10 Classic Toys And Their Surprising Histories

By Casey Mullins

There are some toys that just seem to stand the test of time. Toys that I played with as a little girl that are now popular with my little girl. Toys that my own parents played with and still have tucked away in a basement. Some of the most popular toys were complete accidents while others have a history that includes war and possible racism.

Think you are up on classic toy history? Check out these 10 classic playthings and see.

I'm happy to say I have played with every toy on this list. Addie has played with more than half (sorry love, but if you want to play with silly string you’re going to have to do it at another house.) Lincoln Logs have the same familiar wooden scent as they did 22 years ago, Slinkys still make that magical sound as they walk down stairs, there’s still nothing better than opening a fresh box of crayons and hula hoops have become my favorite way to exercise.

Proof that classics never die.

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For even more secret history behind your favorite toys, visit Babble

PHOTOS: Classic Toys

Comments

[Patrick L Coleman]

05:30 PM on 01/06/2012

Interesting -- reads a lot like the list in Mental_Floss: The Book. Guess "journalism" hasn't changed much.

[butchcliff]

06:23 AM on 12/29/2011

Found the background of silly string to be most interesting. Ingenious.

[onwisconsin]

01:01 AM on 12/29/2011

My favorite toys in childhood were my erector sets, tinker toys, and Lincoln logs. I was never much of a girly-girl. One of my nieces is a lot like me. It's good for her to have an aunt who shares her passions. In the 60s and 70s where I grew up, if you were different, you paid for it every single day.

[signgrrl]

12:17 PM on 12/29/2011

gee, that last line sounds awfully familiar. . . . . . :-(

[psandysdad]

11:56 AM on 12/28/2011

Didn't even mention Lego. I'm older than color TV and I still work with the things.

[onwisconsin]

01:04 AM on 12/29/2011

Two nephews and two nieces of our crew love legos. I just spent a large part of the holidays with Harry Potter and Star Wars kits with those kids. Fun!

[bonnieg711]

11:27 AM on 12/28/2011

Does anyone remember a baby doll from the 60's--she had a switch in back of her neck--when you moved the switch--the doll had a laughing face--move the switch again & it would change her face into a crying baby---












I forgot what the third switch did. Please ans. me

[Jon Nadelberg]

02:23 AM on 01/04/2012

I think I saw that on an episode of Twilight Zone....

[gurke75]

10:42 AM on 12/28/2011

I love that today's Crayons smell like the Crayons of my childhood.

I'm surprised Legos aren't on this list. My nieces didn't show any interest in Legos. I'm hoping that when my nephew get past the hey-what's-this-I'll-put-in-my-mouth stage, he'll play with Legos--or, more accurately, I can play with Legos in the guise of showing him how to play with Legos.

I still have my Slinky from the 80s. A nice, metal Slinky. The plastic ones now-a-days don't make the same noise.

Of course, that's my complaint of most toys now-a-days...to plasticy and not built to last. I want a toy that will hurt when dropped on my foot and, that will require me to get a tetinus shot, that can be melted down--or thrown at the enemy--in time of war, or whose lead coating would provide a good protection from radiation (assuming I don't die from licking it first).

OK, so maybe plastic has its good points. But still...does it have to be so flimsy?

[LivelyLexie]

09:36 AM on 12/28/2011

Crayons are considered toys? I still love a fresh box of Crayolas. No other brand comes close.

[Shyla22]

09:34 AM on 12/28/2011

Anyone rememeber Jammie Pies from the 80s??

[sassycats61]

09:29 AM on 12/28/2011

At some point in my childhood, I played with all of these toys except for the sock monkey.

[carnivaluv]

11:18 PM on 12/29/2011

Me too.

[aslkell]

09:25 AM on 12/28/2011

How awesome that Silly String has been able to aid our troops!

[vtmv]

08:56 AM on 12/28/2011

What about Silly Putty? I got my first egg in the early 1960s. I have one in my desk drawer as I type. I've lost count of how many I have bought over the years. Long live Silly Putty!

[haganj3]

08:20 AM on 12/28/2011

I can see a kid now getting a GAF Viewmaster and throwing it aside screaming "Where is my IPhone?"

[TaxpayingVoter]

01:44 AM on 12/28/2011

I LOVED Tinkertoys and I always wanted Lincoln Logs but never got them.

[FSMbaby]

08:31 PM on 12/27/2011

Man I loved Slinky. I had one that I left in my grandparents yard and my pap ran it over with the riding lawnmower. It wrapped all around the blades and made quite a mess. Luckily my pap was a real laid back guy.

[xxx xxxx]

06:53 PM on 12/27/2011

I just cared about my Super Nintendo.

[Shyla22]

09:34 AM on 12/28/2011

Oh! oh! oh! I got one for Christmas this year!!!

[LivelyLexie]

09:37 AM on 12/28/2011

SNES was the best. I love that they have all those games on the Wii now.