New exhibit brings old toys, paper dolls and more to Long Island

Some people can’t wait for the latest, greatest toys to hit the market. For others, a look back at the playthings of yesteryear can be just as much fun.

"It’s kind of neat seeing the variety of different types of toys that kids played with back in the day," says Terry Maccarrone, who was at the recent opening reception of "Inventing Childhood: Victorian Era Toys, Games, and Dolls, and the Invention of the Modern Child" at Suffolk County Historical Society Museum.

The exhibit features Victorian dolls, tin and cast iron toys, wood toys, puzzles, board games and period clothing. Some of the more unique items are a high chair that converts into a rocking chair, Thomas Edison’s Phonograph Talking Doll from 1890 — the first talking doll — which plays a small phonographic record in the doll’s body, David Walker Self-Rocking Cradle from 1862, which, after cranking, rocked automatically, a 1902 Steiff Teddy bear and a dollhouse and miniatures, which were formerly replicas of wealthy English homes known as "babyhouses."

TOYS OF THE PAST

In addition to an old football board game with a spinning wheel and spelling games, Maccarone was impressed by a toy with metal pieces that was a precursor to the Erector sets from his youth.

"It was actually like little sections of bridges and foundations that you would build up and put together to make a railroad bridge," says Maccarrone, 53, of Sayville, who owns the Sayville Farmers Market. "That was one of the neatest things that I saw."

Also in attendance was Linda Weingarten, a 45-year-old artist from Bohemia, with her daughter in tow.

"I liked the rocking horses. They reminded me of my childhood," says Weingarten.

The vintage porcelain dolls and paper dolls were a hit with Magnolia Weingarten, 8.

"She thought it was so cool because you can change out their clothing without snapping them on, because she can’t do the snap-ons off the current dolls she has at home," says Weingarten.

Wandering around the exhibit was a fun experience for both mom and daughter.

"You can go backwards in time when people took time to do things," says Weingarten, adding that she’s happy to share her love for nostalgia and vintage things with her daughter who seems to appreciate them, too.

INVENTING CHILDHOOD

When we consider the notion of a carefree childhood, we’re really looking at a rather modern concept: Prior to the Victorian era, childhood as we know it was practically nonexistent.

"As soon as children outgrew the infancy and toddler ages, they were kind of viewed as imperfect adults who needed to be taught skills for the rest of their lives," explains Victoria Berger, executive director of Suffolk County Historical Society Museum.

At very early ages, children of nobility were groomed for the arts and culture and children of commoners were brought into their parents’ trades, notes Berger.

With the Victorian era (1837-1901) came a shift in mindset that children should be allowed to be children for a longer, extended period of time. These philosophical leanings eventually resulted in child labor laws and led to more creative playtime and the development of toys, many of which are on display at the exhibit. "It’s a showcase of some of our finest Victorian-era toys that are in our own permanent collection," says Berger.