If you grew up watching He Man and Inspector Gadget, when you weren’t playing Nintendo or Atari, and you spent most afternoons riding your bicycle around the neighbourhood with colourful spokey-dokeys, you’re going to love this trip down memory lane, as we present to you, 20 retro toys that you can still buy today!
There’s something immensely pleasurable about watching your own children play with toys that you loved as a kid. Even better is finally buying the toy that your mum and dad never bought for you despite your endless requests! It’s not too late… every retro toy featured below can still be bought today.
1. Wooden block ABC Push Trolley
Wooden toys have always been popular because of their quality and durability. Children the world over continue to delight in this educational toy.

Playskool’s classic alphabet block wagon produced in the 1970’s via ETSY

Janod – ABC Walker via Toy Galaxy
2. Klorofil magic tree
This lovely tree house with play figures invites imaginative play, just as it did when it was first released, 40 years ago.
3. Rubik’s Cube
Since its international launch in 1980, an estimated 350 million Rubik’s Cubes have been sold. Now a new generation of kids can puzzle over this clever cube.
4. Troll Dolls
Troll dolls were originally created in 1959 by a Danish fisherman and woodcutter called Thomas Dam. When Dam could not afford a Christmas gift for his young daughter, he fashioned a unique doll for her which came to be known as a Dam Doll, and later, a Troll Doll.

Wooden Troll Doll by Thomas Dam via DamWorld.com

Rubber Troll Doll by Thomas Dam from the late 1950’s via DamWorld.com
Today, you can find a lot of Troll Dolls on eBay.

Troll Dolls via kesan92 on Ebay
5. Cabbage Patch Dolls
Cabbage Patch dolls were all the rage in the 80s, and they’re still available for adoption more than 30 years later!

Xavier Roberts with the original “Little People” which later became Cabbage Patch Kids via Rusty Zipper

Cabbage Patch Kids via cabbagepatchkids.com
Note: There’s an interesting history video on VICE contesting the originality of the dolls. Interesting feature here: The Secret History of the Cabbage Patch Kids.
6. Fischer Price Telephone
One of Fisher Price’s best-selling toys, the “chatter” telephone is still popular with babies and toddlers.

1985 Vintage Fisher Price Telephone Chatter Phone via icollector

Fisher Price Telephone from Target
7. Operation board game
You’re the doctor in this classic board game which has stood the test of time. The current version is a little different to the traditional version, but still a lot of fun. Over the years there’s even been Shrek, The Simpsons, Spider Man, Incredible Hulk, Iron Man, SpongeBob SquarePants, Doctor Who, Toy Story, Cars, Family Guy and a number of other special editions of the game.

Original 1965 First Edition of Operation via Amazon

Operation via Myer
8. Etch a Sketch/Magna Doodle
The simplicity of this magnetic drawing toy which you can draw on endlessly still has the same appeal today as it did when it was first released.

Antique Etch-a-sketch via Collectors Weekly

Magna Doodle via Toys R Us
9. Tonka trucks
Tonka trucks have never been out of fashion, or out of production since they were first manufactured. In fact, the original trucks have become popular collectors’ items while the newer ones continue to grace many children’s back yards and sand pits.

Vintage 1970’s Mighty Tonka Dump Truck via tryna-buy

Tonka Classics Steel Quarry Dump Truck via Tonka
10. Tupperware Shape-O Toy
It’s a kids’ toy with a lifetime guarantee! Shake it, roll it, sort the shapes and deposit them into the ball. It looks pretty much the same now as it did in 1969.

Shape-O Toy via Tupperware
11. Care Bears
These cuddly bears have been loved by children for generations and their popularity has resulted in television series and films. The latest series, Care Bears and Cousins, is available to watch on Netflix.

1983 Vintage Care Bears 13″ Plush Sunshine Bear via Amazon

Rainbow Care Bear via Big W
12. My Little Pony
Another product of the 80s, My Little Pony figurines have been a popular toy over the decades. The official website has pony themed games, videos and lots of information about the pony characters.

My Little Pony Original 1984 Collection via Amazon

Rainbow Dash Pony via Hasbro
13. Mr Potato Head
Many people know the potato head toys from the Toy Story films, however, they were originally invented in 1949 and first manufactured in 1952. Fans of the toy will be pleased to know that the character of Mr Potato Head will return in Toy Story 4.

1952 Mr Potato Head via Wikipedia

Toy Story Mr Potato Head via Toys 4 Kids
14. Smurfs
Da da dada dada! Did you have a favourite smurf? You can still collect the retro smurf toys on ebay, or buy the modern Schleich figurines, made popular by the recent Smurf films.

1981 Vintage Surfing Smurf with Surfboard via Amazon

2011 Smurfs via Toy Dreamer
15. View Master/Slide Show viewer
Remember these?! It was like looking into a pair of binoculars, except you would watch slides that you could click through on a reel. Despite all the modern technology we have now, these simple view masters, and similar toys, such as kaleidoscopes, are still popular today.

Retro View Master via Amazon

View-Master Virtual Reality via Amazon
16. Baby Alive
A baby doll that could “eat” and produce wet nappies was a marvel in its time. Now there’s a large collection of Baby Alive dolls and accessories available, perfect for children who love to role play as mummy or daddy.
Below is a 1979 Baby Alive Doll

Baby Alive Doll via Mr Toys
17. Glo Worm
If you still feel comforted by the thought of a cuddly green worm which glows when squeezed, you’ll be pleased to know that they’re still available to purchase.

1982 Hasbro Playskool Vintage Glow Worm via Amazon

Glow Worm via Toys R Us
18. Slinky
Slinkys are an inexpensive retro toy that never grows old. There’s also some interesting science behind why the slinky moves as it does.

Slinky via National Geographic
19. Marbles
Probably both you and your parents played marbles as a child, and now our own kids are discovering this enjoyable game. If you’ve forgotten the rules, here’s a little refresher.

This marble was made sometime between 1850-1870 and sold for over $13,000 AU via Marbles Galore

Deluxe Marbles via Online Toys
20. Elastics
Here’s a simple game that gets kids active and has been played by generations. Click here for some ideas on how to get the kids started with elastics.

Elastics via Down that Little Lane
Which toys did you love as a child? Have you bought any retro toys for your children?
4 Comments
Rachael Fox
October 29, 2017 at 2:47 pmI had a Klorofil family tree when I was little. I had so much fun playing with it.
Kelly - Be A Fun Mum
October 31, 2017 at 8:36 amIt’s lovely to think back and remember.
Dreaming Unicorns
December 28, 2018 at 12:50 pmSo many cool old toys I remember from when I was a kid
Kim VdB
July 11, 2019 at 8:07 pmI remember playing with My Little Pony toys when I was just a kid!!!! They were the best.