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What era do you think of when you hear the word “retro?” The ’90s? The ’50s? As it happens, you’ll find toys from both of those decades and several in between on the market today. Before we get into the best retro toys, let’s talk about the lingo.
The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines the word “retro” as meaning: “relating to, reviving, or being the styles and especially the fashions of the past: fashionably nostalgic or old-fashioned.”
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Now, to be sure, that definition doesn’t cast retro things in a pejorative light, but it does certainly allude to them being out-of-date, even if not without merit. Today, though, we’re taking things in an entirely positive direction; the items featured on our list of the best retro toys may be classics from the past, but they are just as much fun today as they were when they first hit store shelves (or were wrapped and tucked under the tree) all those many years ago.
In other words, while a Nintendo Switch or a 3Doodler 3D Pen might make an awesome gift for a kid (and hey, a Snapmaker 3D printer might make an awesome gift for you…), you won’t see anything like that here, because those devices haven’t stood the test of time. But the retro toys below sure have, so you can count on them to make great gifts this holiday season just like they have for years—or even for decades.
Did you know that the Razor Scooter is now in its third decade? The Model A was released in the year 2000 and sold millions of units in the first few months alone. Fun for indoor or outdoor riding, suitable for kids of varied sizes and ages, and yes, fun for adults, too (though treat yourself to something like a YES Electric Scooter from Yvolution if you really want to get your kicks), Razor scooters are just undeniable good, clean fun.
Versions of the Spirograph arguably date back to the 1800s, but the classic toy you may well have loved as a kid was first sold back in the year 1965. The version you can get today (actually, there are several versions, including junior and deluxe options) is little changed from that set, and the same holds true for the fun that can be had creating intricate original works of art using a Spirograph, either.
If you were a kid in the 1980s, you likely remember when the OG Koosh ball came out. It was an instant must-have for kids everywhere, and for plenty of dogs, too. Why? Well, because throwing and catching balls has always been fun. And when they’re easy to catch and hard to get hurt by, the fun only increases.
First invented by a pair of moms working with their sons back in 1973, Shrinky Dinks have been a beloved toy ever since. Not only is it fun to create artwork that is “magically” shrunk down after a few minutes in the oven, but Shrinky Dinks are also perfect for kids who want to make gifts or ornaments that they will then give to others.
It’s the classic game of strategy. It pits wits against one another. It challenges you to see just how long you can keep making intentionally poor moves so you don’t immediately defeat your child! But he or she won’t know you’re going easy on them, they’ll just be having fun playing with you.
OK, so technically Loog is not a classic brand, the company only having been formed in 2010, but a guitar is about as classic a gift as can be had, and with their superb guitars, many of which are fun to use and are great learning tools, kids will not only enjoy learning to pay, but they may actually stick with it, too. And before long they may be jamming on a large six-string.
According to our research, to channel D.A. from “The Magic School Bus,” Lincoln Logs have been around for just about a century now. While fun on its own, as has been the case for all those many decades, what’s best about this classic building toy is how using Lincoln Logs invites the use of other playthings, like action figures or other building materials.
These timeless wooden trains have been sold since the 1950s and they will surely still be popular with kids of many ages in the 2050s and, quite likely, the 2150s and beyond, too. A great train set ushers in hours of imaginative play, and kids can tie other toys as well, from action figures to building toys and more. And you can always go with a Christmas-themed train set if you want to amp up the holiday gifting of it all.
Again, like the Loog guitar, this is a newer company but a truly timeless toy—kids simply love chasing and popping bubbles—and so do some adults. Plus, when the bubbles are high quality and the brand has sustainability high in mind, who cares if these aren’t the exact same bubbles you played with as a kid?
Hape has been making puzzles (and other toys) since the late 1980s, and today there’s a Hape puzzle for everyone, from a huge glow-in-the-dark puzzle that’s nearly four feet across to the simplest four-piece puzzles that babies can play with and everything in between. Their puzzles are durable enough to be used again and again.
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