Remembering 9 classic outdoor toys from the 1990s

Was your '90s mode of transportation Rollerblades, the Cozy Coupe or via Pogo Stick?

The first summer of the 1990s was over 30 years ago and though electronic toys were on the rise in households across the country, the decade offered up some very nostalgic classics to keep the kids outdoors. 

Toys in the '90s varied dramatically in size, as some were handheld while others came with a steering wheel. Of the toys that boomed in the '90s, some are still popular today. Others? Not so much. 

Put your Game Boy and Tamagotchi away for now and check out these nine throwback outdoor toys. Whether they debuted in the decade or had a resurgence, there's a good chance you'll remember playing with, or purchasing them in the 1990s.

1. Moon Shoes

Who wouldn't want to lace up your own mini trampolines? The Moon Shoes were huge in the '90s, as you could exchange walking for bouncing around the yard or the driveway. Make sure you come down flat-footed, otherwise your ankle would certainly feel the full effect of gravity!

2. Skip It

You could Skip It by yourself or with a friend. All you had to do was put your foot through the hole and jump over the rope as many times as possible! With a built-in skip counter on the side, you could keep track and try to beat your best score! That is, once you purchase your own batteries, a common theme for popular toys in the '90s. Again, be mindful of the ankles!


Image Credit: Tiger Toys

3. Socker Boppers

These things definitely packed more of a punch than a pillow fight! Could they be used inside, sure, but there's a good chance a lamp would come down with the landing of that right hook shot, so outside play is best! Big Time Toys followed up the original Socker Boppers with spin-offs like the Bop Buddy and Socker Boppers PowerBag. 

4. Pogo Stick

The adrenaline rush from hopping up and down on this metal-springed toy hasn't faded since it was first pantented in 1919. However, with one look at these pink and green pogo stick colors, you'll land (and bounce back up?) in the 1990s. Whether you wanted to bounce to a friend's house, race or jump off something, the pogo stick was a must-have. 

5. POGO BAL

If the pogo stick wasn't your go-to bounce toy, perhaps it was POGO BAL. This was a good alternate that was marketed in the mid 1980s, but had a strong run well into the '90s. The POGO BAL allowed bouncers to have their hands free, whereas the pogo stick had handles to grab. Whichever toy you used, bouncing around was the thing to do in the '90s. 

6. Rollerblades

Why walk when you could blade? Rollerblade was the brand in the '90s for inline skates. Though it was on plenty of holiday and birthday wish-lists, Rollerblades were used beyond just the realm of kids. Whether it was at the park, on the sidewalk or in the street, millions of Americans (adults included) took up this fad. Do you still blade?

7. Water Rockets

Water rockets were the experiment of choice for many kids who had the toys. Splash Off's commercial from the late '90s featured launch after launch, and rockets flying over houses, all while staying cool thanks to the water that propels the rocket. All you needed was a hose to make these rockets fly. They didn't come without failed launches, as nearly 68,000 Splash Off rockets were recalled after being sold nationwide for just three months in 1997. Spin Master also recalled 108,000 rockets. Despite that, it seemed everyone tried to launch their rockets the furthest!

Image Credit: CPSC.gov

8. Toss & Catch game

This one screams '90s with those classic colors! You can almost feel the Velcro through the packaging of the simple, yet fun catch & toss game! Peaking a new level of interest in the classic game ''catch,'' the Toss & Catch game required precise aim and helped coordination, by letting the ball hit the Velcro-covered circle while it was in the air. Don't throw it too hard though, nothing was worse than seeing the game fall apart on a long-distance catch!

9. Cozy Coupe

The timeless yellow roof and red body color scheme of this classic '90s car seemed to be every kid's pride and joy. Little Tikes Cozy Coupe was created in the late 1970s, but it got a facelift in the early 1990s, giving it the classic look we remember. According to a 2020 article from MotorTrend, the Cozy Coupe was selling so well in the early '90s it, ''was the bestselling car in America.'' Was this your first ride?

SEE MORE: 9 TOYS YOU DEFINITELY BOUGHT YOUR KIDS BACK IN THE 90S

While the popularity of these toys has waned since the '90s, they still hold a place in your kids' hearts — and perhaps a storage bin in your basement. READ MORE.

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11 Comments

Big3Fan 21 months ago
In the '60s I had a rubber baseball I'd bounce off of the front steps until my Dad would tell me to cut it out. Great infield practice.
Coldnorth 21 months ago
There is a daycare close to where I live. They have 5 cozy coupes. They are faded but still popular
CaptainDunsel 21 months ago
Forget the 90s, I remember water rockets from the 60s! Heck, they probably go back to the days of Robert Goddard, if not further.
KJExpress 21 months ago
Growing up in the 60's and 70's I always wanted, but never got, a pogo stick. 😔
Barry22 21 months ago
My daughter who is a child of the 90's, had most of this stuff.
Michael 21 months ago
No lawn darts?

Skip It, without the counter, existed in the latesixties, though maybe a different name. Popular at school.

Rollerblades are just a new form of rollerskates.
MrsPhilHarris Michael 21 months ago
When I was a kid we just skipped alone, double Dutch or Chinese skip.
Coldnorth MrsPhilHarris 21 months ago
What is Chinese skip? We did the famous (for us anyway) Donald Duck is a one legged duck meaning land on one foot three legged was tough both feet and one hand four legged both feet both hands. Two people twirling the rope. I grew up in a very small town so not much to do lol
MrsPhilHarris Coldnorth 21 months ago
It’s kind of hard to describe. It’s done with a rubber rope or in our case elastics attached together in a circle. Two people a couple of meters apart stand with the elastic around their ankles and the participant gets between them and wraps the elastic around their ankles in different patterns. The elastic is moved up higher as the skipper finishes off patterns.
harlow1313 21 months ago
The older generation fades, fades, finally disappears, to be replaced by a younger one. It has always been so.
Pacificsun harlow1313 21 months ago
You could say it's a long term blending of humanity, in that generations overlap one another. It would be nice if they absorbed the best that each one has to offer. But IMO the generations of those who comment here, are still strong.
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