Toys through TIME

From Tiny Tears to Tamagotchis, we celebrate the much-loved presents that shaped our childhood

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Remember the joy that came from spinning a brand new hula hoop, racing cars around a Scalextric track or snagging the elusive Furby for your child? Looking back at different generations of toys is like opening a time capsule, conjuring up waves of childhood memories. We unwrap our favourites from across the years.

1950s fun

Life for postwar children was all about simple play, but early TV ads and the start of consumer culture were beginning to offer the next must-have toy. The hula hoop became an overnight sensation and sold by the millions across the UK. Tiny Tears, originally delivered in the US in 1950, with her real crying eyes one of the first 'drink and wet' dolls - felt like having a real baby, and taught us about caring and responsibility. And even though Meccano launched in 1907, this educational engineering toy really came into its own in the 1950s, with kids creating trucks, cars and cranes.

1960s STYLE