Summary

The author shares insights and personal reflections from attending a toy and game show, highlighting the joy of reconnecting with childhood memories and the dynamics of collecting and negotiating among adult enthusiasts.

Abstract

The article recounts the author's experience at a toy and game show, emphasizing the unexpectedly large adult presence and the sense of nostalgia that permeated the event. The author notes the practicality of bringing cash for better negotiation and the importance of exact change for parking. The event served as a social hub for collectors and casual fans alike, with many connecting over shared childhood memories. Vendors showed a soft spot for children, often making deals or giving away items, which contributed to a warm, communal atmosphere. Despite the author's initial concern about acquiring more clutter, the joy of the experience and the opportunity to bond with family overtook this worry. The author concludes by reflecting on the escapism that toys provide, allowing adults to momentarily forget the responsibilities of adulthood.

Opinions

The author was surprised by the significant number of adults deeply engaged in toy collecting and the seriousness with which they approached it.
Cash transactions were observed to be more effective for negotiations at the event, indicating a preference among vendors.
The toy and game show was not just a marketplace but also a venue for social connection, where shared nostalgia fostered a sense of community.
Vendors were particularly accommodating to children, often going out of their way to ensure they left with a toy, suggesting a shared sentimentality for childhood memories among sellers.
The author initially struggled with the idea of bringing more items into the home but ultimately embraced the experience, highlighting the emotional value of toys and games in creating family memories.
The event provided a temporary escape from adult responsibilities, allowing attendees to reconnect with the carefree joy of their youth.

Do You Want to Escape Adulting?

4 observations from attending a toy and game show

Over the weekend was a first for me.

My husband took me and the kids to a toy and game show at the fairgrounds. I didn’t have a clue what to expect.

It was vendors from all over selling anything from vintage toys to transformers, pokemon, Polly pocket, and you name it. They even had arcade games available for the kids to play.

As a first-timer to a show like this, I was surprised by the number of adults really into toys. There were some casual browsers, and then there were some serious collectors and fans.

I picked up a few lessons walking around.

Come prepared with cash in hand.

Ok, maybe this is a no-brainer, but in a culture where so many of us are used to paying with credit cards all the time, it was a reminder that cash is still required.

As soon as we pulled up to the venue, we immediately saw a “$5 for parking cash only” sign.

We knew there would be a parking fee, but I guess we didn’t think through needing exact change. Luckily it wasn’t too big of a deal as I had a five-dollar bill with me.

Having not attended large public events in so long, you could say we were a little rusty.

But soon I learned having cash on hand inside was helpful as well. Most vendors accepted credit cards, but for negotiating the price, cash seemed to carry more influence.

People are there to connect over nostalgia.

Vendors are there to sell and make money, but I saw a lot of happy people having conversations and talking about their childhood.

There was an obvious camaraderie among the crowd.

You could almost point out the two individuals who were bonding over a particular toy or love of a brand from the joyful expressions on their faces.

I have to admit, I even got caught up at a table with My Little Ponies. It was as though I was 7 years old again and in awe of all the beautiful ponies with their rainbow and glitter-colored hair. I even learned about a water cuties line I didn’t know existed.

It was nice getting to bond with my daughter reminiscing about my love for Rainbow Dash.

Vendors love kids and are willing to make deals.

It was clear that if a child had their eye on a toy, a vendor was usually willing to negotiate.

You could see the soft spot many of the vendors had when kids were interested in a toy they had for sale.

My son was even given free items.

With my husband’s purchase of a transformer, the seller offered up a tin of pokemon cards my son was looking at for no charge. The same man even chased them down to give them a free Marvel poster after they walked away from his booth.

The kindness there was all around.

You have to forget about the toys adding to the stuff in your house.

I admit I’m not one for clutter. Truthfully, I do all I can to keep it out of my house.

I even wrote about how your kids’ clutter can get you down and what you can do to declutter:

Is Your Kids’ Clutter Getting You Down?

Research validates your irritable feelings. Use these tips to declutter and feel more focused at home.

medium.com

So going into that show on Saturday, I was consumed with how I was going to get out of that place without my family bringing home too many things.

The thought of more stuff started to negatively affect my mood if I’m being honest.

But then I started talking to some of the vendors and hearing about their stories. I saw how excited both my husband and kids were to be there.

Once I started to relax, I could enjoy the experience and the novelty of the event.

For those of you wondering, yes, everyone came home with a toy except myself.

It was enough for me to purchase my daughter’s first My Little Pony, Princess Luna. I can only hope she one day remembers that moment and the excitement we had together.

When you grow older, you may or may not have the toys of your childhood. But attending a show like this, you realize it’s fun to relive some of the memories and forget being an adult for a little while.

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