Toy Box
This plastic, rectangular brick toy is great for building houses, but it is the worst possible thing to step on in the middle of the night.
What is a Lego?
This wholesome PBS icon invited you into his neighborhood every day, changed into a comfy cardigan sweater, and tied his sneakers while singing "Won't You Be My Neighbor?"
Who is Mister Rogers?
This portable music player required you to carry around a massive zippered binder of CDs that would constantly skip if you walked too fast.
What is a Discman / portable CD player?
This fruit-flavored snack rolled up on a piece of paper tape was the ultimate currency for trading at lunchtime.
What is a Fruit Roll-Up?
In gym class, the absolute best day of the year was when the teacher brought out the giant, colorful, circular piece of fabric called this.
What is the parachute?
Launching in 1993, this craze convinced an entire generation of parents that they were investing in future goldmines by purchasing pellet-filled plush animals named Ty, only for the entire market to crash spectacularly.
What are Beanie Babies?
This live-action teenage sitcom took place at Bayside High and featured Zack Morris, Kelly Kapowski, and a very hyperactive Screech.
What is Saved by the Bell?
Before smartphones, this revolutionary, click-wheel Apple device let you put "1,000 songs in your pocket."
What is an iPod?
This DIY meal kit came in a yellow plastic tray and let you build your own cold pizza, tacos, or crackers with meat and cheese.
What is a Lunchable?
This heavy, black rolling cart was wheeled into the classroom by the teacher on the absolute best days of the school year.
What is the TV/VCR cart?
Boasting over 250 careers—including astronaut, president, and paleontologist—this iconic Mattel doll has been living her best life in a pink dream house since 1959.
Who is Barbie?
This animated sitcom features a yellow family living in Springfield, including a dad who loves donuts and a mom with giant blue hair.
What are The Simpsons?
This classic 1981 arcade game required zero brainpower as you simply guided a little green amphibian across a busy highway and a river full of alligators.
What is Frogger?
These colorful, foil-topped juice pouches required a precision plastic straw stab that often resulted in poking entirely through the back of the pouch.
What is a Capri Sun?
If you showed up to the first day of school with the massive, 64-count box of Crayola crayons that featured this built-in plastic tool on the back, you were instantly royalty.
What is a sharpener?
Packaged in a plastic egg, this bouncy, stretchy substance was famously used by kids to copy and lift comic strip ink right off the newspaper.
What is Silly Putty?
This iconic 90s teen drama followed a group of wealthy high school students—including Brandon, Brenda, and Dylan—living in California's most famous zip code.
What is Beverly Hills, 90210?
This ultra-simple 1972 Atari game was basically digital table tennis, consisting of just two rectangular paddles and a bouncing pixel square.
What is Pong?
These spherical, incredibly hard jawbreakers changed colors as you sucked on them and were roughly the size of a billiard ball.
What are Wonder Balls / Gobstoppers?
This brand of folders, binders, and notebooks featured hyper-colorful, psychedelic designs of puppies, kittens, dolphins, and unicorns.
What is Lisa Frank?
This plastic fitness toy required you to loop a plastic hoop around one ankle, spin a heavy ball on a cord, and repeatedly hop over it with your other foot while a built-in mechanical counter tracked your score.
What is a Skip-It?
This long-running family drama focused on a reverend, his wife, and their seven children (including Jessica Biel) navigating life and morals in a fictional Illinois town.
What is 7th Heaven?
This desktop messaging program, famous for its yellow running man icon, let you pick the perfect away message to express your teenage angst.
What is AIM / AOL Instant Messenger?
This sugary, powdered drink mix featured a giant, smiling pitcher mascot who famously smashed through brick walls while shouting "Oh yeah!"
What is Kool-Aid?
This brand of washable, fat-tipped markers was a staple in every classroom, especially when you used the special "scented" version that smelled like cherries or blueberries.
What is Mr. Sketch? (Or: What are scented markers?)