Jack Odell, the guy who invented matchbox cars, died this month. There's lots to love about matchbox cars: they are fun for lots of ages; they are inexpensive enough to stock up on; they require imagination rather than whamming kids with lights and beeps; and they come in such a variety, there's a car or two for every kid.
When I was a kid, my dad gave me a set of cars from his own youth, and even though they had survived high-speed races and attack by dinosaurs, they were still in good shape. I supplemented the collection with cars I bought with my allowance, and mounted some wacky NASCAR races: Model T against Corvette, and so on. Now I'm thinking I'll follow Geekdad's advice and get a couple for my kid in honor of Jack.
