The Story of Childhood exhibit is one of the attractions taking over Milton Keynes Museum this year.
Two rooms are being dedicated to the history of playtime, which features primitive and rudimentary items through to the decidedly more tech orientated toys of recent decades.
Bill Griffiths, director of Milton Keynes Museum said: “We all remember our first teddy bear, or associate a special toy with a particular time,
"Some of us will remember playing with tin toys, collecting stamps or matchboxes, winning a game of Connect 4, or getting busy with a 'pretend' record player.
“The Story of Childhood will evoke brilliant memories for absolutely all ages – whether you grew up with Andy Pandy or the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles!
“The exhibit shows how times have changed for our young people over the decades; in Victorian times it was expected that children would begin work while still quite young and contribute to the family income.
“Once upon a time, children were allowed to roam the countryside in safety, on a journey of discovery. But now more than ever, we supervise our children. The Story of Childhood is a fond trip down memory lane, while also challenging visitors to think about the bigger picture; in trying to protect children, have they lost too many freedoms?”
Items on display include a great selection of Victorian toys, which would have only been afforded by the more affluent families, through to a toy Beatles guitar, and much, much more.
“The guitar is a wonderful thing, and one of the items which show how teenagers became an important target market for companies in the 1960s.
“We've also been gifted a wonderful Muffin the Mule toy with an accompanying story from its owner – gathering your memories is every bit as important as the toys themselves,” Bill said.
The Museum is appealing for more toys to add to its collection, and is especially seeking good condition objects from the 1980s onwards.
If you have a popular toy from the period, get in touch with the museum through their Facebook page @mkmuseum or email them at collections@mkmuseum.org.uk.
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