A poll of adults has revealed a list of the most adored toys and games from our childhoods, with old-fashioned teddy bears topping the list, with 33 percent of the vote.
In fact, according to the survey, as many as ten percent of adults STILL sleep with their childhood teddy every night.
Overall 67 percent of the 1,500 adults surveyed still reminisce about childhood toys, while three quarters (74 percent) are hit by waves of nostalgia when thinking about them.
And the study, by toy retailer The Entertainer, revealed our favourites, with the brain teasing Rubik’s Cube (31 percent), the classic Barbie doll (28 percent) and cuddly Care Bears (26 percent) all featuring high.
Polly Pocket (25 percent), My Little Pony (20 percent), Etch-a-Sketch (19 percent) and classic game Hungry Hippos (17 percent) also made the final cut as did Sylvanian Families (14 percent), and the games Mousetrap (14 percent) and Buckaroo (14 percent).
Scalextric (13 percent), Spacehoppers (13 percent), and the Operation Game (12 percent) also featured.
Meanwhile, the research revealed that eight in ten (81 percent) parents admit it fills their hearts with joy when they see their little ones playing with the toys they loved themselves as children.
And over a quarter (26 percent) cannot resist playing with their kids’ toys themselves, when they are on their own.
In fact, almost HALF of British parents (45 percent) are hoarding mountains of boxes of their kids’ old toys – all sitting gathering dust at home.
81 percent have a yearly spring clean to clear out older toys, with 24 percent admitting they have binned plenty of their children’s unloved toys, only to feel guilty and regretful that they were not passed onto other children who would have appreciated them more.
Geoff Sheffield, Chief Commercial and Marketing Officer, of The Entertainer, who commissioned the study in conjunction with their Big Home Rehoming campaign, said: “We are not surprised to find toys like teddy bears, the Rubik’s Cube and Barbie sit at the top of the list. These timeless toys have been enjoyed by every generation and bring back wonderful childhood memories, providing comfort for many.
“Since 2019 we’ve rehomed 40,000 toys with The Salvation Army which may otherwise have ended up in landfill. We’re excited to announce this is returning for another year and we encourage everyone to bring in their much-loved toys which are no longer played with to their local stores, so these can be loved and played with by new families.”
Over two thirds (67 percent) think unwanted toys should go to charity, while 13 percent aim to donate them to children’s hospitals or schools.
THE 20 MOST LOVED TOYS AND GAMES FROM CHILDHOOD, ACCORDING TO ADULTS
- A teddy bear 33%
- Rubik’s Cube 31%
- Barbie 28%
- Care Bears 26%
- Polly Pocket 25%
- My Little Pony 20%
- Etch-a-Sketch 19%
- Hungry Hippos 17%
- Sylvanian Families 14%
- Mousetrap 14%
- Buckaroo 14%
- Sindy 14%
- Scalextric 13%
- Space Hopper 13%
- Spirograph 12%
- Operation 12%
- Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles figures 10%
- Baby Born 9%
- Barbie Dreamhouse 9%
- Gameboy Original 9%
