The totally awesome toys of the 1980s made it a decade of top toys. Strengthened by mass merchandising of Star Wars toys and products, the toy market blew up in the 1980s, with many great hits. From Cabbage Patch Kids – which caused some people to get hurt – to the Atari 2600 and Intellivision video game system, there were a lot of toy innovations in the 1980s. When it comes to the history of toys timeline, the 1980s stand out as a decade dedicated to toys. From Fisher Price Toys to LEGO bricks and playsets, there were toys for everyone.
If there’s one top toy that represents the 1980s, it has to be the super popular Cabbage Patch Kids. At one point they caused a flurry, with moms and dads getting hurt while trying to secure one of the first “must-have toys” for Christmas.
The babies actually started in the 1970s as the Little People – made by hand out of a house. At some point, they were bought out and production increased. The name also changed to Cabbage Patch Kids, although the dolls looked similar and had the same “birth certificates.”
Once they were mass produced and marketed, kids went crazy for them. As one of the first toys to cause big sensation when parents began getting hurt trying to locate the toy, Cabbage Patch Kids are going to hold a place in the history of toys as one of the ones that caused quite a stir.
For boys, action figures were huge in the 1980s. From Star Wars (Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi) to all the other movies and television shows that had action figures, there was something for everyone. And each year, a new version would come out with a slightly different outfit or gun. Today, some of those early 1980s action figures are worth a lot of money depending on what type of condition they are in.
As well as action figures, there were a lot of vehicles as well. For example, the Millenium Falcon was a huge (expensive) gift that many a boy lusted after for Christmas. The Death Star playset from Star Wars was another favorite with many children of the 1980s. There were many smaller vehicles available, however. In fact, there were toys at all price levels. This is some of why action figures were so popular in the 1980s.
TIME Magazine has a great list of toys throughout the decades. Here are some of them for the 80s alone with our thoughts on these totally awesome toys that are now classics.
Slap Bracelet – Forget about silly bandz! These were the first of the fad toys that are jewelry related.
Masters of the Universe Action Figures – HeMan, SheRa and the whole gang had a lot of great large action figures.
Glo Worm – This was a must-have toy for all baby boys and girls and they were seen everywhere for many years after the 80s were over!
Care Bears – There was a Care Bear for everyone – even boys! Geared toward smaller children, they are still somewhat popular today – especially to collectors.
My Little Pony – Girls loved these little plastic ponies with hair they could style. They had a back-story like Cabbage Patch Kids, but they never really took off as much.
Transformers – Yes, the Transformers toys were originally hot in the 1980s. The franchise is still chugging along in the 21st century with live action movies, but the cartoon sold a LOT of toys in the 1980s.
Teddy Ruxpin – This teddy bear was one of the first really popular speaking toys. A lot of small boys and girls loved this story telling bear.
Snoopy Sno-Cone Machine – CLASSIC! You can still find this at a garage sale or flea market sometimes or listed on eBay and it usually brings back a lot of memories. Mostly, working three hours grinding the wheel for half a cup of ice! Classic toy!
Pound Puppy - These were popular for a while, using the collectible feature.
Koosh Ball – Basic toy, but fun and everyone had to have one at some point.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles – The turtles were hip and cool in the 80s. From comic books to cartoons, they were beginning their rise to fame and had a lot of toys made for them.
Do you have any favorite toys of the 1980s? If so, leave your memories below! Share a comment and let us know what toys you played with in the 1980s. Looking back, it can be fun to see what was popular. Also, it’s interesting to see how trends sometimes replay themselves. That is, if you look at the top toys of the 80s you can see patterns that can help you pick out the top toys of the 21st century before they are noticed by everyone.
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