50 best classic toys of all time

You don’t need to buy your kid an iPod touch. Or a Wii. Or any of the other gadgets competing for your child’s attention. If you really want your kids to use their imaginations, think about buying a classic toy as a gift. Here are 50 of the best classic toys of all time.

1. Chess
Yes, it’s one of the all-time greats. Teach logic—and patience.

 

2.  Checkers
So simple, and so easy to learn, yet a game with more nuance than you might expect.

 

3. Backgammon
A game of strategy.

 

4.  Lego
Sure, Legos have gotten very, very commercial, with kits for Ninjago and Star Wars and lots more, but they’re still lots of fun to assemble, whether you’re using the directions or just your imagination.

 

5. Lincoln Logs
Pretend you’re on the prairie.

 

6. Magnifying glass
For bugs, for spying: a multipurpose tool.

 

7. Hot Wheels
Slick and speedy.

 

8. Paper dolls
You can have fun with paper.

 

9. Hula Hoop
Endless fun, even into adulthood.

 

10. Barbie
And Ken, too.

 

11. Lego

12. Mr. Potato
Fun with food.

13. Monopoly

Head to Atlantic City. Buy property. Win.

14. Yo-Yo

So much to learn from this little toy.
15. Slinky
Watch it slink down the stairs.

16. Wiffle ball and bat

Go outside, young people, and experience the outdoors with a ball and bat.

 

17. Play Doh
Make things. Anything.

18. Radio Flyer
Go places in style.

19. Etch-A-Sketch
Draw with knobs. Who knew?

 

20. Scrabble
Gotta love word games.

21. Easy Bake Oven
For would-be foodies.

22. Nerf
Soft. Very soft. Yes, it’s OK to play ball indoors.

23. Water Guns
Water fun.

24. Lite Brite
For all those budding lighting designers.

25. Thomas Trains
Fun for years with these.

26. Silly Putty
Strange. And silly.

27. Twister
Be a contortionist.

28. Shrinky Dinks
Another strange but fun one.

 

29. Connect Four
One that’s fun for adults and kids.

30. Big Wheel
Learn to ride.

 

31. Jump rope

 

32. Frisbee

 

33.  Lincoln Logs

 

34. View Master

 

35.  Operation
Get started now with your kid’s medical education.

 

36. Rubik’s Cube
Frustration, yes, and fun too.

37. Jigsaw puzzle

38.  Tinker Toys
Build. Now.

39. Candyland

40. Color Forms

41. Trivial Pursuit

42. Dominos

43. Care Bears

44.  Uno
A card game for everyone.

 

45. Chutes & Ladders

46.  Magic 8 Ball

47.  Paint by number

48. Gumby

49. Playmobil

50. Radio-controlled car