If the holidays are a time when we all remember what it was like to be a kid, it only seems fitting that a lot of parents who grew up in the ’70s and ’80s are on the hunt for the toys they loved way back in the day. Good news! Not only are there plenty of ’80s toys on the market for nostalgic parents who want to share their favorites with their kids, but also many are inexpensive. Take a walk down memory lane with the return of Popples, Care Bears, Transformers and more ’80s greats.
Popples
Remember the adorable little stuffed animals you could wrap up into a ball and then “pop” back out? Popples ($20, Walmart) are back, thanks to a new original series on Netflix, and the toys will be, too.
Lite-Brite
Remember “making things with light?” You — er, your kids — can do it today with the modern Lite-Brite (Amazon, $19), which comes with reusable templates that won’t tear apart like the ones we had back in the day.
Simon Says
How many hours did you once spend trying to best Simon? Now you can set your kids up with a Simon Says (Fat Brain Toys, $23) that will keep them so occupied they won’t even realize it’s educational. We never did.
Charm bracelet tattoos
What’s cooler than a charm bracelet jangling on your wrist? A charm bracelet (temporary) tattoo (Tattly, $15 for a set)! Tattly uses vegetable-based dyes on these nontoxic tats that let kids rock some cool jewelry without the risk of losing one of their fun charms. Bonus: Your kid sister can’t steal your favorite charm off this bracelet like she did back in the day.
Cabbage Patch doll
Still funny looking after all these years, the Cabbage Patch Kids dolls (Toys ‘R’ Us, $25) have been shifted from manufacturer to manufacturer over the years. These days, Wicked Cool Toys makes the adoptable “kids,” and you can snatch them up at mass retailers.
Pom-pom balls
Remember Koosh balls? They’re baaaaaack. Well, sort of. Yoobi calls these pom-pom balls, and they’ve added a keychain (Yoobi, $3). They’re more or less the same thing, and your kids will have the same amount of fun pulling on the little rubber bands and snapping them back. Even better? For every item purchased, Yoobi gives one to a kid in need in a classroom somewhere in the U.S. So a little fun for your kiddo means a little fun for someone else out there.
Strawberry Shortcake dolls
When Strawberry Shortcake got a makeover a few years back, many an ’80s child screamed in agony. But don’t despair! Playskool released a 30th Anniversary doll line that’s still available in stores. It will set you back a pretty penny (the special edition is a whopping $99 on Amazon), but they still look like the sweet fruity-scented toys we all knew and loved.
Fashion Plates
There are countless fashion apps these days, where you can dress up avatars with the flick of a finger. But why bother when you can give kids the magic of rubbing a crayon over a plastic plate to transfer over the exact item of clothing you wanted? Fashion Plates (Fat Brain Toys, $25) are back!
Care Bears
Thanks to a Netflix reboot of Care Bears & Cousins, the Care Bears (Toys ‘R’ Us, $20) stuffed animals are more popular — and cuddlier — than ever.
Rock’Em Sock’Em Robots
Are you red or are you blue? Battle it out with a Rock’em Sock’em Robots kit (Barnes & Noble, $33) that will decide the ultimate champion.
Bumblebee
Love the Michael Bay movies or hate them, thanks to the series of action flicks, Transformers (Hasbro, $50) have found a solid following among today’s kids and their nostalgic parents.
Colorforms
Considering there’s a 60th Anniversary Edition of Colorforms (Amazon, $68), they’re not just an ’80s toy, but the Day-Glo generation certainly laid claim to some good times sticking those vinyl clings onto the pages of countless books. And today’s kids can, too!
Leave a Comment