Action figures for the rest of us

When it comes to being a kid, there is a definite need for pretend play, and there’s something special about finding little figures to control and create scenes with. Yes, I’m talking action figures. My husband recalls hours spent playing with GI Joe, Superman and Spidey. And, recently, he declared that Carson, our four-year-old, needs action figures.
Thus began my quest… a quest to find safe toys (you know where I’m going … as in, not-likely-to-be-recalled toys) Carson can use to create a world controlled by him. In an effort to decrease the play of “shooting” I’ve been hearing of on the playground, I vetoed the GIJoe idea. And, since we don’t watch Batman and friends, we’re looking for something Carson can identify with, but something that doesn’t need a connection to the mainstream.
If you’ve been reading our Message Boards, you’ll see I’ve been searching for ideas and moms have shared several. But, now its my turn to share one with you! I found a great selection of Action Figures that don’t connect to the mainstream of television, but instead involve childhood hobbies, as well as world and US history. Odyssey Toys figures can be posed, played, collected… and used to learn. With themes such as heros, children can play with figures like Abraham Lincoln, Knight William Marshall, and Betsy Ross. Scroll through their timeline of heros–you’ll be impressed with the variety of Action Figures available: Odyssey Toys created Action Heros based on Historic Figures from King Tut (1340 BC) through “Space Shuttle Woman,” a female hero who represents the 25% of astronauts that are now women.
Over 100 figures allows parents and children to select from themes like Cowboys, Monsters and Presidents, as well as First Ladies (aside: I really wonder what will happen with the Hillary Clinton figure should she become President), Animals and Holiday figures. Great birthday or holiday presents, Odyssey Toyshas playsets which set the scenes for action and Three-Packs, which include 3 poseable, themed figures in one box.