Kids have long held a fascination for rockets and toy stores have long offered an ample supply of plastic replicas. But if you wanted to actually fly one in the 70s, you had two choices – either take up the involved hobby of model rocketry, or just buy a cheap water rocket. Fill it up, give it a few pumps, fire it skyward and hope it returns. Simple. … read more
Electronic games were all the rage in the late 1970s, and sitting at the top of the pedestal was Merlin, a handheld device that looked more like a portable phone than a toy. Programmed to play an assortment of fun and challenging games, Merlin packed quite a punch and, as such, became a must-have toy towards the end of the decade. … read more
If you ever combated the boredom of a rainy day or a long car ride by sticking little pieces of thin vinyl to a colorful background based on your favorite cartoon, TV show or movie, then you are likely familiar with Colorforms, one of the most beloved and best-selling toys throughout the 1970s decade. Let’s take a look back. … read more
Kids love to abuse their toys, but every once in a while a toy turns the tables and inflicts a little abuse of its own. With its goofy smiling face, the Water Wiggle seemed innocent enough. Simply throw on your bathing suit, attach the toy to the outdoor faucet, turn the water on … and watch all hell break loose. … read more
What’s not to love about a sno-cone in summer? Even better, what if you could make them yourself? Well, the folks at Hasbro had 1970s kids covered thanks to two iconic sno-cone machines, each of which churned out millions of the icy treats over the decade, building the arm muscles of thirsty kids all over Long Island. … read more
More exciting than croquet or horseshoes, Lawn Darts once held the distinction of being a fun outdoor game to play in backyards, beaches and parks across America. Today, they are illegal in most areas. Read on to learn how Lawn Darts went from popular recreation activity to the toy that would live in infamy. … read more
Just about every kid in the 70s, at one time or another, either owned or wanted a Lite-Brite. And if you didn’t have one, you played with one belonging to someone else. The opportunity to create one’s own pictures from a palette of colorful pegs, was just too enticing to pass up. … read more
Yeah, the Kenner Easy-Bake Oven was marked towards girls, and it was unlikly that most boys were going to add it to their Santa wishlist. But once the yummy treats started emerging from oven, ready to be gobbled up, gender took a backseat to appetite, making the Easy-Bake popular with anyone within close proximity. … read more
Blowing soap bubbles is a cherished childhood tradition, but what if you wanted to create a colorful sphere that you could actually play with? In the 70s, the fine folks at Wham-O toys came up with the perfect solution – Super Elastic Bubble Plastic. Just squeeze a small portion out of the tube, attach it to a small straw and blow the bubble of your dreams. … read more
In 1976, Mattel Toys unleashed a green snot-like substance on an unsuspecting public in the form of Slime. Sold in a green garbage can and certain to bring hours of fun grossing out your friends, parents and siblings, Slime made quite the splash on the toy market, especially when the holidays rolled around. … read more
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