Can You Identify These Vintage Toys?

By: Teresa M.
Image: Mitchsantona

About This Quiz

Whether you slept with a Glo Worm or you snuggled with Teddy Ruxpin, vintage toys hold a special place in our hearts. Not only do they take us back to our childhoods, but they also fill our hearts with nostalgia. They just don't make them like they used to anymore!

Vintage toys were full of thought-provoking innovation and chunky bright colors. Kids these days are happier playing a game in an app than physically assembling something. As we go through this vintage toy quiz, we will ask you to think back to being young. Remember what it was like when a talking robot utilized a cassette tape and you thought it was amazing.

How many of the toys we ask you about do you think you'll be able to identify? We will give you 40 photos of the world's best-loved vintage toys. Then, we'll ask you to choose its name. You will have a blast getting in touch with the toys you used to love again, and you don't even have to be sad when it's over. Many of our favorite vintage toys are still available with a little internet digging. Let's see how well you do!

Since 1967, Hasbro's Lite Bright has kept creative kids busy. With paper patterns that attached to a lightbox grid, children were amused for hours by inserting plastic pegs. Once finished, masterpieces of color and light were shown off to parents around the world.

If you were born after 1962, you probably toddled along pulling a Chatter Telephone behind you. Adorable eyes moved when the toy was pulled, and it made cute ringing sounds. With its movable dial, it kept curious kids busy for hours.

The Etch-a-Sketch was invented by a German electrician in the late 1950s. While most people think that the Etch-a-Sketch is magnetic, it actually works using aluminum powder. The powder will stick to most anything including the plastic screen on the front of the Etch-a-Sketch.

Any true child of the '80s or '90s owned a My Little Pony. Released by Hasbro in 1981, My Little Pony became collectible members of the Romper Room line.

No matter what kind of heart you had as a child, there was a Care Bear out there that perfectly represented you. First released in 1981, Care Bears came in every mood from Grumpy Bear to Cheer Bear. They are still a favorite of vintage toy collectors.

If you are looking for advice, the Magic 8-Ball has been around for you since the original patent was approved in 1948. A favorite of both children and bored office workers everywhere, the Magic 8-Ball has a triangular answer for any question that's troubling you. All you have to do is ask, shake, and find out.

After the success of their Chatty Cathy dolls, Mattel put the See 'N Say on shelves in 1965. Since then, young children have been amused by pulling a string or lever to find out what each picture means.

Since 1982, children have been able to light up their rooms with the Glo Worm. Hasbro's Playskool manufactured the adorable green worm until late 2005.

Every young child longed to make their own treats in their own Easy-Bake Oven. Hasbro first released the popular skill teaching toy in 1963, and it is still manufactured. With over 500,000 sold, it remains a favorite.

Before video games, there was another way to defeat your friends. When the Rock 'em Sock 'em Robots were released in 1964, they were an instant hit! Controlled with primitive joysticks, the robots were manipulated into winning by each competitor.

Although the metal version of Jacks has been a long-time childhood favorite, the original, ancient version of Jacks was called Knucklebones. Back then, the bones of sheep toes, the knucklebones, were rolled instead of the little metal pieces we know today.

Originally created by a Danish fisherman in 1959, Troll Dolls took the United States by storm by 1965. Who couldn't love their adorable, wild hair and their friendly faces?

Mr. Potatohead was invented by a clever designer named George Lerner in 1952. Although he based Mr. Potato Head on a game called Make-a-Face that used a real potato, Lerner's game became popular for its more hygienic take.

Is it a robot or is it a car? Created by the Hasbro and the Japanese company Takara, Transformers kept older children busy for hours. After success on the shelves, Transformers grew to include a popular Saturday morning cartoon.

Released by the Ideal Toy Company in 1970, the Crissy Doll was an instant success. Later versions include a talking version called the Talking Crissy Doll. Although Crissy had a sister doll named Beth, Beth wasn't quite as popular as Crissy.

Although the company that produced the Viewmaster wasn't formed until 1938, the popular toy was originally invented in the early 1930s. It is still manufactured and entertains both children and adults alike with its miniature show.

After meeting a young woman named Pogo in the mountains of Nepal, the inventor of the Pogo Stick had an epiphany. He thought it would be fun for children to be able to hop to the temples. Thus, the Pogo stick was born in 1919.

While trying to devise a spring that would stabilize ships in rough seas, inventor Richard James accidentally created the Slinky. Back in 1943, his toy made quite a splash as it amused others by walking down stairs and performing several other tricks.

Back in 1915, Raggedy Ann was created by Johnny Gruelle. However, the doll didn't begin to sell until 1918 when the Raggedy Ann storybook was released and sold in conjunction with the doll.

Within 12 months of the release of the Furby in 1998, it had sold over 27 million units. Although it has now been rereleased with newer technology, enthusiasts still clamor for the original models.

First introduced to the Japanese public, the Tamagotchi took the whole world by storm with a worldwide sales program by 1998. It takes a lot of skill to keep a Tamagotchi alive, and many '90s parents were charged with the task while their children were in school.

When Colorforms were first sold in 1951, it was on a limited basis. FAO Swartz allowed the company to sell an initial 1000 units on their shelves, and from there the popular crafting toy took off.

In 1917, a Japanese designer created molds for Lincoln Logs and the toy was born! He based his design of the logs on architecture found at Tokyo's Imperial hotel. The hotel was designed by his father.

Initially released by World of Wonder in 1985, Teddy Ruxpin has a complicated history. After the company could no longer sustain itself and went bankrupt, Hasbro bought Teddy Ruxpin's rights. He was then manufactured from 1991 to 1996.

Look at those chubby cheeks! When Cabbage Patch Dolls were released in 1983, no one saw the extent of the craze about to come. After one year alone, over 3 million Cabbage Patch Dolls had been sold. Cabbage Patch Dolls hold the record as the most successful doll in the history of toy sales.

In 1985, Casey the Talking Robot became the cutest cassette recorder ever produced. With his boxy frame, he played anything inserted into his cassette player. His digital face was always happy to reflect the volume by opening his mouth wide for louder settings.

From 1986 to 1987, the world fell in love with both the Popples toy and the Popples cartoon show voiced by Shelly Duval. With the ability to be rolled into a ball and to pop back into shape, Popples utilized the fictional, extradimmensional, hammerspace.

Marketed as a safer alternative to bicycles and tricycles, the Big Wheel was first sold to the public in 1969. It remained popular throughout the 1970s, and remains the center of many childhood memories of freedom.

Still a favorite of Peanuts' collectors, the Snoopy Sno-Cone Machine was first sold in 1979. As long as children were willing to work the hand-cranked ice crusher, the Snoopy Sno-Cone Machine could make an endless supply of Sno-Cones!

Sold by the Sekiguchi corporation in Japan starting in 1974, the Monchichi Dolls series grew to have worldwide appeal. In the United Kingdom, this adorable monkey-like doll's name was changed to the Chicaboo. In fact, Monchichi Dolls had many different names across the world.

Although they weren't for everyone, Madballs became a hit with others starting in 1988. Now rereleased, every collector can happily purchase any ugly-faced Madball their heart desires.

First sold by Canadian toy company Irwin Toy, Tonka brought Pound Puppies to the United States in the mid-'80s. They were so popular that Hardee's included miniature versions in the kid's meals in 1987.

Created by calculator maker Texas Instruments, the Speak 'n Spell was made available to the American public in 1978. Still highly collectible, the Speak 'n Spell is also a favorite of experimental musicians across the globe.

Inventor Emo Rubik first called the Rubik's Cube the Magic Cube. In 1974, he designed the puzzle to try to explain geometry in a three dimensional way. His prototype versions weighed twice what the cube we know and love weighs today.

In the mid-'80s, the Japanese toy company Tomy introduced the adorable Omnibot to the world. The sweet robot could serve drinks on a tray, play music, and move along independently. It was followed up by a less successful robot named the Tomy Verbot.

The Little Professor Calculator made 1970's math way more fun. With its adorable owl face and large buttons for small fingers, the Little Professor Calculator was perfect for those just learning or those of us who still can't add in our heads.

Designed to do nothing other than be stretched, some consider Stretch Armstrong one of the first stress relieving toys. First released in 1976, Stretch Armstrong is now enjoying a long and flexible life by being rereleased in 2016.

With his stark good looks and his physically fit body, the He-Man Figurine appears ready to take on anything. Still sought by collectors, the He-Man Figuring was sold alongside the "He-Man and The Masters of the Universe" cartoon series in the early 1980s.

After first receiving a patent for the Raggedy Ann doll in 1915, it wasn't until the release of the Raggedy Ann story books that the creators began to manufacture Raggedy Andy dolls. A vintage Raggedy Andy doll can still fetch a fairly high price.

About HowStuffWorks Play

How much do you know about dinosaurs? What is an octane rating? And how do you use a proper noun? Lucky for you, HowStuffWorks Play is here to help. Our award-winning website offers reliable, easy-to-understand explanations about how the world works. From fun quizzes that bring joy to your day, to compelling photography and fascinating lists, HowStuffWorks Play offers something for everyone. Sometimes we explain how stuff works, other times, we ask you, but we’re always exploring in the name of fun! Because learning is fun, so stick with us!

Explore More Quizzes