Throwback Thursday: Toys That Have Stood The Test Of Time

Christmas is obviously the biggest season for toy sales. If you wander through the toy aisles you’ll see electronic toys, figures based on current TV shows and movies, and remakes of favourites of past generations.

We like to buy our kids toys that we enjoyed when we were younger and there are some toys that have remained popular no matter what generation. Here are some toys that have stood the test of time.

LEGO bricks

LEGO bricks have been around since 1958. As kids, my brother and I received several collections and spent hours building houses and cars, as well as anything we could figure out how to duplicate – telephone, eyeglasses, people. By the time my children started playing with them, they had introduced wheels, several different colours and more shapes. They had buckets of bricks including the larger DUPLO bricks made for toddlers.

There are still dozens of play theme assortments in every price range. The design of LEGO bricks hasn’t changed since they were introduced, which means today’s sets are compatible with sets from 1958 onward.

Hot Wheels, Matchbox, Corgi

My brother had a collection of dozens of these little vehicles in every kind from trucks to racing cars. He especially liked the new muscle car varieties. He had miles of Hot Wheels tracks that we would – to my mother’s dismay – lay across the living room floor and down the hallway, looping them over tables and hassocks to race the cars and see how far they would travel.

My boys didn’t have quite as much track, but they had loops and circles and could race up the wall. These cars are still popular with little boys.

Barbie

This fashion doll made her debut in 1958. My Barbie was a popular high school student with boyfriend Ken and best friend Midge. In later years she became the ultimate career girl with different jobs from nurse to cowgirl to astronaut – all the while zipping around in her little pink Corvette.

Despite the controversy over the years about her appearance, sales of Barbie and related merchandise continue to soar.

Board Games

Even with the proliferation of hundreds of electronic and computer games for every age, board games are still popular. Who doesn’t remember playing a marathon game of Monopoly? Game night has long been a tradition for many families. The old favourites are still available today (even the migraine inducing Hungry Hungry Hippos!).

What toys have stood the test of time in your family?

For a bit of nostalgia, take a look here to see if your childhood favourite toys are featured: 1950   1960   1970   1980