These Retro Toys Are the Perfect Unique Gifts for All Ages

View-Master (1939)

Long before virtual reality headsets, the View-Master offered a window to the world, displaying stereoscopic 3D images of popular travel destinations. The original version, known as Sawyer’s View-Master, was introduced at the 1939 New York World’s Fair and was intended to replace the traditional postcard. The stereoscope quickly became popular with adults and children alike. You can find a contemporary version of this classic toy at Target for $9.99. For a more personalized experience, you can customize your own reel viewer disk at Uncommon Goods — it’s  $34.95 for one reel viewer and a reel redemption code, and $16.95 for each additional reel.

Slinky (1945)

Invented by mechanical engineer Richard James at a Philadelphia shipyard in 1943, the Slinky was an accidental discovery that came out of the development of a line of sensitive springs designed to stabilize fragile equipment on ships. Two years later, James demonstrated the toy — named by his wife, Betty James — at Gimbels department store in Philadelphia and sold his entire stock of 400 toys within 90 minutes. Today, the Slinky comes in a variety of colorful, plastic styles, but the original Slinky is still the most popular version. You can buy it on Amazon for $3.59.

Mouse Trap (1963)

Created by two employees at Marvin Glass and Associates and sold by Ideal in 1963, Mouse Trap was one of the first mass-produced 3D board games. The game’s engaging Rube Goldberg-style design involves collaborative and competitive gameplay. Unlike other board games where players race or strategize to a simple endpoint, Mouse Trap’s interactive design is all about players collaborating to build an intricate mechanism where each piece sets off a chain reaction, ultimately resulting in a tiny plastic cage dropping down to “trap” an opponent’s mouse-shaped game piece. Originally designed as a fun way to teach engineering concepts, Mouse Trap combines the thrill of strategy with the satisfaction of building. This family favorite has been updated and is available from major retailers and on Amazon for $21.28.

Mr. Potato Head (1952)

Invented by George Lerner and launched by Hasbro in 1952, Mr. Potato Head was originally sold as a kit of 30 plastic parts meant to be inserted into real potatoes. It became the first toy ever advertised on television, earning the company more than $4 million in its first few months and spurring other toy companies to start their own television marketing campaigns. In 1953, Mrs. Potato Head was introduced, and by 1964 the toy had evolved to include a plastic potato body with holes for facial features and limbs. Available at most toy retailers, Mr. Potato Head and Mrs. Potato Head, along with a Potato Head family-of-three kit, are also available on Amazon for $5.00 to $19.99.

Etch A Sketch (1960)

Invented in Paris by electrician André Cassagnes in the late 1950s, the Etch A Sketch used a unique internal system of a stylus and pulleys to create an electrostatic charge that would hold aluminum powder to the glass screen. Discovered by the Ohio Art Company at the 1959 Nuremberg Toy Fair, the mechanical drawing toy was launched during the 1960 holiday season and quickly became a symbol of mess-free creative play. Two large knobs control the vertical and horizontal movements of the internal stylus, allowing users to draw images as simple or as elaborate as they like. This red-framed classic continues to offer a screen-free way to entertain and challenge the imagination. Available at most toy retailers, including Amazon for $23.99, the Etch A Sketch also comes in a mini version.

Lincoln Logs (1916)

The building kits known as Lincoln Logs were first conceived in 1916 by John Lloyd Wright, the son of architect Frank Lloyd Wright. Inspired by his father’s earthquake-proof design for the Imperial Hotel in Tokyo, John began marketing his toy cabin construction kit in 1918 and received a patent two years later. He named the product Lincoln Logs for Abraham Lincoln’s boyhood log cabin in Kentucky. This classic American toy is still widely available from toy retailers such as Fat Brain Toys, which offers the 268-piece Lincoln Logs Classic Farmhouse for $129.95. A smaller 111-piece set is also available on Amazon for $45.07.

The Game of Life (1960)

One of America’s oldest board games, The Game of Life — or Life, as it’s typically known — started its own life in 1860 as The Checkered Game of Life. The first board game invented by Milton Bradley, it originally included squares for disgrace, intemperance, poverty, and ruin as it guided players on a morality journey where success or failure was based on decisions made along the way. To celebrate its centennial in 1960, the Milton Bradley Company released an updated version of the game, changing the name to The Game of Life and shifting the focus from moral lessons to a modern life journey through experiences such as college, marriage, career choices, and family. The most recent updates to The Game of Life include the ability to adopt pets and an impressive 31 career options, and the game rules encourage players to “choose a path for a life of action, adventure, and unexpected surprises.” You can spin the wheel on the contemporary version of The Game of Life for $21.99 at Amazon.

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