There was a time when toys were simple. I may be dating myself, but back when I was a kid, there were no such things as video games or home computers. We played outside when the weather was nice, and when it wasn’t, we were satisfied with a pile of blocks or Legos, a few shades of Play-Doh or an egg filled with Silly Putty…and a Slinky.

I’ve outgrown the blocks and the Legos. Long since put away the Play-Doh and the Silly Putty. But I still have a warm spot in my heart for the Slinky. A Slinky was more than a toy…it was a way of life.

So maybe I’m exaggerating. Maybe it’s not a way of life, but life is like a Slinky…or something like that.

How is life like a Slinky, you ask?

You can make life as complicated as you like, but at its core, it’s simple. No matter how far you stretch it, it always springs back. I am always surprised by all the wonderful tricks I can squeeze out of one simple spring.

After all…

What walks down stairs, alone or in pairs, and makes a slinkity sound?

A spring, a spring, a marvelous thing! Everyone knows it’s Slinky.

It’s Slinky, it’s Slinky. For fun it’s a wonderful toy.

It’s Slinky, it’s Slinky. It’s fun for a girl or a boy.

It’s fun for a girl or boy!”

Try getting that out of your head today!

Basically, just holding a Slinky will make you smile every time. Who hasn’t sat in a chair tossing it back and forth between their hands just to feel the weight change as it shifts through the air? Maybe you like to grab an end in each hand and stretch it then crush it back together. Why? Because as silly as it is, it’s fun.

Popular since 1945, after all these years, a Slinky is still a cheap source of entertainment.

My husband and I were on a mini-vacation last year and I ran across a sign that summed it up for me.

It’s fun for a girl or a boy!

Until the next time…I’ll be bringing back the weekly challenge blog. Topics anyone?