Without a doubt, Santa’s getting a lot fewer requests for games, bikes or dolls from kids these days because they are now focusing on smartphones and video games.
But tech gifts have been on children’s most wanted lists since the early twentieth century and even though these toys look like museum pieces to us today, in their time they were at the forefront of technology and extremely expensive.
For example, in the 1890s, children clamored for Marklin brand steam trains built to scale with highly advanced technical details. Those were replaced by advanced technology of electric trains by Lionel LLC Manufacturing.
In the 1920s, TinkerToy, the forefather of today’s Lego sets, was a gift that was very popular.
Later in the 1930s, the View- Master was popular with children. This display of stereoscopic images using interchangeable cardboard discs was really high tech for the time period.
In the 1950s, Mattel launched the Chatty Cathy doll which was the first talking doll on the market. She could say 11 different phrases and activated by a cord pull from her back.
In the 1960s, the iconic Etch A Sketch with all its red frame and gray screen was one of the most desirable children’s toys of the decade.
In the mid-1970s, the Stylophone synthesizer was a hot toy featuring a stylus that was moved along a metal keypad to generate sounds.
The 1980s brought the first portable video game with interchangeable cartridges, with Nintendo Game boy becoming the most popular.
In 1990, Tamagotchis and Furby toys were the most popular. These virtual pets had to be fed, cleaned and exercised to maintain “good health”.
And from 2000 until now, Christmas lists have been filled with requests for video games, smartphones and music players, the new generation of high-tech toys most popular with children.
How many of these toys did you have? How do you think childhood has changed with technology? Leave your comments and start the debate.
Jorge Chavez is Senior Editor at Mijo! Brands of Mexico.