Classic Toys
ABOUT.com has a list of the top 10 toys of the 1980s. I discovered it as I was searching for a pic of a stuffed toy I had as a kid. I didn't find one. What I did find out is that I didn't have many of these TOP 10 TOYS OF THE 80s:
10. Slinky: I had a 'Slinker' or something like that. It was a Family Dollar, 'Fabrique in Chine' deal. I opened the box and it immediately transformed itself into an unrecognizable, wadded-metal scribble. From friends who had real slinkys, I found out that this was not uncommon.
9. Tonka Truck: I had ERTYL trucks. Cool, but not Tonkas. I also had a few hand-me-down trucks that might've been Tonkas before they were abused and left to rust in a sandbox years before they found my hands.
8. Radio Flyer Wagon: I had a wagon, but it wasn't a Radio Flyer. It, too, was a hand-me-down that I repainted. After that, it left a red dusty patch on my behind every time I sat in it.
7. Sit n' Spin: Never even saw one of these growing up.
6. Lite Brite: Ok, I DID have one of these, although I only used it to make my Cobra hideout when I played GI Joe. I had the knockoff 'Joes with action swivel arms. I liked the knockoff soldiers because you could 'injure' them more easily.
5. Legos: I had one REAL lego set. It had 2 spacemen, some blue blocks and wheels. I treasured it. The rest were some other kind of generic blocks.
4. Hot Wheels: I might've had one or two (stolen from some kid at school). The rest were the kind you buy at (or lift from) the checkout of Family Dollar or Bargain Town.
3. Etch-a-Sketch: We had one! It was my oldest sister's. The grey stuff leaked out on your hands when you used it, which was pretty rare.
2. Colorforms: I have no idea what this is. Never saw it before today.
1. Cabbage Patch Kids: Never had one, or anything like it.
Wait, now. I'm not saying I'm unhappy I didn't have these; I'm saying I DIDN'T NEED these to be happy and have fun. I think the most fun I ever had was with empty cardboard boxes. You could make them into anything. Parents are too prone to buy what kids want. It started with the 30-something parents of the 80s. Luckily, my 'rents were older when I was born. They were of the opinion that a toy was a toy, and a kid would play with it because it was a toy. They were right.
10. Slinky: I had a 'Slinker' or something like that. It was a Family Dollar, 'Fabrique in Chine' deal. I opened the box and it immediately transformed itself into an unrecognizable, wadded-metal scribble. From friends who had real slinkys, I found out that this was not uncommon.
9. Tonka Truck: I had ERTYL trucks. Cool, but not Tonkas. I also had a few hand-me-down trucks that might've been Tonkas before they were abused and left to rust in a sandbox years before they found my hands.
8. Radio Flyer Wagon: I had a wagon, but it wasn't a Radio Flyer. It, too, was a hand-me-down that I repainted. After that, it left a red dusty patch on my behind every time I sat in it.
7. Sit n' Spin: Never even saw one of these growing up.
6. Lite Brite: Ok, I DID have one of these, although I only used it to make my Cobra hideout when I played GI Joe. I had the knockoff 'Joes with action swivel arms. I liked the knockoff soldiers because you could 'injure' them more easily.
5. Legos: I had one REAL lego set. It had 2 spacemen, some blue blocks and wheels. I treasured it. The rest were some other kind of generic blocks.
4. Hot Wheels: I might've had one or two (stolen from some kid at school). The rest were the kind you buy at (or lift from) the checkout of Family Dollar or Bargain Town.
3. Etch-a-Sketch: We had one! It was my oldest sister's. The grey stuff leaked out on your hands when you used it, which was pretty rare.
2. Colorforms: I have no idea what this is. Never saw it before today.
1. Cabbage Patch Kids: Never had one, or anything like it.
Wait, now. I'm not saying I'm unhappy I didn't have these; I'm saying I DIDN'T NEED these to be happy and have fun. I think the most fun I ever had was with empty cardboard boxes. You could make them into anything. Parents are too prone to buy what kids want. It started with the 30-something parents of the 80s. Luckily, my 'rents were older when I was born. They were of the opinion that a toy was a toy, and a kid would play with it because it was a toy. They were right.
posted by Tonewah at 9:44 AM
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