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(Image modified from original picture uploaded by unloveablesteve on Flickr – check out the website and book TV Cream Toys for more cool toys).
Do you remember Uncle Remus Play Kits? I have fond memories of these from my childhood, although I think they may well have disappeared from shops by the early 1980’s. No matter, I enjoyed them, so they’re being included here.
Nothing to do with the Uncle Remus associated with Brer Rabbit and the Disney movie Song of the South, Uncle Remus toys were more often than not craft kits of some kind or another, and were more likely to be found in newsagents than in toy shops, hanging on one of those rotunda stands that shops sometimes have. They were fairly cheap but ever so cheerful, and were the perfect rainy afternoon distraction. They came for the most part in cardboard wallets with a distinctive logo consisting of a friendly looking balding old man pointing at the word REMUS.
One of my favourite kits that I had as a child was one where you made a picture, a tiger in my case, from little bits of sticky backed felt. You had to cut out funny shapes from a sheet of felt and stick them onto a paint by numbers style image of the tiger. When finished you had a fairly realistic image of a tiger which was also furry to the touch. The left over sticky felt could then be used for further art projects, or stuck on the furniture to annoy your Mum.
Colouring sets, model making kits and other crafty things of that ilk were all present, as were activity books, finger puppets, sticker sets and just about any other sort of toy that could be packaged flat and sold cheaply. There was something for everyone in the range, and it’s a shame they aren’t around today for my little girl to learn from.
June 27th, 2009 at 8:00 pm
the disney playtrain was the remus kit i longed for as a child. you pressed out parts and slotted them together.
dopeys flap fell off and he never stood up straight.
June 29th, 2009 at 10:36 am
I don’t remember that particular kit but it reminds me of when you used to get promotional cardboard toys where you had to press out all the parts and then insert tabs into slots to build a toy lorry with a shops name on the side or something of that ilk.
August 17th, 2009 at 7:57 pm
Wow remus playkits. As a child I used to model the toys including jigsaws and my face was on the cover of the box. I am still yet to find some examples from 1979 – 1982.
Anyone know if there is an image library for their stuff??
August 21st, 2009 at 8:58 pm
Wow! Clare,you are now the second person to comment on my site who previously spent their childhood as a model for products. I heard from a fellow named James who was in an advert for KP Outer Spacers!
August 27th, 2009 at 1:40 pm
Big Boo, I remember thick cardboard dinosaurs that were made by slotting the pieces together. Does anybody remember Kalkitos transfer kits? A selection of transfers that could be rubbed onto a cardboard panorama?
August 27th, 2009 at 8:56 pm
I didn’t remember the name as Kalkitos but I do remember what you’re talking about. Today kids just seem to have those reusable sticker things instead. Anyway, rub down transfers are another thing on my list of future posts!
By the way Laura, thanks for all your great comments. Hope you’re enjoying the site!
December 6th, 2009 at 10:25 pm
Thanks Big Boo, enjoying the site loads – lots of good memories!
August 7th, 2010 at 10:06 pm
i can distinctly remember the zoetroepe kit, which was amazing fun!
August 7th, 2010 at 10:42 pm
That would have been a very cool kit. There’s something almost magical about watching a Zoetrope spinning and playing back a simple animation. Normally it’s something like a little man running, simply because it has to be a looping animation, but even when you know how it works you still can’t believe your eyes.
September 2nd, 2010 at 10:14 am
Yes,I remember Uncle Remus kits fondly.I always bought mine at the Little Chef restaurants from those rotund stands near the till.
January 17th, 2011 at 12:15 pm
Hi Laura, I just saw the new kalkitos. They have brought it back July last year. check out http://www.kalkitos.sg
September 12th, 2011 at 11:42 pm
I remember fondly the remus playkits as a child. A man used to call to my mums house and give me lots of pictures to sew and when i finished them all i got some toys to keep and it helped while away the hours when i had the chicken pox.