As the kids in your life are crafting their Christmas wish lists with items on them like the Ms. Rachel doll, Bluey toys, and Cry Babies, we can’t help but get nostalgic about the most popular toys of our youth. Toys were just better then. Some of these toys are still popular today or have had a resurgence of popularity, but others our kids and grandkids will never have the joy of playing with. Here we’ll remember Christmas wish list classic toys through the decades.
1. The 1950s
According to the Toy Retailers Association, the Hula Hoop was first released in 1958 by The Wham-O Toy Company. The idea was first had when Australian children were observed in gym class using bamboo hoops. In its first year, 20 million units were sold. This popular item was on many children’s Christmas lists.
2. The 1960s
The 1960s were a hot time for new toys. Chatty Cathy hit store shelves in the 1960s speaking her 11 phrases when you pulled her string. G.I Joe was introduced. And of course, Hot Wheels was brought to market by Mattel in 1968. Obviously, Hot Wheels, which are made to resemble hot rods, are better than Matchbox cars. Decades later, Hot Wheels are still popular.
3. The 1970s
Remember the Waterful Ring Toss? We could be entertained for hours by that toy and you can still buy them on Amazon! The 70s were also the decade of Uno and Trolls release. Legos became wildly popular like they are today. But of course, the most popular toy was the Atari. If you were lucky enough to have one of these gaming consoles under your tree, your parents paid a whopping $199. That’s about $1,000 today!
4. The 1980s
From Cabbage Patch Kids to My Little Pony the 80s had some of the best toys. Did you get a Teddy Ruxpin toy for Christmas? To be fair, the talking bear was a little creepy but loveable. We also had a Strawberry Shortcake doll and a Care Bear on our list.
5. The 1990s
The 90s were all about Tamagotchi, Easy Bake Ovens, Polly Pockets, and Furby. Did you know that Furby is making a comeback? The Furby Furblettes are on the 2024 top toy list. Was Furby annoying or adorable? Either way, we loved taking care of ours.
6. The 2000s
If you were a kid in the early 2000s, you definitely had Webkinz, Pokemon Cards, a Razor Scooter, or a Bop It toy on your Christmas list. Toys were starting to get more technological and just about everyone had an iPod Nano or a Gameboy Advance. Hours were spent battling each other in Guitar Hero or Mario Kart. But there was still an appreciation for low-tech games like Candyland too.
Christmas Memories
As a kid, there was nothing more exciting than getting that toy that you really wanted for Christmas. No matter what the decade, that feeling was universal. We of course can’t help but feel partial to the decade we grew up in and all the popular toys we spent hours playing with. What was your favorite childhood toy?