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50 Toys From The ’70s, ’80s And ’90s To Transport You Back To Your Childhood
Full disclosure, I’m a ‘90s kid, born and bred. The ‘90s run in my veins and I’m very much a kid of that era! You wouldn’t believe the level of nostalgia I have for the era. It’s utterly ridiculous how much I miss watching Sunday morning cartoons while eating a huge bowl of cereal and playing with my beloved toys. (All at once, of course—I’m a fantastic multitasker when it comes to doing the things that I love.)
I’ve still got a huge box of toys from my childhood that I love to go through from time to time. And I’d be lying if I said I didn’t pop in some batteries to play Mario, Donkey Kong, and Pokémon on my GameBoy Color when I feel like I need a break from ‘The Real World.’ When it rains, when I get the blues—it’s nostalgia time. And a yearning for a more carefree era in my life. However, we here at Bored Panda know that there are lots of you Pandas who are nostalgic for the '70s, '80s, and ‘90s, so we’ve compiled this fun list of the toys you likely played with during that decade. Keep in mind that some of these toys are from even earlier still, but they were still very popular in the '70s, '80s, and '90s. Growing up with them was great!
Oh, and don’t forget to upvote the toys that you loved playing with the most. We’d also love to hear about what your fondest memories and favorite toys were from your childhood, so don’t be shy and drop on by the comment section. Ready to plunge straight into the Land of Nostalgia? Let’s go!
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Devs Need To Bring Back True Offline Gaming
Man, this takes me WAYYYY back. I had a bunch of these in the 70's and the 80's and loved them.
Really? Last time I had one of these was last year.
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So when I was about 5 I had a couple of these - one of them was a really detailed underwater one with octopuses and a shipwreck (think kid friendly HP Lovecraft vibes!)...when I got thirsty in the night I used to open it and drink out of it - it didn't seem to bother me that it tasted very, VERY weird. My mother caught me...and lets just say I remember the screaming that ensued pretty vividly!
My family is going to make a game out of this list We're going to upvote for the ones we had and post "GoT" for the ones we still have The one that gets the highest score in Upvotes wins $.19 and the winner in GoT wins $.90 The 90's Toy GaMe has begun😆
No, it's a skill! It specifically depends on how hard you press the little lever (and from which direction) to guide the water stream. It got to where I could ring a post with every push!
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I would sit and play with this damn toy for hours. I was so focused getting those rings around the poll.
Some store does still sell this!! I need to buy one. They'll probably help to focus more on the game than anxiety.
Oh. My. God. Honestly, this would be sooo good for social anxiety and stuff, I LOVED this as a young child and it’s so calming (unless you’re really competitive and impatient with yourself, then it backfires lol)
Wow... I loved this game... Fun yet frustrating... gosh, feels like yesterday we were playing it
I'm not even from the 70s, 80s, or 90s, but I still love them. Very addictive.
Restaurants used to have these instead of the dumb crayons and coloring sheets. So much better
My cousin had about 5 of these so I stole one. When my mum saw it she walloped me good and made me return it with an apology note
We would put cheese in the water and watch it rot. That was more exiting than the game itself.
So weird and simple, yet so great. Since smartphones came along, no one is trying anymore
This Is One Of My Most Detailed Renditions - St. Basil's Cathedral, Which Took ~30 Hours To Render (Etch A Sketch)
Let's Go Fishin'
These are still around, bought one for my son a couple of years ago.
This isn’t the first time that Bored Panda has tackled the topic of nostalgia (here are two great posts by yours truly if you're feeling any nostalgia for my writing). London-based child and adolescent therapist Kemi Omijeh, who is a member of the BACP, went into detail about nostalgia with me on two previous occasions. She explained that our memories of the past can contribute to our sense of self and well-being.
"The period of time we tend to be nostalgic over are significant moments that stood out. Perhaps it was a time when we felt happiest or safest, or perhaps it’s a period where things changed for us,” she told Bored Panda.
These Bouncy Balls You Got From Quarter Vending Machines And Arcades
One Of My Favorite "Toys" As A Kid, Fashion Plates
Found My Old View-Master
According to therapist Omijeh, what a specific time period means to us is far more important than what age we were during the period of time. "Our memories of the past can change over time depending on how often we revisit and also depending on what is going on for us in the present,” she said.
Omijeh noted that who we were during each decade will change our impressions of the time period. So, while she jokes that “oh course, the ‘90s was better!”, she also notes that she might be biased in this particular case.
My Wife Got Me This For Christmas. She Knew That My Parents Never Got Me One When I Was A Kid. I Love Her So Much (Gameboy)
I once had a Gameboy where I could play Pokemon. I was addicted so my parents seized it. Never saw my dear boy again.
Lite Brite
Polly Pocket. Ordered It Off Of Ebay And Cried When I Saw It Because The Nostalgia Hit So Hard
I was so jealous of one of my friends, she had like every polly pocket set. I was super excited when I got one for Chrissie one year. I remember it was a shopping centre type theme with a moving elevator.
“Generally speaking, the better decade is associated with youth and freedom. Nostalgia also often gives us rose-tinted glasses from which to reflect from. How we reflect on the past decades can play a part in how we engage with the current decade."
Earlier still, Omijeh explained to Bored Panda that we tend to feel nostalgic for those time periods where we felt loved and nurtured. Meanwhile, if we had a difficult childhood, odds are, we won’t have much nostalgia for it.
Spotted This Fisher Price Set Today
I Know No One Cares But I Got A Mimitchi On My Second Try. I Am 33 Years Old And Regret Nothing
Crayola Stamper Markers
I was so excited when I got a pack of these, trouble is that after a lil while you get bored of them so you start using them like normal textas lol.
"Nostalgia can also be a good coping strategy for times of low mood and challenges," she said, adding that nostalgia can also start to become a problem if it interferes with our everyday lives, as well as our ability to be present in the current moment.
"If we end up comparing it to our experiences today and feeling like nothing is as good as it was, then this will inevitably affect our mood and our ability to do what we need to do. We can become stuck in our nostalgia; in which case it might be best to seek help from a counseling professional to help you process your past in order to enjoy your present."
In short—nostalgia’s fine… in moderation. Now, if you’ll excuse me, Mario won’t be able to save Princess Peach without my help. Watch out, Bowser! [Beep boop.]
Anybody Remember POGS? Just Found Mine From The 90s
I remember when we used to get tazos in chip packets. My aunty had 3 albums full of them.
Slinky
I could never get them to go down stairs like they show on videos etc. The most I could do was get them tangled lol.
Koosh Balls Are Back At Target
Troll Dolls
When We All Learned To Drive In This Thing
Stretch Armstrong With Three Of His Limbs Platted
Mouse Trap
Nothing Says 90s Like A Clear Plastic Neon Conair Phone
Magic Ball And Mitt Game
Monster Finger Puppets
Thrift Store Pick Up. 1978 Simon Game. Package Isn't Great But The Toy Is Like New
I Forgot I Used To Love These Until I Saw Them In The Store (Flying Gliders)
My Mom Still Has My Toys That My 10 Month Old Son Plays With When He Comes Over
Rubber Poppers
Neon Klickers Clackers
There was another kind before these--two larger, very hard acrylic (?) balls on strings. You started by bouncing them against one another and worked up to having them collide at both the top and bottom of the pattern. You could knock yourself out with those, and when they broke, shards flew everywhere. These were tame by comparison!
Plastic Tube With Water And Plastic Fish Inside It, If You Try To Squeeze It It Just Rolls Itself
Skip It
The Game Of Perfection
Ahh...this game stressed me OUT. Didn't stop me from obsessively playing with it though.
Silly Putty
Fisher Price Adjustable Skates - Most Fun Ever
LEGO Ghost From The 90s. Glows In The Dark
McDonald’s Happy-Meal Transformers
Glittery Sand Lizards
1981 Garfield Phone I Have Wanted Since I Was A Kid!! Guess I’m Getting A Landline
Sesame Street And Disney Poppin' Pals (Playskool)
Old School Kinder Surprise Toys
These little collectible figurines were awesome! I had so many. Even on this picture I remember the ones I had.
Play-Doh Fuzzy Pumper Barber And Beauty Shop
$1 Garage Sale Score: Original Super Soaker 50
And when the super soakers that could hold more water and be worn as a backpack came out it was ON in my neighborhood during water fights
View-Master Mickey Look Gift Set
Our very own slide show. These were great, especially when you could buy different viewer discs.
Micro Machines
Easy Bake Oven
Slime
Glitter Magic Wands
We’re mesmerized over these new glitter wands! from kiddos to adults, these are the hot new fidget toy! head over to our Instagram story for a video demo, each wand handmade in the USA.
Cannot Believe I Forgot About My Marbleworks Towers
Furby
Who Else Had This Toy Sword?
Sky Dancers
there's a hilarious flick on youtube i guess of a super-excited girl trying her sky dancer for the first time and the thing flies right into the burning fireplace lol
Blow Pens
Note: this post originally had 114 images. It’s been shortened to the top 50 images based on user votes.
I clicked expecting to see mostly american toys I know nothing about but was pleasantly surprised to see a fair share of toys I had in my childhood in Europe !
I'm gen x and most of these were around when I was a kid.
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Quite a few of these were around in the 1960s, or even earlier. I've had this little guy for 54 years. troll2-611...588888.jpg 
Sylvanian Families, I had so many! I kept them for my girls to play with too.
There were no colorforms on here. I loved them as much as I loved paper dolls
What about the Spirograph? I loved that thing! Especially because I could barely draw a stick person lol!
How about Hot wheels crack ups. Go bots those sticky octopus thing you threw at the wall to watch it "crawl" down and worked until it picked lint and hairs from the floor.
Totally takes me back to my childhood. Loved this stuff! Recognise almost all of them.
I still have some Barbie dolls,......but I got afraid of them since I read way too many horror story.
Anyone remember "LEGO Scala"? The girly version of LEGO with dolls, bigger pieces to snap together, and the big house?
Very true, but a lot of them were still played with by 90s kids too cause it got passed down by older relatives. My gen Z siblings played with a ton of these since my grandma saved my old toys.
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Okay, who managed to steal all these images straight out of my childhood?
Nobody ever remembers Pocket Rockers, but I thought they were so cool.
I am here to give testimony on how this powerful spell caster called Dr Ibrahim helped me to fix my relationship. I was heartbroken when my fiance told me he is no longer interested in marrying me because he was having an affair with the other woman where he works. I cried and sobbed every day,until it got so bad that I reached out to the Internet for help, that was when i read a review about the great work of Dr Ibrahim, then i contacted him for help to get my lover back, he helped me cast a powerful (reconciliation love spell) and to my greatest surprise after 48 hours of doing the love spell my Fiance came back on his knees begging me to forgive him We are now living happily and all thanks goes to Dr Ibrahim for helping me save my relationship you can contact Dr Ibrahim through his Email dribrahimspellcaster@gmail.com Call or Whatsapp +2349038450264 Contact him for the following: 1)If you want your ex back. 2)If you want a child. 3) You want to make your husband/wife to be
Aww I used to have most these as a child in the eighties ❤️ this was a really great thread!
I wished there were more german toys in this post. I miss a many of them.
Kenner's SSP SuperSonic Racers were plastic vehicles in a multitude of designs--antique, contemporary, dragster, futuristic, motorcycles and even trucks and utility vehicles. They came with a single large wheel in the center; you would feed a flexible plastic pull-rod through then yank it out and set the toy down to let it zoom away. Best ones had a bit of metal that played against the wheel to create "Super-Sonic Sound." But kids being kids, they were sometimes a hazard and hair got caught in the wheel and if you played with them on the street they seemed to beeline straight into the storm drain. I still love 'em.
I clicked expecting to see mostly american toys I know nothing about but was pleasantly surprised to see a fair share of toys I had in my childhood in Europe !
I'm gen x and most of these were around when I was a kid.
Load More Replies... Quite a few of these were around in the 1960s, or even earlier. I've had this little guy for 54 years. troll2-611...588888.jpg
Sylvanian Families, I had so many! I kept them for my girls to play with too.
There were no colorforms on here. I loved them as much as I loved paper dolls
What about the Spirograph? I loved that thing! Especially because I could barely draw a stick person lol!
How about Hot wheels crack ups. Go bots those sticky octopus thing you threw at the wall to watch it "crawl" down and worked until it picked lint and hairs from the floor.
Totally takes me back to my childhood. Loved this stuff! Recognise almost all of them.
I still have some Barbie dolls,......but I got afraid of them since I read way too many horror story.
Anyone remember "LEGO Scala"? The girly version of LEGO with dolls, bigger pieces to snap together, and the big house?
Very true, but a lot of them were still played with by 90s kids too cause it got passed down by older relatives. My gen Z siblings played with a ton of these since my grandma saved my old toys.
Load More Replies... Okay, who managed to steal all these images straight out of my childhood?
Nobody ever remembers Pocket Rockers, but I thought they were so cool.
I am here to give testimony on how this powerful spell caster called Dr Ibrahim helped me to fix my relationship. I was heartbroken when my fiance told me he is no longer interested in marrying me because he was having an affair with the other woman where he works. I cried and sobbed every day,until it got so bad that I reached out to the Internet for help, that was when i read a review about the great work of Dr Ibrahim, then i contacted him for help to get my lover back, he helped me cast a powerful (reconciliation love spell) and to my greatest surprise after 48 hours of doing the love spell my Fiance came back on his knees begging me to forgive him We are now living happily and all thanks goes to Dr Ibrahim for helping me save my relationship you can contact Dr Ibrahim through his Email dribrahimspellcaster@gmail.com Call or Whatsapp +2349038450264 Contact him for the following: 1)If you want your ex back. 2)If you want a child. 3) You want to make your husband/wife to be
Aww I used to have most these as a child in the eighties ❤️ this was a really great thread!
I wished there were more german toys in this post. I miss a many of them.
Kenner's SSP SuperSonic Racers were plastic vehicles in a multitude of designs--antique, contemporary, dragster, futuristic, motorcycles and even trucks and utility vehicles. They came with a single large wheel in the center; you would feed a flexible plastic pull-rod through then yank it out and set the toy down to let it zoom away. Best ones had a bit of metal that played against the wheel to create "Super-Sonic Sound." But kids being kids, they were sometimes a hazard and hair got caught in the wheel and if you played with them on the street they seemed to beeline straight into the storm drain. I still love 'em.
