those of today. The last and it would not occur to today's teenagers to collect.