Oct 22

The Twilight Zone Episode

Today, Chuck and Josh unlock a door with the key of imagination. Beyond it is another dimension. A dimension of sound, a dimension of sight, a dimension of mind. You're moving into a land of both shadow and substance, of things and ideas. You've just crossed over into... the Twil ... Show More

46m 7s

Oct 21

Short Stuff: Spooky Recommendations

This week Josh and Chuck are trying something a little different, some recomemdations for the spooky season. For Josh, it's some movies, for Chuck, it's some books. Check it out and let us know what you think!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

15m 12s

Oct 20

Winnie the Pooh: Silly Old Bear

On Dec 24, 1925, the world got a Christmas gift from a little-known writer named A.A. Milne when the first Winnie the Pooh story was published. Milne was inspired by the imaginative woodland strolls he shared with his son, the real-life Christopher Robin.See omnystudio.com/listen ... Show More

52m 7s

Jan 2024

The Story of How Star Wars Toys Revolutionized Movie Merchandising (Part 2)

On this episode of Our American Stories, the "Nostalgia Awakens" is a Star Wars action figure exhibit from enthusiast and museum curator Jarrod Roll. He's here to share the story of how Star Wars toys revolutionized movie merchandising, licensing, and even how children play. Supp ... Show More

17m 58s

Apr 2023

The Amazing History of Japanese Toys, Part One: A Serious Business

When most of us think of toys, we fondly recall moments from childhood, or think of toys we gifted to loved ones over the years. Yet toys are a serious, big business -- and, more than once, they played a vital role in Japan's postwar economy. In part one of this week's special tw ... Show More

32m 3s

Mar 2022

The History of Toys (or Why Do We Love a Little Guy?)

Jen, Ginny, Nat, & Corrie take a tour through the colossal of history toys, asking the age-old question, why do we love a little guy? Outline: 1 since the dawn of time, ppl have wanted other ppl to check out the little guy they made. 2 imitative and instructive 3 the earliest toy ... Show More

2h 13m

Dec 2023

Toys and Toymaking

Did you know even the ancient Egyptians played with toys? Join us as we learn all about the history of toys and toymaking through the ages. 📖 Full Text @ BedtimeHistoryStories.com📺 YouTube👍 Facebook | Instagram🇲🇽 Spanish | "Déjame contarte la Historia"Share your thoughts h ... Show More

10m 26s

Nov 2024

Transformers! Are They More Than Meets the Eye?

If you’re anything like Will and Mango, you remember playing with Transformers as a kid. Or maybe you still enjoy transforming bots, in which case you should know the correct verb is “converting.” On today’s episode, we take a closer look at this ubiquitous toy with a surprising ... Show More

34m 17s

May 2025

American Girl Dolls | 136

During the 1990s a doll that taught kids about American History became a major force within the crowded toy market. The 18 inch historically accurate dolls were expensive and only available by mail order, but they managed to capture the imagination of an entire generation and in ... Show More

26m 40s

Dec 2021

From the Vault: Toy Guns

For many of us, toy guns were part of our childhood, but how are we to think about them today? In this classic episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind, Robert and Joe look at some of the current thinking on the use of toy weapons in childhood play. (originally published 12/22/2020) Le ... Show More

57m 1s

Nov 2022

Introducing "Everything 80's"

It was a classic battle between good and evil and it gave us one of the greatest toys of all time. Today, we journey back to revisit the history of the iconic Transformers.From their early days in Japan to dominating TVs and toy shelves in North America, this is another defining ... Show More

28m 53s

Mar 2024

Back to the Choo-ture: the Enduring Nostalgia of Model Trains

What is it about model trains that so captivates people, young and old alike? How did they start as an icon of innovation, and then become such a treasured piece of nostalgia over time? In today's episode, the gang explores the history of model trains from centuries past to the m ... Show More

54m 9s

May 2023

We Got Super Into Toy Cars, Part Two: Rivalry and Nostalgia

As the toy car industry exploded, new companies entered the market -- but the Matchbox/Hot Wheels rivalry remained front and center for collectors and distributors alike. In the second part of this special two-part episode, we explore what happened to all those old toy car compan ... Show More

29m 44s

Selects: A Partial History of Action Fig...