Blog Sample - 1980s Toys Still Harnessing the Power of Play in Today’s World

The 1980s were an exciting time to be a child. We exercised with Pogo Balls and Skip Its. We celebrated that A on our spelling test by cracking open a Squeez-It. We danced to Wham in mismatched socks. Our dreams soared as high as our Aqua-net bangs. 

Of course, the toys in the 1980s were also something to behold. From Cabbage Patch Kids to Popples and Rubik’s Cube to Masters of the Universe, it wasn’t just Transformers that were more than meets the eye.  

Some of these toys have disappeared, swallowed up by history (Boglins, we hardly knew ye). But others are alive and kicking (as long as their AA batteries are fresh!). Decades later, they continue to harness the power of play.

So, what are some toys worthy of the playroom? They include:

Glowworms: Glowworms serve a few different purposes for children. Not only do they act as a snuggle buddy, but they also encourage sensory development. They can be used as a portable nightlight, too.  The newer versions sing lullabies while the older worms proved much shyer. 

Big Wheel: Big Wheels offered us the chance of freedom - we hopped on our ride and sped down the road (or at least all the way down to the end of the driveway). The sense of independence evoked by pedaling plastic continues to this day. The vintage rides can be pricy, but the newer versions work just fine. 

Teddy Ruxpin: Remember when Teddy Ruxpin wanted to be our friend? Sure, he creepily turned himself on in the middle of the night, but he was still an amiable animatronic overall. The Teddy Ruxpin of today is much more high-tech – he’s so fancy he should go by Theodore! He comes equipped with 22 programs, which help instill a sense of adventure and a love of reading in children.  

Fisher-Price Little People/Farm: A staple of every 1980s playroom, this classic farm gave us hours of enjoyment. A cow that moos? Heaven! The updated version serves the same purpose as the original – it helps children explore the world around them in imaginative ways!

Lite-Brite: Lite-Brite may have been the bane of all Hoovers, but they gave us the chance to see creativity come to life. The new product is complete with templates and, importantly, a case for all the pegs. Save the artistry and the vacuum belts.  

Care Bears: Ah, the Care Bears - The Care-a-Lot Castle, the giant rainbow slides, the star friends, the Forest of Feelings, the Caring Meter – there was so, so, so much to love. Today’s version doesn’t seem to have the magic that existed once upon a time, yet the core values persist, striving to instill a sense of right and wrong in children who watch the cartoons. 

Snoopy Sno-Cone Maker: You can purchase this original toy at places like Amazon. It helps give kids a sense of liberation as they learn to make their own snow cones. But it also fosters the idea of sharing, too. Everyone is just after the red syrup anyway. 

Speak and Spell: Speak and Spell gave us a chance to learn without realizing; this toy was f-u-n. Spelling might seem moot in today’s spellcheck world. But, with tablets and phones that autocorrect typo-prone words like “toothepaste” to “tooth roster,” knowing how to spell might actually be even more important than ever before. 

Toys come and go, with many pulled off department store shelves and exiled to basement storage rooms. But some toys – by adapting or not – go the distance, allowing them to be as powerful in today’s childhoods as they were in ours.