So, you say you were a child of the big-hair decade? Well, hop onto your BMX bike and let’s take a trip down memory lane to remember these gnarly toys and games of the 80s. From Care Bears to G.I. Joe action figures, from Trouble to Mastermind, these playthings were all the rage amongst kids in the 80s…and they still rock today!
Cabbage Patch Kids
Cabbage Patch Kids dolls were introduced in the 80s by Xavier Roberts. They became an immediate hit and maye the most sought-after toys of the 80s.
The toys were born in a small town in North Georgia, and became famous worldwide for their unique “hair” which was made from yarn hair, molded plastic faces and cloth bodies.
Kids loved adopting these cute little dolls with their big eyes that always seemed to be staring into your soul or telling you something
And if all that weren’t enough to make Cabbage Patch Kids iconic, we never would have had the exquisite Garbage Pail Kids without their chubby progenitors.
Care Bears
Care Bears toys of this decade include stuffed animals and bears that sing songs about friendship when they’re hugged.
The toys were invented by American Greetings in the 80s and became a sensation when they where featured in their own TV show, “Care Bears” which was seen all over the world.
Kids loved these cuddly toys with hearts on them that showed you how to make friends through hugs and nice deeds.
Trouble
Trouble was one of the most popular games of the 1980s, and kids played it for hours on end.
It was a game of chance, but there were also different versions that required strategy and skill as well.
The game became so famous because the die was captured under a plastic dome which players push down and release to “pop” the die, rolling it to a new number. That Pop-o-Matic action produced one of the most familiar sounds of the 1980s, to the chagrin of many parents and the delight of children.
Trouble is still around today, and it still plays the same way.
Trivial Pursuit
The 1980s saw the emergence of one of the most popular board games ever, Trivial Pursuit.
This trivia game came out in September 1982 and was an instant hit with young people because it combined entertainment (in a lighter sense) with knowledge-testing abilities.
Players learn about their hobbies as they play by asking questions from six categories: Entertainment, Geography, History, The Arts and Literature, Science and Nature (including Mathematics), Sports.
Rubik’s Cube
In 1974 a Hungarian sculptor and professor of architecture Ernö Rubik created an evolution on the puzzle – making it more complex.
Rubiks Cube was first launched in 1980, with being made by Seven Towns Ltd., and is still one of the best-selling toys ever since its release.
Players scramble to solve this three dimensional puzzle by twisting the rows and columns to return each side of the cube to one solid color.
It’s known as a “puzzle” because there is no best way on how to solve it, but instead players are encouraged to experiment with different ways until they find their own solution.
Players learn about solving puzzles in addition using spatial reasoning to understand the different levels of complexity.
This toy is a great way to teach and learn how to work through complicated problems in an enjoyable and rewarding way!
My Little Pony
My Little Pony were a line toys that stirred up a lot of controversy in the 80s.
Created by Hasbro, My Little Pony toys became popular among girls who love to collect them and play with their different characters’ cutie marks and personalities.
These toys teach compassion and empathy for others while also teaching kids about friendship! Girls can share these toys and toys can become good friends — you know, in a creepy, inanimate sort of way.
And the controversy?
The invasion of the My Little Pony universe by *gasp* boys. Bronies unite!
My Buddy Doll
Introduced by Hasbro in 1985, the My Buddy Doll was marketed as “A Real Pal” and “a little boy’s special friend.”
Popular with kids, this doll also gave adults the creeps.
Sure, he was cute and all, but that expression of his never changed! And, as the box mentioned, buddy wanted to go with you EVERYWHERE.
It didn’t take long for that budding uneasiness to bleed into the truly adult arena of horror movies. Released in 1988, “Child’s Play” featured a murderous doll named Chucky.
(Like Toys and Games that Ruled the 80s? Then you might like our article on Toys from the 70s and 80s, click here.)
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