10 Timeless Antique Toys That Continue to Delight

A century ago, families would be astonished by the sheer quantity and diversity of toys found in modern American households. In an era before mass production and film-inspired merchandise, children often cherished just a handful of toys, many of which were lovingly crafted by hand rather than purchased from stores.

The first recorded reference to a toy dates back to 500 B.C.E. in Greece, where a yo-yo was mentioned [source: Encyclopaedia Brittanica]. Yet, prior to the 18th century, toys as we know them were virtually nonexistent. Children fashioned their own playthings from carved sticks or repurposed household items, mimicking their parents' daily tasks. Playtime was limited, as children were often required to assist with household or farm chores. By the mid-1700s, commercially produced toys such as dolls, dollhouses, and rocking horses began to emerge. Interestingly, these finely crafted items were often intended for affluent adults as much as for children, serving as objects of amusement rather than mere child's play [source: Chudacoff]. During the 18th and 19th centuries, homemade toys like kites, hoops, and dolls were the norm for most children.

The rise of mass production in the early 20th century made commercially manufactured toys affordable and widespread. Many of today's beloved toys are modern iterations of those that gained popularity in the 1900s or even earlier.

10: Dollhouse

Dolls from the 19th and early 20th centuries were designed to endure throughout a girl's childhood. However, their rigid, painted faces—often made of wood, poured wax, or composition (a mix of glue and sawdust or wood pulp)—make them less appealing to modern children compared to contemporary dolls like American Girl. Yet, a dollhouse from the same period would likely still enchant both boys and girls in a room full of kids.

Miniature household furniture has a unique charm that transforms ordinary objects into something extraordinary. Handcrafted antique dollhouses often replicated the family's actual home, complete with tiny toys, fabrics, and furnishings in every room. Victorian-era dollhouses were particularly intricate, featuring kitchens with miniature china sets modeled after full-sized ones and meticulously crafted tiny "food" items [source: Victoriana Magazine]. The Queen Mary's Dolls' House, created in 1924, even boasted electricity, running water, and a fully stocked wine cellar. It is now exhibited at Windsor Castle in England.

9: Rocking Horse

Rocking horses, mounted on curved wooden bases, have existed in various forms since the Middle Ages. They evolved from the hobby horse, a horse's head on a stick used for jousting practice, which later became a popular toy. The oldest surviving rocking horse belonged to England's King Charles I and dates back to around 1610 [source: Legends Rocking Horse]. Initially crude in design, the modern rocking horse, with its wooden carving, mid-gallop pose, and bow rocker, emerged in the 18th century [source: Powerhouse Museum].

The rocking horse reached its height of popularity in mid-19th century England, where it was often intricately carved, painted, and adorned with real horsehair for the mane and tail. A common feature in aristocratic nurseries, it was seen as an excellent tool for boys to practice riding before transitioning to real horses [source: Powerhouse Museum]. Even today, rocking horses remain available for sale.

8: Wind-up Toys

Wind-up toys and figures originated in Europe as early as the 1600s. Powered by clockwork mechanisms, these early toys were crafted from wax or porcelain and designed primarily for the entertainment of affluent adults rather than children [source: Collectors Weekly].

By the late 19th century, simpler versions of wind-up toys designed for children became widely available. These toys, crafted from tin, composition, or cardboard, came in a vast array of shapes and sizes, including farm animals, human figures, carnival rides, horse-drawn carriages, and later, cars, trucks, and airplanes.

Once activated, these mechanical toys performed a single action, such as climbing a ladder, riding a bicycle, or pushing a wheelbarrow. A popular wind-up musical merry-go-round from the 1920s, priced at 79 cents, featured tiny carousel horses and pigs that circled endlessly.

7: Erector Set

Marketed as "The Greatest Construction Toy in the World," the Erector set enabled children to create functional models [source: The People History]. Invented in 1913 by Dr. Alfred Carlton Gilbert, the toy aimed to teach kids about building construction and motor mechanics [source: Erector]. Each set included electric motors and numerous components like girders, gears, and wheels, allowing kids to build everything from drilling rigs and Ferris wheels to bridges capable of supporting up to 200 pounds (90 kilograms) [source: Erector].

Initially, Erector sets were exclusively marketed to boys, with advertisements showcasing fathers and sons marveling at towering steel-like structures. After Alfred's death in 1961, the A.C. Gilbert Company was sold, but Erector sets continue to be popular worldwide. Modern kits allow the creation of buildings, planes, and even remote-control race cars [source: Erector]. Today, enthusiasts of all ages participate in Erector set competitions and share their creations in online communities.

6: Pedal Car

Decades before plastic Big Wheels or pink Barbie Jeeps, the first pedal cars for children emerged in the late 1880s, following Karl Benz's invention of the automobile powered by an internal combustion engine [source: Collectors Weekly].

As the automobile industry flourished in the early 20th century, pedal cars gained popularity across the United States, Europe, and Australia. These toys, crafted from sheet steel, mimicked real vehicles like Grand Prix race cars and the Ford Model T, featuring open steering systems and pedal mechanisms at the base [source: Collectors Weekly].

By the 1930s, ride-on toys evolved to resemble planes, MAC trucks, Graf Zeppelins, and luxury cars such as Cadillacs and Chryslers [sources: The People History 1920s, The People History 1930s, Scott]. Despite lacking brakes and having sharp edges, these metal toys, though unsafe by today's standards, would likely still thrill any child eager for a ride.

5: Morse Code Learner's Set

Teens and tweens obsessed with texting might find Morse code intriguing. While parents have deciphered texting abbreviations, how many can interpret dots and dashes?

Samuel Morse invented the telegraph in the 1830s, and by the 1920s, telegraph learning sets were marketed as toys for both children and adults eager to master this technology [source: The People History].

Morse code toy sets were produced by telegraph companies like Western Union, as well as toy manufacturers such as Lionel Corporation, Hasbro, and Sears Roebuck and Co. Early versions aimed to teach kids a new communication method, while later models reflected their eras: 1940s sets focused on wartime signaling, and 1950s-60s versions featured astronauts communicating with extraterrestrials [sources: The People History, Hunter]. Today, Morse code can be learned through an online game – offering the same enjoyment on a modern device.

4: Joy Buzzer

The joy buzzer was among the many prank toys developed by Soren Sorenson Adams, a Danish inventor whose imaginative creations could easily have inspired the Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes joke shop from the Harry Potter series.

Introduced in 1928 and later included in Time magazine's All-Time 100 Greatest Toys list in 2011, the joy buzzer is a small, round gadget that fits in the palm of your hand. When you shake someone's hand, it produces a loud, vibrating sound. This wasn't S.S. Adams' first invention—that honor goes to his Cachoo Sneeze Powder in 1906—but it joined his lineup of iconic gag items like the whoopee cushion, exploding cigar, and snake nut can, which released a springy fabric snake from what seemed to be a can of mixed nuts [source: Townsend]. These prank toys remain popular today.

Unlike the joy buzzer, which only created noise without any electrical charge, the Electric Thriller, another 1920s gag toy, delivered a real electric shock. Friends who foolishly held onto two metal rods while you turned a manual crank would get a surprising jolt [source: The People History].

3: Chemistry Set

A true anecdote: My father once caused a small explosion and fire in his parents' basement while experimenting with his chemistry set. Such outcomes are nearly impossible with today's chemistry sets, which substitute acids, explosives, and poisons with safer ingredients for activities like growing crystals or creating durable bubbles.

American chemist John J. Porter is credited with inventing the first toy chemistry set in 1914, and A.C. Gilbert, creator of the erector set, introduced his version in 1920 [sources: Hix, Zielinski]. Like erector sets, chemistry sets were aimed at teaching boys (yes, only boys) about science, marketed as a pathway to a chemistry career. They came equipped with a full lab setup, including heating elements, glass test tubes, and chemicals like sulfuric acid, sodium cyanide, and potassium nitrate. Safety regulations in the 1960s and 1970s phased out these "real" chemistry sets, though more inclusive versions have started to reappear in the 21st century [source: Zielinski].

Thankfully, no one was hurt during my dad's 1950s chemistry set mishap, and his mother eventually allowed him back inside the house.

2: Hoop and Stick

This simple toy dates back to a time when children used readily available items from their family farms. They would repurpose metal or wooden rims from old wagon wheels, rolling them with sticks, paddles, or wire loops. While hoops have been used as toys since at least 1628, they became particularly popular in the 1800s [source: Victoriana Magazine].

Despite its simplicity, children invented countless ways to play with hoops and sticks. Both boys and girls (finally!) engaged in competitive games like hoop races, slaloms, and obstacle courses. Some even rolled the hoop at high speeds and tried to run through it as it spun [sources: Abernethy]. The hoop and stick also served as a solitary activity, with children rolling the hoop while walking to school or town, much like kids today might dribble a soccer ball to a friend's house.

Hoop and stick games are still enjoyed by children visiting historic sites such as Colonial Williamsburg in Virginia or Philadelphia's Independence Hall area. For those interested, you can purchase a premium hoop online made from ash or hickory to recreate this activity at home.

1: Model Trains

A timeless favorite, whether under the Christmas tree or sprawled across a playroom floor, model trains have captivated children and adults alike for nearly a century. While modern versions made of wood or plastic, featuring snap-together tracks and cheerful TV character engines, are enjoyable, they lack the allure of the intricate replicas from earlier times.

As noted by Collectors Weekly, model trains gained popularity in the 1920s when department stores began featuring them in Christmas window displays. Early train toys from the 1870s and 1880s were hazardous, relying on kerosene or alcohol to heat water and produce steam. However, as real trains transitioned to electric power, British toy maker Hornby introduced electric model trains based on actual railway lines.

Much like dollhouses, model trains allow us to recreate the world in miniature, with layouts limited only by imagination, budget, and space. Moss and pine cones mimic grass and trees, while tiny buildings often mirror real townscapes. Though traditional model trains may seem complex or time-intensive for today's fast-paced lives, museum and garden displays of model railroads continue to attract large crowds, especially during the holidays, captivating us just as those early window displays once did.