When you look back to your childhood, was it all about those magical Christmas mornings when you finally got that Ghostbusters fire station? Whether you were a child of the 80s, or you grew up a few decades prior, the excitement that came out of getting a toy why is something that can’t be recaptured. And when we start to look at buying gifts for our children, we may find ourselves overwhelmed with choice. But sometimes, there are toys that stand the test of time, and there are quite a few around that have never gone out of style. If you’re looking for some inspiration, or you want to relive a little bit of your childhood, what toys or games are still out there?

LEGO

LEGO has really appeared to stand the test of time, but it’s one of those toys that has evolved. The great thing with LEGO is that when you look back a few decades ago, it was simple, and as the 80s wore on, it started to come with remote controls, and at the beginning of the 21st century, the tie-ins with numerous movies LEGO came back with a vengeance. Looking at the Star Wars franchise, LEGO has evolved so much. And if you’re looking for the best LEGO Millennium Falcon, Luke Skywalker, or even video games, LEGO has the brand covered! Now, with the LEGO movies, as well as the various series involved with the Marvel universe, it’s safe to say that LEGO is one of the primary brands right now!

The Nintendo Products

Video games have changed over the years, but Nintendo is still fighting the more popular companies like PlayStation and Xbox. During the late 1980s, Nintendo developed a handful of consoles that changed the gaming world forever. From the Nintendo entertainment system to the Game Boy and the Super Nintendo, and now with the Nintendo Switch it’s still firmly the pinnacle of family entertainment. While the first person singular shooters and Minecraft are pretty much in every child’s home, Nintendo is still fighting its corner. And even now with a focus on the retro games, Nintendo is still capitalizing on its 1980s heyday.

Barbie

Is she still the queen of dolls? It certainly seems so! Since her unveiling in 1959, barbie has stuck to her principles. While certainly, in the modern-day, there may be a debate as to her efficacy, especially now as barbie might appear to fly the flag for outdated feminine attitudes. But as there has been a makeover to bring her into the 21st century, she still appears to be a popular time with young children. The fact is that, despite there being many other competitors vying for a slice of the pie, like Cindy, Barbie, as well as her spin-offs, are still going!

Monopoly

Yes, even the board game that seems to red families apart is still going strong! While it’s such a simple thing, do what you can to get as much money as soon as possible, this may be the key as to why it’s so popular. Monopoly started back in 1903 but had a rebranding 30 years later. And now, it’s the game that we all have a very strong opinion of. Whether it teaches your children about money, or it brings up old resentments, monopoly is bound to make an appearance at many a Christmas party this year! But why is it so popular? It might very well be to do with the fact that it brings people together, albeit not in the most united of ways!

The Yo-Yo

You can argue that it’s not popular anymore but the great thing about the yo-yo is that like it’s shaped its popularity is very cyclical. And for something so deceptively simple, and dates back to 400 BC, it’s a fantastic way to get creative, improve focus, and while the 1970s was when the Yo-Yo was at its zenith, it still gets a rebranding now and again, making it popular with younger children in the schoolyard.

Trivial Pursuit

The biggest quiz game of them all! And while, like Monopoly, there can be a few fights between the family, the fact that it’s so popular and has numerous spinoffs to its name shows that it’s not going away. It’s not just a general knowledge quiz anymore, for those that love Harry Potter, The Simpsons, or even Game Of Thrones, can sit down and put their knowledge to the test. Listen closely, and you can hear the sounds of families debating until they’re blue in the face over the chemical symbol for Potassium (it’s K by the way).

Etch-a-Sketch

Arguably one of the most important toys anybody can have a young age. Amazingly it was discovered by accident, but for so many children, it’s a way of learning coordination, while still experiencing that little bit of magic that, when you’ve drawn something, it can disappear just like that! Since the 1960s approximately 200 million of these have been sold. It’s hard to argue with this! And when you’re stuck to get something for your child at Christmas, and you want to encourage some sort of creativity, you cannot go wrong with this!

Play-Doh

Simple and very messy, Play-Doh is one of the most enduring toys over the last 50-years. It is also one of the biggest selling products for young children. While there are so many accessories, where you can create different shapes, or even set up your own Play-Doh kitchen, the concept of molding something into whatever you want is so simple and fantastically effective.

There are plenty more we could list such as the bicycle or My Little Pony, but as the years go by, and toys come and go there are a few that stand up to the test of time. Why is this? Perhaps it’s because they’ve been there longer, but it might very well be for a very simple reason, that they are just fantastic toys and games. Some things never go out of style, and if you’re stuck for inspiration, try a few of these.