The Golden Age of Playtime
If you ask '90s kids, nothing beats growing up in their era. Instead of being glued to iPads and smartphones, playtime used to be more fun and versatile, with a toy stash that ranged from simple to futuristic. These items still pop up every now and then, which just goes to show how iconic they really were. From Tamagotchi to Twister, here are 20 toys that all '90s kids loved playing with growing up.
1. Tamagotchi
Tamagotchi wasn't just a toy, but a tiny digital pet that lived in your pocket. If it beeped while you were still in the middle of class, it would cause a panic like no other; you didn't want to make any care mistakes, after all. And yes, you definitely tried to convince an adult that keeping it alive counted as “learning.”
2. Beanie Babies
At some point, it felt like every store aisle had a rotating cast of plush animals with heart-shaped tags. You could love them purely for being cute, but someone always whispered that they might be worth a fortune someday. Even if you weren’t buying the hype, you still knew their names by heart as if they were your actual friends.
daryl_mitchell from Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada on Wikimedia
3. Super Soaker
Summer didn’t officially start until you could drench someone with your Super Soaker. The pump action always made you feel like you were powering up a secret weapon. Water gun battles got so serious that sometimes, it actually felt like war in your backyard.
4. Pokémon Cards
Remember the Pokémon craze? During the era when the cards were all the rage, you’d flip through your binder like it was a sacred text, hunting for the next trade. And admit it: pulling a holographic card felt like winning the lottery. (Plus, don't get us started on Yu-Gi-Oh cards...)
5. Operation
That red-nosed buzzer had the power to turn a calm game into instant chaos. You’d hover the tweezers like an actual surgeon, acting confident even though you were panicking inside. Even when you lost, you still wanted one more try; your reputation depended on it.
6. Polly Pocket
You could fit a whole world into your palm, and that was the magic. Opening the compact was like unlocking a tiny stage set where you controlled every outfit and scene. Even if the pieces sometimes vanished into the void (read: behind your bed) forever, the charm never did.
7. Game Boy
This was the travel companion that made long car rides feel shorter and way more dramatic. From Tetris to Dr. Mario, you'd mash your thumbs on this thing for hours on end. When the batteries died, it was a heartbreak you could feel in your bones.
8. Lite-Brite
Pushing those little pegs into black paper was oddly satisfying, like you were building neon art one pixel at a time. Sure, the designs were sometimes chaotic, but depending on your patience level, you could build masterpieces, too. Once it lit up, you couldn’t help staring like you’d created your own mini billboard.
9. Furby
Truth be told, this supposedly cute, fuzzy buddy also had an unnerving aura to it, as if it were a creature that would awaken at night. You’d swear it said something slightly ominous once, but you still kept it, even though that meant stuffing it deep inside your closet.
10. Troll Dolls
Those wild neon hairstyles were basically the original mood. You always carried one around like a lucky charm, even though the hair always ended up looking even crazier by the end of the day because you'd stuffed it in your backpack.
11. Skip-It
This toy made you feel athletic even if you tripped every third spin. But it did make jump rope more fun and competitive, even if the goal most of the time was beating your own high score. Your ankles sometimes paid the price, but you kept going anyway.
Saskatoon Public Library on Wikimedia
12. Bop It
Twist it, pull it, shake it, bop it! The voice barked orders with zero patience, and somehow that made it even more fun. Honestly, even if you've never actually played it before, it was the commands that made it iconic and memorable.
Nv8200p at English Wikipedia on Wikimedia
13. Easy-Bake Oven
There was something thrilling about making food with a toy, even if the results were questionably edible. The tiny pans, the slow cooking, and the smell made it feel like you were running your own mini bakery.
14. Gak
This stuff was sticky, stretchy, and just gross enough to be perfect. You’d poke it, pull it, and pretend it was alien slime, because why wouldn't you? At least once, it ended up somewhere it absolutely shouldn’t have been.
15. Guess Who?
Flipping down faces made you feel weirdly triumphant, like you were some kind of detective hunting down a prime suspect. You’d ask your questions with way too much confidence, even if you sometimes rarely had anything rewarding come out of it. Still, nothing beat the moment when you finally shouted the name and got it right.
16. Nerf Blasters
Foam darts made you feel like an action hero in a movie without the obvious scary consequences. You’d set up ambushes behind couches and declare your living room a battlefield, even though your parents often shooed you outside. Even missing your target was fun, because the drama was half the point.
17. Hungry Hungry Hippos
This game was basically a plastic feeding frenzy, and you played it like it was an Olympic sport. The sound of marbles clacking everywhere seemed chaotic, but that was exactly why it was so fun. You definitely loved jumping up to scream "I win!" like they did in the commercials, too.
18. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Action Figures
You didn't just play TMNT on your Game Boy or watch the show on TV; you had the action figures as well, because how else were you going to pretend like you were part of the team? Even though your friends and siblings always fought over the characters, you still insisted on being your favorite turtle.
Calvin Walton from Ottawa, ON, Canada on Wikimedia
19. Twister
Twister definitely lived up to its name; by the end of it, your body was always contorted in ways you never thought possible. It was a miracle if you could hold a pose longer than 20 seconds, and somehow the spinner always betrayed you at the exact moment you thought you were winning.
Jerry Daykin from Cambridge, United Kingdom on Wikimedia
20. Barbie and Ken
These two could live a thousand different lives depending on your mood and whatever accessories you could find. One day it was a beach vacation, the next it was high drama in a dream house that definitely had too many tiny clothes, purses, and shoes. Whether you were styling hair or inventing soap-opera twists, you were basically directing your own reality TV series.
