Thinking back to childhood toys brings a sense of nostalgia for most people.
Almost everyone is able to remember a favorite toy that they just had to have, and once they had it, just couldn’t live without – at least until the next hot toy was released.
From Rainbow Brite to Big Wheels, everyone had their personal favorite.
Well, if you can’t remember one, then let’s take a stroll down memory lane and reminisce over some favorite childhood toys.
Teddy Ruxpin
You’re not truly a child of the ’80s unless you remember Teddy Ruxpin.
This mechanical marvel of 1985 transfixed children with his moving eyes and mouth.
This might not seem that technologically amazing in this day and age, but it was for the ’80s.
One of the first talking toys on the market, Ruxpin ended the days of one-sided conversations.
Temple University freshman Mimi Procta vividly remembers playing with Teddy.
“I remember first getting a Teddy Ruxpin and being amazed that he was talking to me,” she said.
“I was blown away.”
Teddy Ruxpin was created by Ken Forsee, an engineer for Disney, who used the same technology from Disneyland’s talking creatures to create Teddy.
For those of you too young to remember how good ‘ol Teddy worked, cassette tapes were placed in his back so he was able to speak, sing, and teach kids good values about friendship and sharing.
See, it’s all starting to come back.
Cabbage Patch Kids
What childhood favorite was designed in 1976 by a struggling art student and was initially called the “Little People”?
Unless you lived under a rock in the ’80s, you’d know it was the Cabbage Patch Kids.
Everyone, especially parents, should remember the mad dash of Christmas of ’83, when everyone was trying to get their hands on a Cabbage Patch Kid.
The Patch pandemonium began after the dolls made an appearance on a television show in 1980.
The uniqueness of the dolls made them even more desirable; each doll had a name and birthday and even came with adoption papers and a birth certificate.
G.I. Joe
The ’80s also saw the very successful return of a toy from the ’60s.
In 1964, G.I. Joe was a foot tall, but by the early ’80s, Joe and his pals received a bit of a face-lift.
Joe and his friends, as well as the enemy Cobra now stood less than four inches tall.
Who ever said that size matters?
The immense success of G.I. Joe was accompanied by a cartoon, a comic and the ever-important lunch box.
My Buddy/Kid Sister
Who can forget My Buddy?
The catchy jingle alone is memory enough for some: “My Buddy, My Buddy/ Wherever I go, he’s gonna go/ My Buddy, My buddy/ My Buddy and me!”
My Buddy was a bit big for a doll, 21 inches, but he was successfully marketed as a playmate for young boys.
Of course, you can’t talk about My Buddy without bringing up Kid Sister, who was created after the success of her male counterpart.
These simple toys didn’t have any special moves or cool clothes, but nevertheless they were great companions for kids.
“[Kid Sister] went everywhere with me,” said junior Kate Hagenbuch.
Atari
Who can forget the home video system that started it all?
Not X-Box or Playstation – I’m talking about Atari you silly kids.
Although Atari, wasn’t the first home video game system (Odyssey beat them to it), it set the pace for the current video game craze.
Produced in the late ’70s, Atari has become synonymous with being an ’80s pastime.
“I remember playing Pac-Man for hours and hours with my older brother,” said sophomore Brian Gary.
No matter what your favorite childhood toy was, it’s always fun to take a stroll down memory lane.
Toys, foods and television shows from childhood always seem to evoke memories of a simpler time.
You never know, we might just have to take a nice stroll again.
Patrice Williams can be reached at patricew@temple.edu.
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