Popular Toys and Games
Toys and games have been bringing joy to kids all around the world for hundreds of years. They get you hours of fun and are a way to bring people together. Have you ever wondered which ones are the best and most popular? Well, toy seller Hamleys has put together a list of the top 100 toys of all time.
Lego is one of the most popular toys in the world. It has bright colors and can connect to other Lego bricks to build structures and other things. But did you know it was created in 1958? The Lego brick was created in Denmark by Godtfred Kirk Christensens. He took over from his father, Ole Kirk Kristinsen, who founded the Lego Group in 1932. Lego has gone on to be hugely successful, with millions of sets sold each year. The brand has even expanded out to Legoland parks, with 10 locations around the world.
Have you ever played with hula hoops, marbles, or spinning tops? These old-school toys have been around for a very long time, but they’re still enjoyed by lots of children today. The popularity of toys is because they are simple to play with. They can be used in lots of different ways, and different countries have their own unique games and rules for them.
Have you ever tried solving the Rubik’s Cube? It was invented in 1974 by a Hungarian architecture professor called Ernő Rubik. He went on to use the cube to teach his students about three-dimensional spaces. He originally named it the Magic Cube, but it was changed to the Rubik’s Cube in 1980. Over 500 million of them have been sold worldwide, making it the best-selling puzzle toy.
Around one billion Barbie dolls are believed to have been sold around the world since it was first released in 1959. The world-famous doll was created by American inventor Ruth Handler, and 350,000 were sold in the first year alone! Millions of Barbies are sold every year, with many of the newer releases focusing on diversity and inclusivity.
Monopoly is one of the most popular board games in history. Did you know that it started out as the Landlord’s Game all the way back in 1904? It was designed and patented by an American stenographer and feminist called Lizzie Magie, although its creation is often linked to a man called Charles Darrow. He released his own version of the game under the name Monopoly, which first sold in 1935. Over 250 million Monopoly games have been sold since its release.
Tamagotchi was first released in Japan in 1996. It was launched worldwide the following year. Tamagotchis are pocket-sized, egg-shaped devices where you can look at virtual pets that became very popular during the late 90s, with lots of school kids playing with them together. The toy has made a comeback in recent years, thanks to Gen Z.
The Furby first came onto the toy scene in the late 90s and quickly became a hit, with over 40 million sold within the first three years of its release. The toy was created by inventors Dave Hampton and Caleb Chung. The first Furby had infrared eyes, which allowed it to communicate with others. They were popular because people loved being able to interact with the robotic pets. They even made appearances in TV shows like The Simpsons.
The Nintendo Switch is an extremely popular game console today, but many years before its invention, another handheld game console was a preferred toy. The Nintendo Game Boy was first released in Japan in 1989 and came to Europe the next year. The tiny console changed the world of video gaming forever, allowing people to play games like Tetris, Super Mario and Pokémon on the go.
Toys and games are all very fun and some of them are more popular than others but they all do the same thing; they entertain us and bring people together.