Top 10 Toy Lines of the 1960s
The grown-ups had free love and the Beatles… But the kids had all the real fun! Join http://www.WatchMojo.com as we count down our picks for the top 10 toy-lines from the 1960s! For this list, we've looked at those toys that dominated the children's market in the 1960s. It doesn't matter if they existed before our decade, only that their main era of popularity was within it. This is part of a series of videos ranging from the 1960s to the 2000s.
Special thanks to our users John Nolan and zendaddy621 for submitting the idea on our Suggestions Page at WatchMojo.comsuggest.
Top 10 Toy Lines of the 1960s
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The grown-ups had free love and the Beatles… But the kids had all the real fun! Welcome to WatchMojo.com, and today we’re counting down our picks for the top 10 toy-lines from the 1960s! For this list, we’ve looked at those toys that dominated the children’s market in the 1960s. It doesn’t matter if they existed before our decade, only that their main era of popularity was within it. This is part of a series of videos ranging from the 1960s to the 2000s.
#10: Twister
Right foot yellow, left hand green sometimes has us seeing red! A popular party game today, Twister turned more than a few heads when it was first introduced in the ‘60s. A simple, and by now well-known, concept that used the human body as the playing piece, the more conservative of critics branded the game as ‘sex in a box’! Naturally, with reviews like that, everyone wanted it! An ‘up close and personal’ plaything, these multi-colored circles had us bending over backwards, brandishing our behinds and tied up in knots like never before!
#9: Toy Trains
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For the less risqué among us, the humble train set was all we ever needed for fun! There is something inherently satisfying about real-life things in miniature, and never was that more true than with trains and tracks! For many, the first set was the start of a lifelong passion! A simple oval track was added to, expanded, and eventually… You had a miniature village in your spare room! Granted, the village had a disproportionately far-reaching railway system at its heart… But we were willing to suspend our disbelief!
#8: Rag Dolls
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The rag doll is one of the oldest, most ancient forms of toy known to man! But, in terms of its popularity within the modern world, the ‘60s were when it reigned most supreme! These things scored their charm by their simplicity… Often hand-made, and therefore individual, they were a brilliant by-product made up of scrap material! Patched together, or at least made to look that way, they were very difficult to break or tarnish. In fact, muddying them up a bit just made them more personal!
#7: Army Men
A must-have in any playroom during the 1960s, mini army men have invaded many a childhood since their conception! During the period between World War II and Vietnam, the armed forces enjoyed waves of positive public opinion, and that was well-reflected in the toy store! These little guys came in a variety of different shades, boasted a variety of different weapons, and promised a variety of imaginative possibilities! Just don’t step on them! It’s painful for you, and fatal for them!
#6: Jack-in-the-Box
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Another toy with an arguably ancient history, the Jack-in-the-box had far from lost its spring in the ‘60s! Seeing as it so heavily relies upon its element of surprise, it’s a little difficult to fathom exactly how ‘Jack’ achieved ongoing success… But then the majority of his magic rests in our expecting him to jump out but not knowing exactly when! If, by chance, you have a boxed clown close at hand then give it a go… We defy your heart-rate to remain constant!
#5: Rock’em Sock’em Robots
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In terms of retro-ness, there aren’t many toys to match the Rock’em Sock’em Robots! A two player game, the objective is to knock your opponents ‘block’ off, while protecting your own plastic formed face! As you and a friend sit either side of the distinctively yellow boxing ring, you button bash like there’s no tomorrow, forcing the Red Rocker and Blue Bomber into battle! In the modern world, such aggression might be taken out on a games console controller, but as of 1964 these robots were all any child needed!
#4: Easy-Bake Oven
The ideas of home cooking and housewifery might’ve changed a little since, but for the aspiring ‘60s girl the Easy-Bake Oven was often exactly what you wanted! Mom was forever making and baking, and you wanted a little piece of that pie! Or at least to make a little piece of that pie! True, the technology involved here was not about to replace the goods in your parents’ kitchen, but it did allow a kid to cook for themselves! Introduced in ’63, and popular again three decades later, it was domestic bliss in a box, all powered by a bulb!
#3: G.I. Joe
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Boys do not play with dolls! They play with ‘action figures’! The creation of our next toy in the middle of the decade demanded a more male-centric terminology for something that had, until that point, been thought of as feminine. The 12-inch G.I. Joe action figure was born so that boys need not feel self-conscious about similarities between their toys and their sisters’! Made to look like the Marines and the Armed Forces and more, G.I. Joe was AOK and then some! This toy had testosterone, and weapons! Lots and lots of wonderful weapons…
#2: Etch A Sketch
For our runner-up we revert back to the more innocent toy-box inclusion, and a product that still ‘draws’ popularity today after being introduced in the United States in 1960! With technology that continues to wow at least a little bit, the Etch A Sketch had us all plotting out our lives as a misunderstood artist! Twist the dials, displace the aluminum powder of its insides, and voila! A masterpiece! Of course, most of us didn’t get beyond the stick-man and his house of geometric shapes… But that’s post-modernism, right? RIGHT? Before we pull our top pick out of the toy box, here are a few honorable mentions: - Dollhouse - Chatty Cathy - Rocking Horse - Little Miss Echo - Spirograph
#1: Barbie
Was there ever gonna be another winner? Barbie is quite possibly the most iconic toy ever! Created by Ruth Handler and launched in 1959, it didn’t take long for this doll to dominate the market and to spawn a slew of just-as-collectible family and friends! Barbie had a grip on fashion and lifestyle unlike anything else before her. She was more than just a toy - she was a trend-setter! A position of unparalleled playtime power that would often lead to controversy, Barbie broke the rules and little girls loved her for it! Our gold medal should prove another awesome accessory! Do you agree with our list? Which toy did we leave behind? For more retro top 10s published daily, be sure to subscribe to WatchMojo.com.
