This past weekend the family took a quick roadtrip down to Philly for a visit to the Please Touch Museum. It’s a great place where kids and adults can get a truly “hands on” experience. You are allowed to touch and play with EVERYTHING. They also had several vintage, iconic toys on display such as Lite Brite, vintage Lego sets and the very first Mr. Potatohead, but unfortunately, you couldn’t play with any of those!
One toy in particular caught my eye and instantly took me back to being six years old and happily playing in my parents’ living room. It was the Tree Tots Family Tree House from Kenner.
Sure, it just looked like a weird green plastic tree, but push the button on top, and the magic happened: out popped the secret home where the Treetot family lived. The Treetots were pretty hip for the ‘70s, after all, they did live in a tree, so they were I guess the first truly “green” family! Their home had an elevator, mod furniture, an outdoor swing, and even a stylish car. Treemont & Willow Treetot lived there with son Chip, daughter Honey and the family dog Barky, who of course had his own baseball-sized bush for a doghouse.
Honey Treetot was my favorite. She kinda reminded me of Pebbles Flintstone with her red pigtailed hair. Sometimes I would carry her around in the pocket of my Toughskins pants (there’s another 70s throwback) and forget she was there. I would go into a panic when she went missing. Soon after, my mom would hear something banging in the dryer and discover Honey, now a little cleaner and no worse for the wear.
Seeing that Tree Tots Treehouse put a huge smile on my face, and got me thinking about the other toys I enjoyed when I was a kidlet.
Here they are, in no particular order and photos of each are below:
Rub-A-Dub Dolly – Rub-A-Dub Dolly likes to take a bath with you! Mine sure did, and I don’t think she ever had any clothes on, even when I took her out into the world. I always wanted the Tugboat caddy that went along with it, but my parents never got it for me. If you clicked on the link and saw that video, I’m sure you got an eyeful. That ad would NEVER run today without landing someone in prison.
Dorothy Hamill Doll – As a young girl I was totally caught up her 1976 Gold Medal Olympic win and even had my hair cut into the famous Hamill wedge. She had skates instead of shoes and a little stand for an ice rink. You move the rink around with your hand and she skates and spins around and around.
Bionic Woman Styling Boutique – I loved to play beauty parlor at home, pretending to wash, cut and brush my mom’s hair while she was watching Phil Donohue. I didn’t really think the Bionic Woman was all that glamorous (Farrah Fawcett, the styling head I actually wanted, was) but she did the trick – ugly green eyeshadow and all.
Bargain Hunter – Predating my love of shows like “Supermarket Sweep” and “The Price Is Right” as well as my my obsessive-compulsive couponing, why this board game appealed to me now makes perfect sense. You had your own plastic credit card and went shopping-what could be better?!
I’m now searching E-Bay to see if I can find a complete Tree Tots Treehouse that won’t break the bank…I think my kidlets would really enjoy watching mommy play with it.
What was your favorite toy when you were growing up?
