Bed post... metal ball shaped (kindof traditonal lookin). Also a baseball bat. Both as suggestions even when there was a toy to hand... still recommend the toys though. Did use a mallet handle on someone when we camping.
An old 'lover'... as she knew I loved cars... rode my gearstick (no pun, an actual gear stick :P) so i'd think of her when ever i changed gear.
The brush handle seems a popular one in my experice... met a few girls who when they were in their teens used this out of curiousity as were too young to purchase toys.