Did you play with popular toys in the 1970s? It was the last era of purely imaginative play. The 80s would usher in digital toys and endless action figures.
Are you wondering where your favorite toy lines ended up? Some memorable 70s toys are still out there. Others got yoinked forever because of safety standards.
Read on to find out more!
Weebles are little round-bottom and egg-shaped people. This retro toy was popular because it would “wobble” without falling over. It also had a famous and oddly inspirational commercial jingle: “Weebles wobble, but they don’t fall down.”
Weebles are still around today, although they’re usually a roly-poly version of popular cartoon characters. Both Pepa Pig and Disney produce weeble-wobbled characters.
It’s a rare chance you know about clacker balls unless you actually played with toys from the 70s. That’s because clackers are a big safety hazard, according to the U.S. and Canada. They had a tendency to shatter when they weren’t causing injuries.
Oddly enough, clackers saw a political resurgence in Egypt in 2017. Their nickname was “Sisi’s balls” after President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, and not for flattering reasons. However, the police eventually cracked down on rogue clacker sellers, and they disappeared once more.
Vertibirds are little toy helicopters capable of flight. Unlike battery-powered helos that can crash into anything, however, Vertibirds were electric and remained safely attached to their power source.
There are many similar versions and knock-offs, but actual Vertibirds aren’t made anymore. These vintage toys are highly popular with collectors. Some people even make DIY versions.
This goop-based activity was among the more memorable toys, but not for normal nostalgia reasons. Children would glob a lump of plastic on the end of a straw and then blow through the other end. This created a large bubble that was sturdier than a soap bubble and less combustible than a balloon.
Unfortunately, the plastic had the same ingredients as glue and nail polish remover. Kids were habitually inhaling toxic fumes. Similar non-toxic versions are still around, but you won’t see the OG Super Bubble sold in the children’s section anymore.
Before the unexpectedly powerful rise of the Pokemon franchise, there were pet rocks. Your smooth pet rock came complete with googly eyes, a snuggly crate with air holes, and a care and feeding guide.
Pet rocks are still sold online today. While they don’t compare to the pet rock craze of the 70s, there is apparently a national Pet Rock Day. So don’t miss out on pet rock celebrations every Sept 4th!
Most people have happy memories of their toys, even if those toys wouldn’t be sold today. Popular toys in the 1970s had some creative ideas, even if their execution wasn’t always great.
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