Toys Gone By.

December 6, 2005 1:36 AM

I need to identify a toy from years gone by. It was made perhaps by Playskool. It had a white plastic base that extended upward into a handle. The bottom of the base itself had a half-sphere of transparent plastic at the bottom connected to two blue wheels. Within the half-sphere of transparent plastic were numerous plastic ping pong balls colored in primary colors. When this wheeled contraption moved, it resulted in much "pock pock pock" noise as the balls were rattled about by a popping plate at the bottom of the half-sphere.

Could you give me details where to purchase one, as well as its name.

posted by TwelveTwo to shopping (15 comments total)

I think you're thinking of the Fisher Price Corn Popper. My toddlers loved it.
posted by Dag Maggot at 1:39 AM on December 6, 2005

DUDE! I had one of these too, and they're still makin' them.
posted by Brittanie at 1:41 AM on December 6, 2005

Damn, too late.
posted by Brittanie at 1:41 AM on December 6, 2005

Professor Frink also tripped out on one when he was a substitute teacher in the episode "The PTA Disbands" :)
posted by antifuse at 1:58 AM on December 6, 2005

For people who aren't part of the TV cognoscenti, antifuse is talking about a Simpsons episode ... ( :
posted by Dag Maggot at 2:12 AM on December 6, 2005

Thanks!
posted by TwelveTwo at 2:19 AM on December 6, 2005

I consider this the best thing to buy for other people's kids.
posted by bDiddy at 4:55 AM on December 6, 2005

Wow, this is really creepy. I just watched The PTA Disbands last night with the commentary on, and when Professor Frink has this toy on screen, Matt Groening and a few of the writers debate about what it's called. I think they agreed on "Pop Corn Popper."

Frink: N'hey hey! Ahem, n'hey, so the compression and expansion of the longitudinal waves cause the erratic oscillation -- you can see it there -- of the neighboring particles.
[a girl raises her hand]
[sighs] Yes, what is it? What? What is it?
Girl: Can I play with it?
Frink: No, you can't play with it; you won't enjoy it on as many levels as I do.
[he chuckles as he plays with it]
The colors, children!
posted by Who_Am_I at 5:47 AM on December 6, 2005

Man, I had one of those myself when I was a wee boy. I remember something about Popcorn.
posted by jasondigitized at 6:25 AM on December 6, 2005

My kid is pushing his around right now
posted by poppo at 6:31 AM on December 6, 2005

We've got one that has survived 2 generations and is now being tested by a set of triplets. This thing just won't die!

Excellent description, btw.
posted by Wild_Eep at 6:38 AM on December 6, 2005

I had one too! I loved that thing.
posted by SisterHavana at 7:50 AM on December 6, 2005

That's my mother's default gift to new parents. She's a fun kind of evil.
posted by Mamapotomus at 10:54 AM on December 6, 2005

I agree with bDiddy. Tons of fun for the kids and a bright plastic headache for the parents. I know of two separate instances where the Corn Popper "disappeared" from the home after a few weeks. Another was "accidentally" run over by a minivan.
posted by annaramma at 3:13 PM on December 6, 2005

I called it my umbrella, for reasons unknown. It was used in considerable Mary-Poppins poses. I also thought, at the time, that Mary Poppins was best depicted nude.

I have since learned that it's generally called a popper. I have learned a number of other things, too.
posted by booksandlibretti at 4:11 PM on December 6, 2005