90s Toys: 9 Gadgets, Moon Shoes, Creepy Crawlers, Pogs and More

Beanie Babies were not a cheap collectible, and several Millennials had dozens—or even hundreds. The Image Party / Shutterstock

If you grew up in the 1990s, you probably remember begging your parents for that one toy all your friends had. The 90s toys era was loud, weird, and wonderfully plastic.

These toys weren’t just playthings. They were cultural currency passed around at recess, traded after school, and fought over in the toy aisle.

From collectibles you could barely keep track of to contraptions you could literally hear from the next room, here's a look back at 10 unforgettable 90s toys that defined a generation.

1. Moon Shoes

Marketed as "mini trampolines for your feet," Moon Shoes let you bounce around like low-gravity boots.

They were awkward, kind of dangerous, and squeaked with every step—but damn, they were fun. Kids felt like astronauts on asphalt (until they rolled an ankle).

2. Pogs

These colorful cardboard circles sparked full-blown playground economies. You'd stack them, slam them, and collect shiny or rare ones just to show off.

Pogs were a wildly popular playground game until schools began banning them in the mid-1990s, due to frequent arguments and other disruptions during recess.

3. Tamagotchi

This tiny digital pet demanded your time, attention, and emotional commitment.

Miss a feeding? Your pixelated friend might not make it. Tamagotchis taught kids responsibility in the most 90s way possible.

4. Talkboy

Originally a movie prop from "Home Alone 2," the Talkboy became a real product. Kids could record voices, slow them down, and prank people with hilarious results.

The sound quality was terrible, but the fun? Top tier.

5. Bop It

Twist it. Pull it. Bop it. This plastic game barked commands at you with increasing speed. Fail, and you were met with a buzzer of shame. Pass, and your friends cheered.

It was rhythm, reaction, and rage in one.

6. Skip-It

It wrapped around your ankle, and you jumped over it as it spun. The built-in counter never quite worked, but kids still used Skip-It to show off playground agility—or trip and fall gloriously.

7. Beanie Babies

Stuffed animals turned speculative investments. Some people built entire collections hoping to strike it rich.

Today? You might find them on eBay for a few bucks. Still, for a while, Beanie Babies were everything.

8. Stretch Armstrong

He was a buff rubber dude you could pull across the room. Stretch Armstrong would slowly ooze back to his original shape, and people tested his limits daily.

If you eventually cut Stretch Armstrong open to see what was inside, you definitely weren't alone.

9. Creepy Crawlers

This toy let you pour colored goop into metal molds, bake them, and build a collection of rubber bugs.

The smell? Unforgettable. The results? Slimy, awesome, and kind of gross—perfect for kids who liked to push boundaries.

We created this article in conjunction with AI technology, then made sure it was fact-checked and edited by a HowStuffWorks editor.