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Cootie
Synopsis of Toy
There was a bit of a risk in bringing Cootie home from the store. No matter how many times you looked around before walking inside, no matter how carefully you shielded the name on the box, there was always the unshakable fear that somebody would spot you and spread the word: “Cooties! You really do have Cooties! I saw it! Cootie Cootie Cootie!” But oh, was it worth it… Designed for pre-schoolers, Cootie hit its mark with fun play, colorful parts, and bugs (That’s right, bugs. Now wasn’t that worth the risk?)
Each Cootie box came with enough parts to make 4 complete Cootie bugs. A roll of the die was the only was to build your bug, parceling out parts depending on the number on the die. A finished bug had one body (a roll of 1), one head (a roll of 2), one tongue (5), two antennae (3), two eyes (2) and a whopping six legs (6, and you’d better learn how to make that die land 6-side-up or you’re in for a long Cootie game). Players took turns (in theory), and the game went on until some lucky soul completed a happy, colorful Cootie. Some moms insisted the kids keep playing until everyone’s bug was done, but these moms obviously didn’t understand that I won, Kenny lost, and he just needs to stop crying over it, okay?
Herb Schaper invented Cootie back in 1948, whittling the parts from wood. It was a long process, but according to Cootie lore, Schaper hand-crafted some 40,000 Cootie games before the mass-manufacturers took over. Cootie was a consistent smash, a favorite from the 40’s to today, and as long as the tykes are willing to take a chance on something called “Cootie,” the game will be entertaining youngsters (and causing giggling fits) for years to come.