| Kids growing up with today's technology might have a lot of great opportunities at their fingertips, but I am not convinced that they are having more fun than the children of the 50s and 60s. If you are a member of the baby boomer generation, you may remember these products from your childhood! |
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1. Banana Seat Bicycles - these may not have been able to take you up mountains or over difficult terrain like today's bikes, but they were one heck of a lot of fun to ride around the neighborhood during summer vacation! |
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2. Original Barbie Dolls - Everyone's favorite glamorous piece of plastic first hit the shelves in 1959 and were soon coveted by young girls everywhere |
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3. TV Dinners - Swanson were one of the early forerunners on the convenience meal market. This one had chicken, veg, sauce and an apple cobbler - all ready to be eaten in front of the TV. Delicious? |
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4. Rollerskates - Who remembers when rollerskates looked like this? They were actually invented in the 19th century, but their popularity grew hugely in the 1950s and 1960s. Simple, but effective fun. |
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5. A Pet Rock - The training manual was absolutely crucial. Who would want their pet rock to run away, or savage the next door neighbor? |
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6. Silly Putty - This toy for the ages first appeared on the shelves in the mid-1950s and has been delighting kids ever since. It is still sold today, despite the hi-tech advances of the computer age. |
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7. Pop Tarts - The unmistakable, rectangular, quick and easy breakfast snack first hit stores in 1964. They are still made today and as of 2014, sales had increased for 32 consecutive years, so they'll be around for some time yet. |
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8. Sketch.O.Matic - Who thought this to be the height of innovative technology back in the day? The Sketch.O.Matic turned us all into (temporary) artists. |
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9. Original Hot Wheels - The toy every boy wanted from the late 60s onwards, these tiny painted cars were a perfect piece of marketing. So many to collect, and enough gimmicks to keep any boomer happy. |
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10. Tang - Anyone still yearn for an instant burst of powdered fruit that allows them to drink like an astronaut? First introduced in 1957, Tang was popularized by John Glenn who drank it on the NASA Mercury mission in 1962. |
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11. Mr. Potato Head - Another enduring toy still enjoyed today, the original Mr. Potato Heads were surely best though. The smoking pipe was just too nice a touch! |
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12. Troll Dolls - These were pretty hard to miss - with their bright hair, belly button jewels and gnarled faces. They were first introduced in 1957 and have had a number of variants since. |
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13. Chatty Cathy - The inspiration for thousands of talking dolls to come, so hugely appreciated by children and desperately hated by adults. The technology that made her talk was very much in vogue back in the 1960s. |
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14. Howdy Doody - Inspired by the TV program, you could own your very own Howdy Doody from 1955. His mouth moved when you pulled a string - its big selling point as you can see from the box. |
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15. Play-Doh - The simple toy that produced so much art! Play-Doh first appeared in the States in 1956 and was exported to Europe in 1964. More than 2 billion cans had been sold by 2005. |
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