Toy systems with separate accessory pieces engageable by part of a plaything

A toy system comprising:

• a body including at least a first part with at least one end and an interior space;
• a second part that is at least partially in the interior space;
• a spring biasing the first part and the second part away from each other;
• a plastic piece separate from the body self-supportable on a surface;
• the separate piece substantially defining a self-supported opening;
• the second part not at least partially in the interior space being insertable into the self-supported opening substantially defined by the separate piece without engaging the separate piece;
• the first part being telescopically moveable against the spring biasing with the at least one end of the part being insertable into the self-supported opening to frictionally engage the separate piece;
• a protrusion projecting from one of the first part or the separate piece toward the other of the separated piece or first part to frictionally engage the first part and the separate piece;
• and
• the separate piece being picked up and retained by the first part when the spring biasing moves the first part away from the second part.

A method of attaching a piece having an opening onto an upper one of two generally elongated parts that telescope axially against a bias in a toy system, comprising the steps of:

• placing the piece having the opening on a surface with the opening directed upwardly;
• positioning the biased apart parts over the opening in the piece with the lower one of the two parts proximate and pointed toward the opening and the upper one of the two parts away from the opening;
• pushing down on the upper one of the parts telescoping it against the bias over the lower one of the two parts and inserting the upper one of the two parts into the opening;
• and
• releasing the parts allowing the bias to move the two parts apart with the piece picked up by and retained on the upper one of the two parts.