Every decade has iconic toys that we remember fondly. The 1970s were an incredible decade for new, inventive toys that captivated every child’s imagination. If you lived through the 70s, you’d remember these classic toys.
The ‘Nerf’ ball made its debut in 1969 and was the first Nerf-branded product to be released. The Nerf ball was a soft foam ball that was four inches in diameter. Kids everywhere loved the feel and texture of the new Nerf ball.
The 70s also saw the beginning of the ‘Magna Doodle,’ a magnetic drawing toy consisting of a drawing board, a magnetic stylus, and a few magnet shapes. Invented in 1974 by Pilot Corporation, over forty million units have been sold to date worldwide under several brands, including Tyco and Mattel/Fisher Price.
Who could forget the ‘Pet Rock,’ a collectible toy made in 1975 by advertising executive Gary Dahl? They were marketed as live rocks in custom cardboard boxes with straw and breathing holes. The fad lasted about six months, ending after a short increase in sales during the Christmas season in December 1975.
‘Micronauts’ was a North American science fiction toy line manufactured and marketed by Mego from 1976 to 1980. Micronauts were 3.75-inches tall, and their action figure articulation points were better than other toys of the 70s. There were also Micronauts vehicles, robots, playsets, and accessories.
The ultimate video game system in the 70s was ‘The Atari 2600.’ It was initially branded as the ‘Atari Video Computer System (Atari VCS),’ released in September 1977. It popularized microprocessor-based hardware and games stored on swappable ROM cartridges. The VCS was bundled with two joystick controllers, a pair of paddle controllers, and a Combat game cartridge that later changed to Pac-Man.
The popular board game ‘Boggle’ also made its debut in the 70s. The game is played using a plastic grid of lettered dice, in which players look for words in sequences of adjacent letters. The game was a hit with families. These 70s toys should bring back fun memories for anyone who grew up during the decade.
