Snakes and Ladders is known worldwide (aka Chutes and Ladders) originates from an Ancient Indian game. First released by MB games and later on by Hasbro it is a board game for 2 or more players. Players roll a dice and move their piece on the board. Landing on a Snake (or Chute) means that the players piece moves back squares and Ladders allow the players piece to move up squares. The first player to reach the end square wins. The Ancient Indian origin symbolises help and hindrance to life, symbolised by the Snakes and Ladders. The game is available in numberous editions including many cartoon charecters aswell as electronic versions.
Category Archives: Toys from 1980s
Stickle Bricks
Stickle Bricks are a plastic toy used for constructing, playing and gaining co-ordination primarily aimed at toddler age group. The Stickle Brick was invented in 1969 by Denys Fisher, the brand is now owned by Hasbro and currently made by Flair Leisure Products plc.
Stickle bricks come in a number of different shapes each a couple of centimetres long and all come with a number of brush or small plastic figures which allow you to push Stickle bricks together to be joined in different ways.
A number of companies manufacture similar toys but not all of them are compatible with Stickle Bricks.
Radio Flyer Wagon
Radio Flyer Wagon were invented by a passionate 16-year-old Italian boy called Antonio Pasion, in the 1920’s he was among the millions who immigrated to America from Europe. He was a skilled carpenter and headed to Chicago. He began to construct small red wagons out of stamped pressed metal and by 1923 he had saved enough to form the Liberty Coaster Company.
Soon after he began mass-producing the radio flyer red wagons for under $3. Countless children have enjoyed playing with the Radio Flyer Wagon pulling friends or moving things and now the range has expanded to small-large wagons, tricycle and even wheelbarrow with prices from $20 upwards.
Cabbage Patch Dolls
Cabbage Patch Kids is a line of dolls which became one of the most successful toy craze of the 1980’s. Originally called “Little People” and only sold at local craft show by creator Xavier Roberts an American Art Student in 1978.
The name change to Cabbage Patch Kids was instigated by Roger Schlaifer before he secured the worldwide licensing rights to “Little People”, this formed the basis of the story co-authored in 1982 by Roger and his wife, Susanne Nance Schlaifer. An abbreviated version of the story was reproduced on every Cabbage Patch Kids product from 1983 onward.
Silly Putty
Silly Putty was invented during the second world war by Chemists who were concerned about the rubber supply began researching synthetic replacements. They stuck upon a stretchable, solid liquid material sure it was of no use at all in the war effort… but it was sold as a novelty toy inside plastic eggs. They benefited from a report in the New Yorker and as a result an order for 250,000 was asked for!
The silicone polymers used allow it to bounce and be manipulated but if you were to strike it with a hammer it will break. Its liquid silicone internal makes it act as a liquid over a long time and if you left it long enough it would form a puddle, it is a solid over a short term.
Original Slinky
Slinky is another favourite with kids of many generations, simply falling or slinking down the stairs still keeps the kids entertained, for a while at least just dont get it it tangled up. Just place it at the top of the stairs and then move one end partly down to the next step and watch it move down with that memorable swoosh noise.
The Slinky began in 1945 as part of an antivibration device by Richard James an American naval engineer. He thought the spring might be useful as a toy because of its comical walking behaviour. During his work one of the springs fell to the floor and seemed to ‘walk’.
Easy Bake Oven
Launched in 1963 and one of Hasbro’s top-selling items in the following decades and still respectable sales in current times. Easy-Bake ovens continue to be used some 50 years later. Over 30 million ovens have been sold and over 150 million mix refills used and counting.
Invented by designers from Kenner Products now owned by Hasbro the first oven was turquoise and included a fake stove top and included a carrying handle. 500,000 were sold @ $15.95 in the first five years.
Many children’s first baking experience was using an Easy-Bake oven. They allowed kids to pretend to be grown up by having their own cooking set and with the ingredients allowed them to experience the awe of mixing and then a short time later tasting their creations… and if they had some left decorating them.
Downfall
Downfall was initially made in 1970 by MB games. It is a 2 player game that promotes forward thinking and planning.
Each player sits either side of a vertical board and both players have ten discs, either red or green with numbers on them. The aim of the game is to get all of your discs to the bottom of the board first by turning the cogs, however the other player is not allowed to turn the other players last cogs.
Players have to plan ahead to ensure that they do not become trapped by the other player or their own discs are not taken out of order by the other players move. It has recently been relaunched by toy giant Hasbro under the name of New Downfall with yellow and red discs.
Mousetrap
First released in 1963 by toy company Ideal and made by Ideal, Mouse Trap is a board game for 2 to 4 players. The aim of the game was at first to co-operate with each other in order to be able to build the Mouse Trap. After this had been completed it was each player for themselves as they go on to trap each others mouse pieces in the trap.
The winner is the last player remaining. In 2006 the game has been re-released with a design change and game play changes.