Do you remember your favorite toy? Do you remember going outside in summer and digging in the dirt with your tractors and shovels? I do! I have happy memories of playing in our sand pile under the mulberry tree. When the berries fell, we got stains on our shorts and hands, but it sure was fun!
The kids in these photos were playing in the sand pile at the Old Thresher’s Festival held in Mt. Pleasant, Iowa. Most of the farm implements were heavy-duty Ertl toys. The Ertl Company is an American toy company best known for its die-cast metal alloy collectible replicas of farm equipment and vehicles. The Company is based in Dyersville, Iowa, home of the National Farm Toy Museum.
I remember many Christmas mornings when the present Noah wanted most was Ertl. As a child, he often said he wanted to be a rancher. I didn’t buy a huge variety of toys rather I chose to focus my toy budget on learning tools like Legos and Ertl. They have stood the test of my boys dropping them out of windows and countless hours of imaginative play. They had the ranch house, barns, and all the tiny animals that came in the deluxe sets. The die-cast construction of the farm equipment is first rate.
I loved toys that worked! I only wanted toys that would send my boys on adventures using their imaginations and improving their abilities to create and dream. In an age of video games and cartoons, it is hard to find a toy that does this.
If I had grandchildren, I would buy them good farm toys, books, and supply a large cardboard box: all tools to stimulate their brains without the use of an electronic gadget. New studies suggest that hours of on-line stimulation can harm a child’s ability to think logically and stay focused on a lengthy task. I am grateful for the fine selection of toys available at Buchheit not only for gift giving but also to bless an Angel Tree card or at a homeless shelter. Christmas can be a heartwarming time for giving.
Be blessed and enjoy shopping in the toy section! Ann May
