What's this Toy Called?

Maryn · Sep 18, 2006

I'm trying to find the name of a common toy, often imported from China. It consists of a small circular platform on which a little animal or person with legs made of wood (or more recently, plastic) beads or cylinders on string stands. When you press the button in the base of the platform, the tension in the string is reduced and the animal collapses. Release the button and it stands again.

Once again, Random House Word Menu let me down...

Maryn, detail-oriented

CaroGirl · Sep 18, 2006

I found a classic toy site (here: http://www.thisoldtoy.com/L_FP_Set/T_Pre70.htm) that calls them "Pop-up" toys. I think people would know what you meant if you called them "pop-ups".

Hope this helps!

Andrew Jameson · Sep 18, 2006

Apparently they're called (by some people at least) "Push Puppets." Not a name I'd recognize right off the bat, though.

Link 1
Link 2

LeeFlower · Sep 18, 2006

I've heard them called both 'push-puppets' and 'tension animals.'

Good luck.

aadams73 · Sep 18, 2006

They're called "push-button puppets" or "Push Puppets." And I have a purple push-puppet kangaroo sitting on my desk.

aadams73 · Sep 18, 2006

LeeFlower said:
I've heard them called both 'push-puppets' and 'tension animals.'

Good luck.

Oh yeah, I've heard them called "tension animals" too.

A. Hamilton · Sep 18, 2006

Yep, push-puppets.
Thanks for taking me back, way back, in time.

rtilryarms · Sep 18, 2006

I knew them as push puppets too.

Stew21 · Sep 18, 2006

another vote for remembering them as push-puppets.

Soccer Mom · Sep 18, 2006

Oh yeah. Push-puppets here too.

What's this Toy Called?

Maryn

I Tried

CaroGirl

Living the dream

Andrew Jameson

(not his real name)

LeeFlower

Lurker Extraordinaire

aadams73

A Work in Progress

aadams73

A Work in Progress

A. Hamilton

here for a minute...catch me?

rtilryarms

Crossbows and Handgonnes

Stew21

Soccer Mom

Crypto-fascist