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Toys: Photographer documents 100 years of iconic must-have toys and games

Featuring timeless classics from the yo-yo and the slinky, board games Cluedo and Mousetrap, to childhood companions in the form of Stretch Armstrong and Tickle Me Elmo, Toys is the ultimate celebration of beloved childhood relics.

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Vintage baby doll with pink tuft of hair, rosy cheeks and outstretched arms against a light blue background

Captured by renowned photographer Kevin Fox, this series of images are now available in a new book of the same name, which includes interesting stories and facts behind each popular toy – from the LEGO bricks on the International National Space Station and the limited-edition perfume that smells of Play-Doh to the fact that Sophie the Giraffes sell more annually in France than babies are born and that Pope Francis and Miley Cyrus have both been spotted wearing Loom Bands.

Accompanied by an essay by child development expert, Stevanne ‘Dr Toy’ Auerbach and packed with trivia on iconic toys and games that redefined play, this coffee-table book pays homage to items that defined a multitude of childhoods.

Essential for lovers of design and nostalgia – and all big kids – Toys is a warm and insightful journey into the past that brings back the sense of anticipation we’ve all felt waiting to get our hands on that new must-have toy. Grab a copy of the book to recall long lost memories of your childhood.

Via Creative Boom submission | All images courtesy of Kevin Fox

Silver slinky toy coiled on a bright pink background, casting a shadow
Bright yellow fluffy Care Bear with a smiling face and a sun symbol on its white chest badge, sitting against a neutral background
Guess Who board game with rows of illustrated character face cards on a blue base with a yellow popup frame in the centre
Vintage troll doll with tan rubber body, large eyes and bright pink spiky hair standing against a white background
Sophie the Giraffe teething toy with tan spots on a light blue background
Five vintage My Little Pony figures lined up in a row, displaying pastel-coloured bodies and rainbow-tinted manes in shades of pink, blue, cream and orange
Bright yellow Mousetrap board game teapot house with blue curved roof sections, red door and windows, alongside two small vintage game pieces
Buzz Lightyear action figure in white, purple and green space ranger suit with articulated arms raised, casting a shadow against white background
Vintage toy cash register with coloured buttons and coin drawer, surrounded by scattered coins on a bright yellow background
Cabbage Patch Kid doll with blonde yarn hair, white headband, grey sweatshirt with yellow trim and matching shorts, with arms outstretched
Miniature football players in green and white kit stand on green and white bases arranged in a row, resembling a classic table football game
Three toy figurines in yellow and red tones, including a small character, a larger mushroom-shaped figure with spots, and a tiny creature, arranged together on a white surface
Cream-coloured Nintendo Game Boy handheld console with grey screen, d-pad and two burgundy buttons against a light blue background
Bright yellow slide with concentric blue and magenta circles, featuring a sketch of a child on paper at the slide's opening
Yellow LEGO minifigure wearing a construction worker outfit with brown utility belt and pockets, cast against a white background
Collection of Furby toys in various colours including purple and green, white, and orange, each with large circular eyes and yellow beaks
Red Stretch Armstrong toy shown partially stretched alongside its original unstretched form on a white surface
Tickle Me Elmo toy with bright red fur, orange nose and wide smile against a pale blue background
Colourful vintage Mousetrap board game showing the red circular game board with white cheese markers and multi-coloured plastic trap components attached around its edges
Colourful vintage Playmobil figures arranged in rows, featuring characters with different hair colours and clothing styles casting shadows on a white surface
Red Etch A Sketch toy with blank grey screen and two white control knobs
Small brown fuzzy doll with large blue eyes and peach-coloured nose and fingers against a light blue background
Blue and red Thomas the Tank Engine toy train with a smiling face on a white surface
Cream-coloured teddy bear with black nose and eyes, wearing a bright blue ribbon bow around its neck, sitting against a white background
Brown toy horse with blue eyes wearing a colourful yellow, red and blue saddle with hanging rings and instruments, standing on a red base
Magic 8 Ball with number 8 visible on white circle against yellow background
Two die-cast slot car models on a racing track, with a yellow and black car in the foreground and a red and yellow car behind it
Doll head with blonde curled hair alongside plastic hair rollers in shades of pink and purple against a bright pink background
Vintage Fisher-Price telephone toy with orange handset, white body with blue wheels and yellow pull string against white background
Purple and orange LEGO construction toy robot with extended arms and spinning rotors, displayed with loose components and a black wheel below
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