Before the age of everything digital when video games and virtual pets became a must for every child, there were those good old toys that reminded you of how wonderful it was to be a kid!

These are the type of toys that do not come with a ‘batteries not included’ disclaimer or a troubleshooting manual. Instead, these toys are used with imagination; they made playtime even more fun and exciting. They allowed you to get together with your friends and enjoy a magical place where everything was bright and colorful!

So without further delays, make your trip down memory lane as you read these top ten toys of all time from the yesteryears:

10. Pogo stick

Did you know that the first pogo stick was made of wood?

This lovable toy was designed by George Hansburg. It first came out in 1919 where they were sold at the Gimble Brother’s Department Store in New York. On its debut, kids went gaga over this toy because it gave them the ability to hop like grasshoppers. Hansburg tried to further develop his product, and improved it by making a pogo stick made from metal.

According to some accounts, Hansburg’s inspiration for this toy came when he was traveling in Burma. A poor farmer could not afford buying his daughter shoes. So instead, he created a hopping stick for her so she could go to the temple to pray. Hansburg named his invention after the girl who was named “Pogo.”

Check out the most pogo stick hops in one minute.

9. Hula Hoops

Swing your hips and make that hula hoop twirl faster!

The origin of hula hoop is attributed to Arthur Melin and Richard Knerr. They began marketing this toy in 1957. However, this fun circle of plastic was enjoyed as early as 3,000 BC when the Egyptians made hoops from grape vines and various sticks.

What Knerr and Melin did was re-invent the toy by manufacturing them in bright colors and patenting it with the name “Hula hoop”.

Upon its first release in 1958, the hula hoop became an instant fad and over 15 millions hoops were sold!

8. Lego

Although your mom curses every time she steps on these plastic building, there is really nothing more fun than building castles, cars, trucks, houses and spaceships out of Lego bricks!

A city made entirely of Lego blocks

First released in 1966, Lego continues to be a favorite toy of adults and kids alike. It underwent tremendous variations and modifications throughout the years but each part is compatible with the other pieces. This means that the Lego pieces from the olden times of 1963 will still fit with those manufactured today.

This toy not only makes a great playtime activity, it also encourages creativity and imagination. Simply pile up the blocks and create whatever your mind tells you to make.

7. Slinky

“It’s Slinky, it’s Slinky, for fun it’s a wonderful toy. It’s Slinky, it’s Slinky, it’s fun for a girl and a boy!”

So goes the memorable jingle of this popular coil toy — Slinky! Almost everybody loves watching this lazy spring go down the stairs. But although Slinky is an amazingly simple toy, it is really a works with the dizzying law of physics. Physics dictates the Slinky’s movement and gravity plays a pivotal part in the movement, stretching and reforming the coil each time it goes down a step.

Apart from this, the Slinky can also be used to explain scientific concepts such as wave motion.

Now this is one smart toy!

6. Play- Doh

Create make believe spaghetti noodles with this unforgettable Play-Doh toy.

Play-Doh was made by Noah and Joseph Mc Vicker as an alternative to modeling clay.

According to accounts, a relative who was a school teacher was trying to find a substitute to toxic clays. So what the brothers did was to formulate wallpaper clay. This kind of clay was made from a combination of water, wheat flour, salt, petroluem distillate, salt, borax, kerosene, alum-based agents and coloring.

The result? Well, the kids loved the clay and the following year, the brothers manufactured the product commercially and made toy history!

5. Barbie

Barbie was first created in 1959 when Ruth Handler made a doll for her daughter Barbara. From then on, Barbie became a cultural icon.

Over the years, Barbie has worn a number of fashionable clothes and accessories. She has also held a wide array of jobs like dentist, singer, rock star, babysitter, veterinarian and even flight attendant. Most Barbie sets also includes parts of her house or her place of work.

When it comes to her personal life, Barbie was going steady with her handsome boyfriend of many years, Ken, up until February 13th, 2004, when their split was announced.

4. Yoyo

Double loop, string tricks, walking the dog, sleeping and looping; these are just some of the many tricks you can execute with the classic yoyo.

The yoyo is a popular toy that emerged as early as 1860. This wonderful toy was invented by the Filipino American Pedro Flores. Flores wanted to come up with a toy that could entertain as well as execute tricks.

The term yoyo came from the Filipino word “tayoyo” which means to spin.

From then on, the yoyo became a favorite toy as well as an engaging pastime. Dexterity is needed to execute some of the tricks that you can do with the yoyo. Constant practice and updating of your yoyo skills are also needed if you seriously want to excel in this game. Because of its popularity, yoyo competitions are still being held in different parts of the world.

3. Matchbox

Growing up during the 60s would not have been complete without Matchbox.

Matchbox is a very popular die cast toy car that measures about 2.5 inches or about the size of a match box. These cars have been played with by boys and even girls throughout the years; they featured different vehicles such as buses, ambulance, fire trucks, sedans and popular cars like Volkswagen and Ferrari. In fact, the term matchbox has been synonymous with small toy cars.

Today, Matchbox is not only considered a wonderful toy but is also as a collector’s favorite as it makes for a colorful and varied collection.

2. Rubik’s cube

This puzzle probably kept you awake into the wee hours of the morning.

This brain buster was a favorite toy during the 70s. It was invented by a Hungarian sculptor and professor named Erno Rubik. Also referred to as a magic cube, Rubik’s cube is a cube made up of smaller cubes in six different colors. The aim of this toy is to arrange the smaller squares to make up each face of the cube with one similar color. It is very difficult to solve!

Watch a Rubik’s cube solved under 10 seconds.

 

(Learn why Rubik’s cube is in the list of Top Ten Popular Puzzles of All Time.)

1. Teddy Bear

The teddy bear is perhaps the most popular toy of all time. Although it was first created in1903, its appeal continues to attract both adults and children today.

History goes to say that this lovable toy was named after the late US president Theodore Roosevelt when he spared the life of an American black bear. This was written in The Washington Post newspaper with a caricature of the president and a cub.

Later a toy maker was so inspired by the caricature that he created a stuffed animal and called it Teddy’s bear, and the rest, as they say, is history!

So you see, fun doesn’t always have to be about handheld games and online RPG. These toys are legacies that should be passed on to today’s children and to the next generations.

 

(Toys may give you the most fun, but these Top Ten Board Games could make any saturday night a fun night..)