Every year when my kids start working on their Christmas lists, I get a little flash of my own childhood. I can still picture my list, written in gel pen and decorated with stickers, with my top choice circled about fifteen times.
The 90s were a golden age for toys. Parents fought in store aisles over Tickle Me Elmo. We carried tiny worlds around in our pockets. And somehow a toy that flew straight at your face stayed on store shelves for nearly six years.
Here are 21 toys every 90s kid begged for at Christmas. I’ve also noted which ones you can still buy today, in case you want to share a little bit of your childhood with your own kids this year. (We gave our son a HUGE bag of K’NEX from my husbands childhood last year for Christmas – and it was a massive hit!)
1. Tickle Me Elmo
The toy that turned grown-ups into competitors. In 1996, parents lined up before stores opened and chased delivery trucks to get one of these giggling red guys.
If you got one that year, you were the luckiest kid on the block.
2. Furby
Furby arrived in 1998, and it talked, blinked, and “learned” English the more you played with it. It also woke up in the middle of the night for no reason and scared the whole family.
Still around? Yes. Hasbro has brought Furby back in recent years.
3. Tamagotchi
A tiny digital pet on a keychain that you had to feed, clean up after, and play with. Teachers hated them. We were heartbroken every time ours didn’t survive the school day.
Still around? Yes. New Tamagotchis are still sold, including retro-style versions.
4. Beanie Babies
They came out in 1993, and by the late 90s, everyone was collecting them. Our parents were convinced they’d pay for college. We just loved them, tags protected and all.
Still around? Yes, Beanie Babies are still made.
5. Polly Pocket
An entire tiny world folded up into a compact that fit in your pocket. We lost the tiny dolls in the carpet constantly, and the vacuum ate more than a few.
Still around? Yes. Mattel has released remakes of the original 90s compacts in its Keepsake Collection.
6. Super Soaker
The Super Soaker hit stores in 1990 and changed summer water fights forever. No more flimsy squirt guns. This thing could soak your brother from across the yard.
Still around? Yes, under the Nerf brand.
7. Talkboy
After Kevin used one in Home Alone 2, every kid wanted a Talkboy. The deluxe version with the voice changer sold out in stores across the country in 1993.
We recorded ourselves, slowed our voices way down, and thought we were hilarious.
8. Nintendo 64
It came out in 1996, and Christmas morning with an N64 under the tree was the stuff of legends. Four controllers, a couch full of cousins, and a lot of arguing about whose turn it was.
Most of us still remember the sound it made when it turned on.
9. Game Boy
Car trips were never the same once we had a Game Boy. We squinted at the screen in the back seat and begged Mom to turn on the dome light at night.
The Game Boy Color in 1998 felt like a huge upgrade.
10. Power Rangers Action Figures
When Power Rangers premiered in 1993, every kid on the playground picked a color. The action figures and Megazord sets were at the top of so many Christmas lists.
And everyone argued over who got to be the Red Ranger.
11. Sky Dancers
You pulled the string, and the fairy doll spun up into the air like magic. It also flew in completely random directions, usually straight at someone’s face.
Fun fact: they were sold from 1994 until 2000, when about 8.9 million were recalled for that exact reason.
12. Totally Hair Barbie
She came out in 1992 with hair down to her toes, and every girl wanted to style it. It was crimped, braided, and sometimes “accidentally” cut.
Mattel says she’s the best-selling Barbie of all time, and it’s easy to see why.
Still around? Yes. Mattel released 30th anniversary Totally Hair dolls in 2022.
13. Easy-Bake Oven
A real oven for kids! It baked the tiniest, slightly gooey cakes, and we were so proud of them. Our parents ate them with very convincing smiles.
Still around? Yes. Easy-Bake ovens and mixes are still sold.
14. Lite-Brite
Pushing those colorful pegs into the black screen and then flipping on the light was pure magic. The pegs ended up everywhere, especially under bare feet.
Still around? Yes, Lite-Brite is still made.
15. Bop It
“Bop it! Twist it! Pull it!” Bop It came out in 1996, and it got faster and faster until somebody yelled and gave up. Family game nights got loud.
Still around? Yes, newer versions are still sold.
16. Skip-It
You clipped the ring around your ankle and jumped over the spinning ball, counting every skip on the little counter. Driveways everywhere were full of girls trying to beat their record.
It was exercise, but we never thought of it that way.
17. Moon Shoes
Mini trampolines strapped to your feet. They promised you’d feel like you were bouncing on the moon. In reality, you bounced about two inches and probably twisted an ankle.
We loved them anyway.
18. Gak
Nickelodeon’s squishy, squelchy, slimy putty came in a little tub and made the best (and grossest) sounds. Moms everywhere found it stuck in the carpet.
All the slime-making kids of today have Gak to thank.
19. K’NEX
K’NEX arrived in 1992 with rods and connectors that let you build roller coasters, cars, and giant ferris wheels. The sets were huge and the possibilities felt endless.
Still around? Yes. K’NEX building sets are still sold.
20. American Girl Dolls
The catalog arrived, and girls everywhere read every single page. Each doll had her own books and her own slice of history, and getting one for Christmas was a dream come true.
Still around? Yes. American Girl still sells dolls, and some of the original characters are available again.
21. Mall Madness
An electronic board game where you raced around a plastic mall buying things with fake credit cards. A robotic voice announced sales. It was everything a 90s girl wanted from life.
We played it over and over, and the arguments over who got to hold the credit card never stopped.
The Gift Behind the Gift
The funny thing is, I don’t remember most of the toys I unwrapped. What I remember is the feeling: the excitement of the catalog, the waiting, and my parents watching me open that one thing I’d been dreaming about.
Whatever ends up under your tree this year, your kids will remember that feeling too.
Which toy was at the top of your Christmas list in the 90s? Did you get it? Tell me in the comments!