20 Toy Fads That Got Us Hooked
Posted by LuullaAdmin
Friday 2 Jun 2017
Posted by LuullaAdmin
Friday 2 Jun 2017
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We all have that one toy we desperately wanted but never got it.
Mine was the Furby. Back in the day, all the cool kids in school had one and it was like having an utterly cute talking pet. My parents told me they'll get me one too if I studied hard, so I hit the books everyday, paid attention in class and completed my homework religiously. My hard work eventually paid off (finally!) and I even topped the class. As promised, my parents were going to reward me but I didn't want a Furby anymore. I wanted something else. By then, Furby wasn't the coolest toy around because you know, toy fads come and go. Here are 22 toy fads that got us hooked at one point in our lives. Is your childhood obsession on the list?
1) Pokemon
Price:$24.99
The Pokemon craze has been ongoing for years. From mini collectible figures, trading shiny Pokemon cards and playing a range of its video games, everyone is just obsessed with catching these creatures. Just recently, Pokemon Go, the famous game available on the app store, has taken the world by storm. It has gotten hundreds and thousands of kids and even grown adults walking around, staring at their phones, repeatedly swiping the screen. Gotta catch em' all!
Price:$19.99
It's impossible for anyone to overlook this popular piece of spinning plastic at the moment: the fidget spinners. The concept of this low-tech toy is really simple. Use your pointer finger and thumb, then all you have to do is flick it to get it spinning. The hottest toy in the market this season is said to help people with autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Thus, it has sparked controversy when teachers banned fidget spinners in classrooms when it is regarded as a distraction.
Price:$75.00 Approx.
Regardless whether the fidget spinner is used for amusement, to improve focus or simply for people with fidgety hands, this stress-relieving toy craze has lead some genius to come up with the infinity cube. The upgraded fidget toy for your restless hand, it is no surprise when this cube becomes the next biggest toy fad, replacing the fidget spinners. Check out this site to see how this flexible, transformable cube works.
4) Rubik's Cube
Price:$24.99
Another cube that got everyone going bonkers is the Rubik's cube. It's a 3D cube puzzle where you mix the puzzle by twisting the rows both horizontally and vertically and then try to get all the puzzle back to its original form with one colour on each side of the cube. According to the Guinness World Records, Kaijun Lin from China has the fastest time record of 18.5 seconds to solve a Rubik's Cube blindfolded on 5th November 2016. Can you break the record?
Price:$13.64
Remember slap bracelets from way back then? Fashionable, fun and a great custom accessory among girls, these bracelets that snap around your wrist were the coolest toy craze and available in assorted colours and patterns. However, they have a relatively short life in the market especially after reports of hand and wrist injuries to children as the thin strip of metal tears the fabric and makes a cut when the wrist is struck with it.
Price:$5.99
Be prepared to be hit by nostalgia with these adorable line of plush toys stuffed with plastic pellets or "beans". As the conventional plush toys are usually more hard and stiff, Beanie Babies give a more soft and flexible feel. These exhaustive series of collectible animals are cute and cuddlier than anything else in the world.
7) Furby
Price:$48.00
Dave Hampton and Caleb Chung invented the first robotic toy that can be trained, learn and respond to human interaction : the Furby (Yes, the one I was talking about earlier). Furbies can develop a certain kind of personality as you build your relationship with it and depending on the interaction. Their native language is Furbish but they will start to pick up English words and phrases as they learn.The revival of this intelligent toy is sighted to be packed new technological advances such as voice recognition and a look that's revamped with a new range of colours and special editions.
8) Tamagotchi
Price:$19.99
In the '90s, pocket-sized virtual pets were the must-have toys and when these digital pets died, people actually broke down in tears. The Tamagotchi is the perfect toy for parents to get when their kids ask for a pet but don't want to pick up real shiz. People are so in love with this fun, interactive virtual pet that will grow and develop depending on how you nurture it. This classic game is back and available to download on the App Store. Soon you'll be spending your days caring for your thankless virtual pet like how any good Tamagotchi mother would.
9) Pet Rock
Price: $12.50
If the Tamagotchi requires too much effort, then the pet rock will be the perfect pet for you. Gary Dahl came up with this brilliant idea, a no maintenance pet, for people who are constantly complaining about their pets. Packaged in a custom-made cardboard box with handles and air holes, the pet rock nestles in its bed of wood shavings while waiting for someone to take it home. It even comes with an official training manual, The Care and Training of Your Pet Rock.
10) Tickle Me Elmo
Price:$22.98
The lovable red monster plush doll based on the character Elmo from the Sesame Street was a major hit in the market. The Elmo plush that giggles, laughs, goes into a shaking frenzy and says "That tickles!" when its belly is squeezed has saved the Sesame Street from being purchase by Disney and a German television studio. When Tickle Me Elmo was decidedly a cute Christmas gift for kids and became a national sensation, it has generated immense revenue. The toy is now hardly in sight since the Cabbage Patch Kids craze.
Price:$59.99
There was a time when everyone was crazy about this iconic soft sculptured doll with distinguishable pudgy features, the Cabbage Patch Kids. These children aren't birthed out like normal people. The story behind these dolls goes like this. When Bunnybees sprinkle magical crystal dust at a cabbage patch in a magical land, children of all shapes and sizes were born among the cabbages. These Cabbage Patch Kids would live and play in a special play call BabyLand General until some loving family decides to adopt them. With an adoption fee, you can bring these dollies home and receive a customised birth certification.
12) Ouija Board
Price:$17.99
There are people debating whether the ouija board is simply one of those childish toy fads or a serious tool to communicate with the spirits from "the other side". Also known as a spirit board or talking board, the ouija is a board is marked with alphabets from A - Z, numbers 0-9, the words "yes", "no", " hello", "goodbye" and other symbols. You place your hands lightly on a triangular pointer that rests on the board and the board spells out the answers to the questions you ask. Mystifying.
13) Magic 8 Ball
Price: $6.99
Your childhood is awesome if you've ever seek advice from the Magic 8 Ball. This ball is often used for fortune telling or seeking advice when it comes to making slightly less important decisions in your life like whether to ask someone out on a date or if you should take an extra slice of cake when you're on diet. Try out a virtual version here.
14) Mood Ring
Price:$6.99
Put on a mood ring and check in on the emotional vibe you are putting out to the world. Mood rings were extremely popular in the late 1970s. You put on the ring and it starts to interpret your emotions. It comes with a colour chart for reference on the reflected state of your emotions. There's no real scientific accuracy behind the idea but these rings are often filled with thermotropic liquid crystal that changes colour based upon the temperature of your finger.
15) Lego
Price:$99.99
Build a car, a city, a castle, a spaceship or anything you want with these colourful plastic building blocks that comes with an array of gears, minifigures and other parts. Lego pieces can be assembled and connected in many ways. Did you watch the Lego movie? You can either be creative by using your imagination or construct the pieces according to the step-by-step building instructions. Lego bricks have been around for ages and they only get get better each time. They even have really awesome movie-themed Lego sets like Star Wars, Harry Potter, The Lord of The Rings, Batman, just to name a few.
16) Koosh Balls
Price: $6.40
If you fancy a game of catch but haven't exactly master the game, getting a koosh ball is ideal to reduce the number of injuries.This soft and light-weighted ball with countless of rubber spikes is fun to toss into the air, easy to catch and floats in water too! Koosh balls come in a variety of beautiful, vibrant colours and it's hard to put these bouncy balls down once you get your hands on one!
17) Slinky
Price:$4.99
Kids back in those days find joy in the simplest toys and that includes the slinky. It's a flexible helical spring where you tip the top of the spring off a flight of stairs and watch it somersault all the way down steps. Now the slinky can be seen modified with lights and available in different colours to look more appealing.
18) Hot Wheels
Price: $54.99
Have you ever dream of becoming a star at the race track? These miniature automobiles were the coolest toys that can perform the craziest stunts at an incredible speed, for a toy of course. Just like the Lego, these car figurines come in various amazing themes and countless of other classic car models.
19) Loom Bands
Price: $3.99
Just a few years ago, rainbow loom bands were a major hit but what in the world happened to them now? People were extremely creative when it comes to using these brightly coloured rubber bands and weave them into bracelets, charms and on an expert level - a whole dress or even a mural. Some of these loom bands are scented while some even glow in the dark. However, loom bands pose as a potential hazard after many reported incidents of children inhaling these tiny colourful rubbers and getting them stuck up their noses.
Price : $39.99 Approx Retail
Based on the original Star Wars movie trilogy, these highly desirable action figures have been produced and sold for over the past 40 years! Most of the collectors for these figures especially the vintage collectibles are in the older demographics but it's no surprise the demand for these figures will continue to skyrocket. After decades, Star Wars still capture the hearts of kids and fans alike with its iconic characters, jaw-dropping vehicles and a galaxy of stories. May the force be with you.
