Toy Story 4, which opened in theaters this June, became the biggest box office animated film blockbuster yet—and it’s no wonder, with beloved toys like Mr. Potato Head playing a starring role.
Toys that engage the body, mind, and imagination, still hold the #1 place in the hearts of children, despite the pervasiveness of digital devices.
In fact, Mr. Potato Head and Play Doh are the top vintage toys that have withstood the test of time, according to new a study of 2,000 American parents.
Other toys that are still starring in American homes and continue to enchant kids after decades of familiarity include trolls, toy phones, teddy bears, and plastic dinosaurs.
Board games have proven to be timeless, as well. Whether you grew up in the ’70s, ’80s, or 90s, families can’t get enough of classic board games—particularly, Scrabble, Monopoly, Candy Land, the Game of Life, and Mouse Trap. They all ranked in the top 30 of toys that were played with by both parents and, later, their children.
Conducted by OnePoll on behalf of Mr. Potato Head, who has undergone several iterations of his own, the survey revealed that adults are still kids-at-heart who love playing with these toys.
Nearly half of parents said their favorite childhood toy is still on the market—and 84% have purchased, or plan to purchase, that toy for their own child.
When it comes to buying any toy for a child, parents are on the look out for a certain set of qualities. Three in five parents want a toy that’s educational, but just behind that is a toy’s ability to make their kid laugh (60%). Fifty-nine percent are on the hunt for a toy that’s colorful, while 56% look for something interactive.
TOP TIMELESS TOYS (ENJOYED OVER MULTIPLE GENERATIONS)
- 1. Play Doh
- 2. Mr. Potato Head
- 3. Trolls
- 4. My Little Pony
- 5. Furby
- 6. Puzzles
- 7. Toy phone
- 8. Bop It
- 9. Building blocks
- 10. Bicycle
- 11. Yoyo
- 12. Guess Who?
- 13. Water blasters
- 14. Teddy bear
- 15. Scrabble
- 16. Tricycle
- 17. Candy Land
- 18. Game Boy
- 19. Spinning tops
- 20. Toy cash register
- 21. Plastic animals
- 22. Monopoly
- 23. Mouse Trap
- 24. Game of Life
- 25. Transformers
- 26. Clue
- 27. Baby Alive
- 28. Plastic food/kitchen supplies
- 29. Scattergories
- 30. Perfection
ALSO CHECK OUT THE TOP TOYS LOVED BY ADULTS WHEN THEY WERE KIDS
- 1. Mr. Potato Head
- 2. Trolls
- 3. Play-Doh
- 4. My Little Pony
- 5. Toy phones
- 6. Furby
- 7. Puzzles
- 8. Building blocks
- 9. Yoyo
- 10. Bicycles
- 11. Bop It
- 12. Teddy bears
- 13. Baby dolls
- 14. Spinning tops
- 15. Candy Land
- 16. Guess Who?
- 17. Tricycle
- 18. Scrabble
- 19. Plastic animals
- 20. Toy cash register
- 21. Yahtzee!
- 22. Monopoly
- 23. Rubber duck
- 24. Clue
- 25. Mouse Trap
- 26. Game of Life
- 27. Plastic food/kitchen supplies
- 28. Perfection
- 29. Scattergories
- 30. Hungry, Hungry Hippos
- 31. Scooter
- 32. Bead maze
- 33. Sorry!
- 34. Operation
- 35. GI Joe
- 36. Super Soakers
- 37. Chutes + Ladders
- 38. Taboo
- 39. Trouble
