Some vintage toys hold little appeal to modern children — what was with that old hoop and stick anyway? But others are just as fun for a child born in 2015 as a kid born in the ’80s or earlier.
It can be exciting when a child is interested in playing with the same toy you remember loving as a kid. Check out this list of vintage and classic toys kids actually want in 2021 as a starting point for your own holiday shopping.
BLO Pens
This $20 marker set works by blowing air through it to create a spray paint effect. It’s a very good option if you’re trying to increase your child’s lung capacity for swimming or band practice — or just a cool way to unlock their creativity.
Candy Land
This $12.99 board game got a graphic design update but the main premise remains the same — avoid the sticky candy traps to reach King Kandy’s Castle.
Easy Bake
Everything tastes better when it’s cooked with a lightbulb. This $189 oven set includes a couple boxed treat mixes, too.
Jacks
This extremely portable game is pretty fun and makes for an affordable stocking stuffer at $12.99.
Latch Hook Kits
If your kid is entranced by the rug making videos flooding TikTok, a vintage latch hook kit for $20.99 might capture their attention.
Lincoln Logs
Who doesn’t have a memory of dumping a big cylinder of Lincoln Logs on the ground to create a wooden masterpiece? For $39.50, your kids can stack and build for hours, too.
Lite Brite
This $12.12 toy lets kids create their own images out of tiny little plastic pieces that glow when the Lite Brite is switched on and it comes with a few templates.
Sea Monkeys
Described as the “World’s Only Instant Pets” an $8.99 Sea Monkey is good for kids who are interested in science and aren’t ready to handle the responsibility of a family pet.
Skip It
The only pain worse than a Razor Scooter swinging around to smack into your ankle was walking into range of one of these on the foot of another child. It’s great exercise for $15.99.
Slinky
The underrated Slinky is an entertaining little toy that teaches some physics principles. Shove one in your kids’ stocking for $3.49.
Speak and Spell
The Speak and Spell was the original digital learning game for kids. At $24.99 it’s less expensive than many other learning games and has a cute vintage look.
Tamagotchi
These toys were some of the biggest fads in the late ’90s. For around $20, your child can experience the lifecycle of the pet, which does, in fact, include death.
Vintage Gaming Console
While the Nintendo Switch and the latest Playstation console are what many kids are asking for around the holiday season, an old Nintendo or Playstation console can be just as entertaining. If you don’t want to take your chances on a truly vintage system, you can also pick up a new Plug & Play console with vintage games for $34.80.
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