This is a more specific toys category. You can't store spring toys in your room (unless you are very eccentric) and you won't use it yourself either (unless you are a kid or really eccentric). Unlike most other types of retro toys, spring toys are really only for kids and for outdoor usage.
What Exactly is a Spring Toy and How Does It Work
The spring toys are generally toys for ride from kids under age of 10. Of course that doesn't mean an older kid can't play with them - it's just not as common. However if your teens - or even you ;) - want to use the spring toy in your garden, don't worry - their springs are usually strong enough to sustain 150kg or higher weight.
Spring toys don't have any complex mechanisms. The main part of them is the strong steel spring which attaches the riding shape to the base. The base is made of concrete, a stone or steel as well and it's usually attached to the ground in such a way that it can't be moved.
Most spring toys look like animals - horses, camels, tortoises, bears etc. There are of course more original spring toys like
cars, motorcycles, boats
or even spaceships.
The kids love riding them and this is good - it's not just fun, but also a physical activity, which can make them healthier and stronger.
Types Of Spring Toys
Most spring toys are single riders - means that only one person can ride the toy at a time. These toys have the simplest construction and are most affordable. If you have one or two kids, it's probably enough to install a single spring toy in your backyard, so they can play with it one at a time.
This horse has had a red saddle years ago
Photo by stirwise
If you have two or more than two kids, or if you want to share the spring toy with your neighbors, you may think for buying a double rider spring toy. Such a toy is for example
a car with two seats or a camel.
The main advantage of these toys is that they can be used by one or two kids.
Finally, there are spring toys that are designed especially for usage in pairs. Such toy for example is a double kids seesaw. I would strongly advice you to think well before buying such a toy however - it's not only more expensive, but is also completely useless if you have only one kid (or the elder one gets too old to play on the seesaw). Variations of this kind of toys are the spring toys for 4 or more kids (usually they are also some kind of seesaws).
The Cost of Spring Toys
The simplest spring toys (which are often portable) start from $100 - $150 with the better ones starting from $300.
The double riders and paired spring toys can exceed $500 or even $1,000. It's not a cheap thing to buy so you should carefully examine the toy quality and guarantees before buying.
Making a spring toy yourself is not a very common option - it requires a good strong spring that you can't make yourself and a beautiful seat or animal. It's a craft to make a spring toy yourself, so better don't try if this is your first DYI project. If you want to try anyway, you can learn more about the spring toys from this book