Some toys never go out of style and stay a staple addition to any child’s collection across generations; toys that parents enjoyed playing as children are passed down to their own children, and so on. Here we have compiled a few of our favourite Classic Toys picks for timeless fun:

Lego

Nothing sparks the imagination like Lego! Starting in 1949 as a simple concept of coloured bricks before evolving into a wonder of variety and pop culture sets to keep children (and adults!) entertained for hours on end, it’s easy to see why this makes the top of our list. It gets extra kudos on this list for also including smaller children with fun Duplo sets that are less fiddly (or a choking hazard) for littler ones to experience the joy of building straight from the imagination. Lego is increasing in popularity, thanks in part to the widely-enjoyed Lego movies and Lego’s continuous finger on the pulse of pop culture trends – so parents will no doubt be stepping on bricks of this classic toy for years to come.

Kitchen Play Set

Kitchen play sets such as this Home Kitchen have been a must-have toy for decades, starting as simple home set-ups that have eventually made way for elaborate renditions such as restaurant kitchen imitations for children to cook, bake and sizzle pretend meals and treats for themselves and their friends to perfection! It’s a wonderfully gender-neutral addition to the toy scene too, encouraging boys and girls alike to take an interest in food, cooking and being creative in the kitchen.

Tamagotchi

A beloved digital pet of the 90s, Tamagotchis are still a perfect toy or gift for children wanting to experience virtual responsibility of caring for a pet, or in place of having a more high-maintenance real-life pet! Requiring care and attention via the ‘feed’, ‘light’, ‘clean’, ‘play’, ‘medicine’, ‘training’ and ‘attention’ buttons Tamagotchis need to be consistently attended to encourage them to grow (or evolve in more recent releases!) otherwise they expire and a new pet needs to be hatched. These nifty little toys have so far stood the test of time and become more versatile over the years – you can now purchase smaller ‘Nano’ versions with hatchlings including a Tamagotchi of Star Wars icon Grogu or even Jurassic World dinosaurs! We think Tamagotchis will be the first pet for generations of children to come.

Hot Wheels

Hot Wheels cars have been zooming, crashing and loop-the-looping in living rooms since 1968, providing hours upon hours of entertainment throughout generations. With over 20,000 different die cast cars having been released through the decades, Hot Wheels offers so much variety in play – from classic cars to hot rods and cars inspired by fiction (like the Mystery Machine or Back to the Future Delorean.) There’s also a number of tracks and garages like this ‘race against the dinosaur’ Hot Wheels City Ultimate Garage, with new versions released all the time to keep play fresh and exciting. All the while cars are still on the road, we can’t see Hot Wheels going out of style any time soon!

Barbie

Barbie really needs no introduction! First appearing in children’s toy boxes in 1959, she has been a staple of make-believe play ever since, with play pals expanding to include hunky boy friend Ken (who is Kenough!) and a whole host of dogs, cats and other pets. She has also become a symbol of female empowerment and progression, taking on a series of demanding careers such as whilst enjoying international travel and a thriving social life! Barbie really does have it all – with all the clothing and accessories you could possibly dream of. With so much inspiration it’s easy to see why Barbie is a must-have in any make-believe toy box to encourage a thriving imagination. Enjoying a recent renewed surge thanks to 2023’s Barbie movie, it’s safe to say that Barbie will be holding the fort of intergenerational popularity indefinitely.

Beyblade

Perhaps a controversial pick for this list as Beyblade was only released in the 2000s, this battle spinning-top game has become a toy box favourite thanks to its simple concept that was encouraged in popularity by a TV series between 2001-2005. The metal Beyblade spinning tops come in a huge number of colours, weights and designs and have stats based on how well they should perform in a battle arena. Players then release the Beyblade and watch to see whose creation gets ground to a halt the fastest, or on some occasions, is smashed apart by the other Beyblade. But not to worry, they are easy to put back together again as customisation is encouraged to find the combination that will performance best in the Beyblade arena. It’s suitable for kids of all ages (even toddlers can enjoy playing a gentler and less competitive game) and we think this relatively new toy will stick around to become a classic!