These 7 Classic Toys We Grew Up With Are Getting Next-Gen Makeovers for Our Kids
Some childhood favorites have been given a modern look without loosing the charm.Fact checked by Sarah ScottFact checked by Sarah ScottAs a tween/teen of the ‘90s, my toy love languages included Cabbage Patch Kids, Rainbow Brite dolls, and Pound Puppies. A whiff of baby powder today takes me back to the sweet smell of a new Cabbage Patch Kid doll and I can still conjure up the pure joy of hugging a Pound Puppy whenever I need a pick-me-up.I wish I still had my original toys that meant so much to me for my own collection—and of course to pass down to my daughter. Alas (and sorry Mom for throwing you under the bus), those beloved toys either found their way into a dumpster or (hopefully) found a new home via Goodwill donations. It turns out I may not have needed to save my old toys. Due to recent reboots, repackaging, and modern twists, my daughter has spotted many of the “classics” in stores and has been instinctively drawn to them.Sure, she still has a slew of “new” toys to enjoy, like LOL and OMG dolls, and I hope that one day she’ll share those with her kids. But for now, Gen Z and Gen Alpha are connecting with so many toys from our youth, thanks to some modern updates.Here’s a look at 7 nostalgic toys that kids today are loving (and think they “discovered”).Tamagotchi
Parents/Bandai
The small, digital device that has you take care of a “virtual” pet was all the rage in the ‘90s. It was simple enough—you tended to your “creature” or it would die. There wasn’t much else to it.The passion for Tamagotchis has been reignited thanks to important updates. It now functions with Wi-Fi so you connect with your friends to check on their pets and download different items.My daughter has a Tamagotchi that she became very attached to—and cried for days the first time her “pet” died. Lite-Brite
Parents/Hasbro
Is there anything more satisfying than trying to create a “masterpiece” with Light-Brite? The light box with small colored plastic pegs that illuminate to create a lit picture has actually been around for 57 years. You had the choice of following a template or making your own design and as a kid. Nothing felt more satisfying than lighting up my pictures.Today’s remix of the Lite-Brite is so much more detailed and intricate. There are options galore to choose from including one version that forgoes the pegs and works by touching pads—you can then create art OR play games. There are also Light-Brites that now shine even brighter in HD and include templates so you can create designs, featuring favorite characters like Mickey Mouse or Hello Kitty. Care Bears
Parents/Care Bears
You simply couldn't have a bad day when you had a Care Bear to snuggle with. I realized this when my daughter was a toddler and spotted an oversized Cheer Bear at the store. She grabbed it and held on so tight that it had to come home with us. The original plush bears also included Tenderheart Bear, Funshine Bear, Good Luck Bear, Grumpy Bear, Wish Bear and more.In 2024, new, updated friends joined the crew like Good Vibes Bear–who transforms bad energy into feel-good vibes, Be Me Bear–who reminds you to stay true to yourself, and True Friend Bear–who of course, encourages the importance of friendship.They’ve also branched out with modern collabs. Care Bears have hybrid plushies with Universal monsters (aka Tenderheart as Dracula or my personal fave, Cheer Bear as Bride of Frankenstein) and Barbie’s Cutie Reveal has a Care Bear series!Girl Talk
Parents/Hasbro
A must-have at my childhood sleepovers was the board game Girl Talk. It’s essentially a coming of age take on “truth or dare.” In the ‘80s version of the game, if you chose to pass on answering a question or partake in a dare, your “punishment” was to wear a“zit sticker” on your face. While the game is timeless and still guaranteed to create memories—the updated version made some much needed tweaks.The shame of the dreaded “zit sticker” is no more and the questions/dares speak to tweens/teens of today with questions like, “How many selfies do you take in a day?”, and teens text answers to a group chat!Rubik's Cube
Parents/Rubik's Brand Ltd' title='Older and newer versions of the Rubik's Cube'>
Parents/Rubik's Brand Ltd
Rubik’s Cube has been around for 50 years and I am not the least bit surprised! The colorful, 3D combination puzzle was the source of so much angst and frustration as I desperately tried to figure out the trick to solving it! The original cube was a 3x3x3 grid of 26 multi-colored squares. Now, in 2024, the game hasn’t changed, but the options have certainly expanded.There’s now a magnetic speed cube for super fast solving, a transparent, crystal cube edition for fresh aesthetics, a mini 2x2 version for beginners that also doubles as a fidget/stress relief tool, plus there are cubes that once you solve them, resemble favorite superheroes such as Batman, Iron Man or Spiderman! Etch A Sketch
Parents/Ohio Art
I had a love/hate relationship with my Etch A Sketch. I admit it was frustrating for a kid like me, sans natural artistic ability, to create anything recognizable. That frustration was further cemented when we bought one for my daughter and my drawings were even worse than I remembered. But, today’s Etch a Sketch is a whole new world!The knobs have been replaced with a double sided stylus (one side a pen, the other a paintbrush) that you use on a pressure-sensitive screen. It’s as if you’re drawing and painting on a canvas! And the drawings are in color now! Seriously, kids don’t know how good they have it!Furby
Parents/Hasbro
Remember Furby—the stuffed animal with a mind of its own? It would just start talking gibberish and seemingly had no “off” button? Yeah, my first instinct was to “lose” the one my daughter was gifted, but thankfully, the furball has some much needed improvements.Now Furbies can hang out with your kid by dancing to music, telling fortunes, mimicking each other in silly voices and even meditating! And best of all, today’s Furby does power down! For more Parents news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter! Read the original article on Parents.
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