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1
Atari
0The Washington Post//Getty ImagesThe ’70s saw the release of the very first Atari home gaming console, which was priced at a whopping $199. While that doesn’t sound super expensive, it adjusts to over $1,000 today. The console came with two joysticks, a pair of paddles, and a two-player game called Combat.
2
Nerf Ball
Nerf balls made their debut in 1969 and rose to fame in the ’70s. The foam-based balls were beloved by parents and children alike; children could throw them hard without hurting anyone and parents loved that the foam prevented damage and injury.
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3
Pogo Stick
The original pogo stick design dates back to the early 20th century, but its popularity resurged in a huge way in the ’70s. What’s not to love? It has a one-of-a-kind design, and most importantly, it’s just plain fun. It may take some practice to get good at it, though.
4
Lego
While the earliest Lego sets were made in the late 1940s, the classic colorful bricks became wildly popular in the ’70s. Children of all ages enjoyed following the instructions to build Lego structures, and expressing their creativity by making whatever they wanted.
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5
Elaborate Doll Houses
Building dollhouses became an incredibly popular pastime for children throughout the ’70s, though their history goes back even further as displays of wealth in Northern European countries. The possibilities were truly endless, and kids could be creative in designing their dream dollhouse, using their imaginations to create stories with the dolls that lived inside.
6
Barbie
Barbie was just as beloved in the ’70s as she is now, allowing kids to change her clothes, style her hair, and play make-believe in her brightly-colored world. Since being first launched in 1959, Barbie has not lost her pink shine.
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7
Tonka Trucks
Tonka is one of America’s leading manufacturers of toy trucks, but it began as a metalworking company focused on gardening tools. Children everywhere played with Tonka trucks in the ’70s, dreaming of the day they would be able to drive a truck of their own.
8
G.I. Joe
Even though today we know that anybody can enjoy playing with dolls, regardless of gender, G.I. Joe made dolls as cool for boys as they were for girls back in the ’70s. G.I. Joe was a must-have toy throughout the decade, and children continue to play with the toy soldier these days.
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9
Spirograph
At the intersection of math and art lies the Spirograph, which is arguably one of the strangest and coolest toys of all time. Children could spend hours drawing intricate patterns. The Spirograph continued to be a beloved toy well into the 1990s.
10
Roller Skates
Though roller skates were at peak popularity in the ’70s, they're nothing short of timeless. If you haven't put on a pair of roller skates in a while, you should definitely consider filing a skating session into your weekend plans.
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11
Magic 8 Ball
Though it was first designed by Albert C. Carter in the ’40s, the Magic 8 Ball catapulted into the toy mainstream in the ’70s when Ideal Toys, a major toy company, began advertising it to kids. The Magic 8 Ball only continued to make its way into homes all around the world, and today its design is nearly identical to the original.
12
Rock ’Em Sock ’Em Robots
Rock ’Em Sock ’Em Robots first hit toy store shelves in 1964, but it wasn’t until the 1970s that it became a must-have game for kids. The two-player game is based on boxing-themed arcade games that were popular in the early ’60s and continue to be manufactured to this day.
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13
Stretch Armstrong
Stretch Armstrong made his debut in 1976 and quickly became a favorite toy among children for his ability to stretch to nearly five feet from his normal size of roughly 15 inches. Stretch Armstrong was retired in 1997 but was revived by Hasbro in 2016.
14
View Master
Developed in the late ’30s, the View Master was a quintessential childhood toy by the 1970s. Even television series became featured on the little cardboard discs, including shows like Star Trek, Family Affair, and The Beverly Hillbillies.
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15
Lincoln Logs
Invented by John Lloyd Wright, son of the famed architect Frank Lloyd Wright, Lincoln Logs have been around since 1916. By the ’70s, they were a classic toy and were one of the first to be marketed to children of all genders.
16
Stuffed Animals
The 1970s saw the emergence of stuffed animals—plush toys designed to look like cute animated characters or animals. It’s no secret that young ones still love these soft, cuddly toys nowadays.
Nina Derwin
Nina Derwin is a Brooklyn-based writer with a passion for the art of storytelling. In addition to writing articles for various clients and publications, Nina has written several episodes of scripted television for networks including Starz and Fox.