Toys are just for kids, right? The truth is, people of all ages enjoy playing with different toys. In fact, while dad may say he is buying that toy for his child, chances are he will have just as much fun with as the little one. If you are looking for a toy that both you and your child can enjoy for playing, then here are a few ideas. After all, aren’t we all just big kids at heart?

1. Scalextric

These toys take the idea of racing slot cars to a new level. Using new technology, they make the experience a whole lot more fun. Like all race carr sets, Scalextric comes as individual sections,straightt or curved, so that you can construct your track however you want, and then expand on it. Be careful though, or your whole den could end up being converted into one massive racetrack!

2. Hornby Trains

Train sets have been around for a long time, and it is no surprise that both adults and children may enjoy them. However, just as with the Scalextrix sets, these train tracks can start out small and then grow to fill a whole room. They are available in a number of themes, and overall have a rather Hogwartsy charm.

3. Cranium

Designed as a game to stretch the imagination, Cranium is favored among preteens and adults alike. It is a bit like a cross between pictionary and charades, with some play-doh thrown in, and is a great selection for family game night, as it incorporates drawing, acting, mime, molding and trivia all in one.

4. Nintendo Wii

Game consoles used to be considered children’s toys only. However, the Nintendo Wii has become popular with people of all ages since it is easy to use and can be fun for all the family.

5. 20Q

Think of the Magic 8-Ball, but with the popular car-game “20 questions”. This little globe includes a digital screen that will ask various questions to try to guess your answer. This game is not only fun, but it also leaves you flabbergasted as to how a plastic kids’ toy can possibly get the right answer so often.

6. Radio Controlled Helicopter

There is nothing more fun than getting out in a big field and enjoying a radio controlled helicopter. The Silverlight PICOO Z model is a favorite because its easy-to-use controls are great for kids and adults alike.

7. Guitar Hero

This game franchise, which includes other sets like Rock Band, has become wildly popular for all age groups. Designed to use popular rock songs, the game makes use of a plastic guitar where the player must match the notes as they appear on the screen. Of course, players earn bonus points for making use of the “power stance” and rock-n-roll stage moves!

8. Cosmic Jet Racer

This is not a fancy or highly-technical toy, yet it is entertaining for children and parents alike. The racer works simply by attaching a blown up balloon to the back of a toy car, and racing it against another. Whether you race them across the ground or up ramps, the fun is addictive!

The good thing about finding toys that dad will enjoy too is that it makes family game time a lot more fun for everyone. You may want to consider one or two of these this year at Christmas…

For the most part, toys that have been released to market make complete sense. They are either simply fun for children or they provide learning experiences. These types of toys are popular and completely accepted by children and parents alike. However, there are plenty of other toys out there that are completely inappropriate for one reason or other. Here we present you with the 7 most inappropriate toys for children.

1. Pole Dancer Doll

The creepiest part of this toy is that the doll herself looks completely innocent and sweet, yet she is holding on to her very own dancing pole. The jargon on the box is even creepy too, including words like “flash” and “up and down.” Is there ever a situation when it would be appropriate to introduce a child to the world of strippers?

2. Stylin’ Studio

The name of this toy sounds innocuous, offering teenagers the chances to upload an image and then try on hair styles or make up. However, this toy does not stop here. Instead, it allows the user to change their actual face shape to determine if they should have plastic surgery as well as look for wrinkles to see if they need to get botox injections or fillers. Touted as the “ultimate makeover” this sounds more like a tool for a 40 year old, not a pre-teen.

3. Chup, Chup Baby

A Spanish toy that at first seems like a version of the Baby Alive in the United States. However, this toy is extremely inappropriate. First of all, the name is Spanish for “to suck” and she includes a bib for “mommy” to wear with flowers placed at the right spot for the baby doll to suckle. Breast feeding may be completely natural, but for a 6 year-old child? We didn’t think so either.

4. Stuffed STDs

Stuffed animals are a sure favorite among children. However, would stuffed animals in the shape of various STD microbes be something you would let your child play with? Available in five shapes, including Herpes, Chlamydia, the Clap, HPV and the Pox, this toy is wildly inappropriate, and jut plain bizarre.

5. The Cleaning Trolley

Of course, household toys have been around for a while, such as a play kitchen or Easy Bake Oven. However, the idea of a maid’s cleaning cart seems a little overboard. Complete with mop, broom, bucket, sponges and more, this toy would leave developmental feminists in despair.

6. Tattoo Gun Toy

While it is true that temporary tattoos have been popular among children for many years, the idea of a tattoo gun seems to cross a line. This set includes a number of different temporary designs and a gun to apply them, made to look like those used by real tattoo artists. Could it be designed to teach a vocation to the younger generation?

7. Sky Dancer

At first glance this toy looks completely harmless. Featuring a fairy with wings perched atop splashing dolphins, the toy is pretty enough. However, the doll includes a handle which, when pulled, launches the doll into the air in a spinning flurry. Just imagine the damage when your child looks up to watch the sharp, spinning hard plastic wings quickly flying toward them. Needless to say, this toy could cause some pretty serious injuries.

There are certainly plenty of inappropriate toys available. Some of these toys are dangerous while others are downright bizarre. In any case, they will most likely not be on your child’s wish list this Christmas, and they definitely won’t be on yours!

It is common knowledge that Japan is known for producing the weirdest and wackiest in toys, novelty items, and clothing. However, there are certain toys that have been released from the country that take the cake for being downright inappropriate. It would be hard to narrow down to just one inappropriate toy from Japan, but here are the top six that seems to stand above the rest.

1. The Tuttuki Bako Poking Box

There just seems to be something wildly inappropriate about sticking your finger in a hole on the side of a box to interact with various things on the screen. While the poking box may have been intended to be completely innocent, this $50 toy has some rather less savory undertones. The actual environment on the screen includes fighting karate style with a character, scaring away bugs and swinging a panda, but this does not trump the inappropriateness of the toy as a whole.

2. H-Bouya

To start with, the name alone is quite inappropriate since the “H” in this case reprensents the Japanese word for “erotic”, and Bouya means boy. The little character, wearing a striped shirt, is connected to a USB cord. When the USB is plugged into the computer, the boy’s eyes light up with every press the H key. Somehow, it seems the name fit the toy at all, and the idea behind this toy is just downright weird.

3. Sega Robot Cat

This toy will leave you wondering why you didn’t just get a real cat. This one may not use a litter box or need to be fed, but it is certainly bizarre and a little creepy. Using sensors throughout the body of the stuffed cat, you can treat it like it was alive since it purrs, meows, moves its legs, and sleeps. Sounds just like a normal cat, doesn’t it?

4. Bandai Floating Toys

Some toys have a definite purpose and amusement factors. Other makes no sense whatsoever. This is a toy that falls into the latter category. Designed to look like little creatures, these toys have one purpose. You can put them in a bottle of water, and then you can watch them float. That’s it. They do not do anything else.

5. Kaba Kick

Doesn’t the idea of Russian roulette sound perfect for a child’s toy? I don’t think anyone would agree, except for the Japanese. In a version that does not involve death (off to a good start!), the Kaba Kick may or may not hit the player’s head with a pair of plastic feet when they aim it at themselves. Each time the gun doesn’t fire counts for a point. Sure the idea of a kid aiming a gun at their own head sounds good, right?

6. Shaving Baby

When it comes to odd and inappropriate, it is hard to beat the Japanese shaving baby. When the baby is purchased, it includes hairy ginger armpits, ankles and pubic region. Then, the owner can feel free to shave it off. Hopefully, this toy was never intended to be played with, and especially not by any children. In fact, it is fairly disturbing on may levels.

This list truly could go on and on and the Japanese will most likely continue to hold the record for producing the most odd and bizarre toys available. In some ways it is a shame that we do not see more of them in the United States, but in others, maybe it is not. Some people even choose to collect these bizarre and disturbingly inappropriate toys from the land of the rising sun.

There are some movies that become such cult classics that they continue to stand the test of time. One such series of movies, Star Wars, takes the top position in that category, and is still a fan favorite after all these years. Additionally, the action figures that were created during the original three Star Wars movies are so highly collectable that many of them are of great value now. Here are the top 6 most valuable Star Wars actions figures. If you own any of these, then consider yourself one lucky collector.

1. Jawa, Vinyl Cape. Made in 1978

The original Jawa figures included a vinyl cape, but only after a short run, the makers decided a fabric cape would look less cheap. Because of this, there are only a handful of the toys that have the original vinyl cape. A vinyl cape Jawa is worth about $1000 if sealed in original packaging.

2. The Blue Snaggletooth. Made in 1978.

Created in the first run of Star Wars toys, Snaggletooth was a part of the Cantina play set. Somehow, in the creation of the toy, the first sets of them were blue instead of the reddish color from the movie. This was corrected later the same year, but any of the blue snaggletooth toys left are worth about $100 each.

3. Telescoping Lightsaber Luke. Made in 1978.

The first action figures of Luke Skywalker included a light saber that telescoped out of his arm. This model did not last very long simply because the tiny plastic piece was too fragile and too easily damaged for kids to play with. The telescoping light saber was soon removed. Because there are so few of these new in package, even the toy without packaging is worth about $600.

4. Vlix

For a short time, a cartoon was released called Droids. While the cartoon itself did not have a long run, its effects certainly have. The action figures that were released during this cartoon never made it to shelves because the show was cancelled. The company that planned to make the toys went ahead with it, creating just a handful of the Vlix figures, which are now worth about $4000 a pop.

5. Luke Skywalker Dressed as Storm Trooper. Made in 1985.

This toy was made during a series of action figures called the “Power of the Force” line. During the mid eighties, the interest in the Star Wars movies had slowed a bit, so toys did not sell as well and retailers stopped carrying them. This means that not many of the toys are available. Additionally, the Storm trooper Luke toy is the only one in the line that comes from the “A New Hope” movie and not one of the sequels, making it even more unique. Storm trooper Luke without packaging is worth about $100.

6. Yak Face. Made in 1985.

This is another character from the “Power of the Force” collection. Since this character only appeared in “The Return of the Jedi” for approximately 3 seconds, it is quite surprising that it was ever made into a toy. Because of this, the toy makers stopped making it quite quickly and replaced it with a more popular character. A Yak Face without packaging is worth about $150, but one that is sealed in packaging is worth a whopping $2250.

There are many Star Wars figures that are certainly valuable and collectible. Anyone who was lucky enough to buy one way back when should certainly recognize what they have on hand. Chances are, the value of these toys will only continue to rise in the future as interest in Star Wars ebbs and flows.

Throughout the last century, there have been toys whose popularity has waxed and waned. Most likely, there are untold hundreds of types of toys that have long been forgotten. However, there are also those toys that continue to stand the test of time to be popular no matter the decade. These types of toys are household names that almost every child has enjoyed through the last 100 years. Here are a few of the most enduringly popular toys throughout the century.

Crayons

There is something so simple yet so entertaining about a box of Crayola crayons that they have continued to be popular for a very long time. Almost every child has at least one box of crayons in their house, and many have various deluxe boxes with numerous color options. The Crayon was introduced to the world in 1903 and has continued to be popular on into the 21^st century.

Madam Alexander Dolls

Considered more of a collector’s item than toy, the Madame Alexander dolls were first introduced in 1920. Ranging from basic play dolls to specific characters like the well known Scarlett O’Hara doll released after the movie “Gone with the Wind” these toys have continued to be favorites since they were first created.

View-Master 3-D

While the creation of modern technology has provided the ability to even watch television in 3D, the View-Master 3D has continued to be a popular toy. Created in 1930, the toy was originally designed to help train soldiers, but it soon became well-loved among children. In fact, the toy is so enduringly popular that it has sold more than 1 billion units as of today.

Candy Land

It is hard to believe that this little board game has been around for more than 70 years. Candy Land was first introduced in 1940 and continues to be extremely popular today. While the style may have changed over the years, the actual game play has not. Candy Land is second in popularity of board games only to Scrabble when it comes to sales through the years.

Rubik’s Cube

When it comes to iconic toys, it is hard to beat the Rubik’s cube. This toy was first introduced in 1970 and was created by Erno Rubik. While there are billions of different color combinations, there is only one solution to the puzzle, making it enjoyable and frustrating at the same time.

Mr. Potato Head

Created in 1950, the Mr. Potato Head doll is a basic concept. Created to resemble a potato, the doll comes with various hats, eyes, glasses, noses, ears and teeth so that a child can create different combinations of facial features. Interestingly, the original Mr. Potato Head included only the features and the child was supposed to supply their own real potato. A plastic potato body was first introduced in 1958.

G.I. Joe

The first G.I. Joe doll was introduced in 1964 and has become the icon for almost all action figures up to the present day. In fact, the toy and the cartoon on which it is based, have continued to be popular from the time it was created to the present day, meaning it has never experienced a lull in popularity like most toys may through the years.

While there are many toys that have experienced boosts in popularity through the decades, there are few that have stood the test of time. However, when a toy comes along that is sure to endure; it becomes one that almost every household will see. Items like Crayons and the Rubik’s Cube are certainly not going anywhere and will most likely hold their status for many years to come.

During the 1990’s, there were numerous toy crazes that caused a big deal in the United States. In fact, some of these toys were so popular that shortages caused frenzies, especially around holiday seasons. Most likely, you will remember some of these. Chances are, you even bought a few of them. Here are the top toy crazes of the 1990’s.

1. Pokémon Cards

The phrase “Got to catch them all” certainly became a catch phrase that almost everyone knew during the decade. Pokémon cards were an import from Japan that caught on in the United States around 1996 and were sold in packs like trading cards or baseball cards. They grew in popularity to include cartoons, action figures, stuffed animals and more.

2. Tamagotchi

Another import from Japan, the Tamagotchi was the original virtual pet. A tiny device on a keychain, the screen included a pet of different types. The owner would be responsible for feeding, playing with and caring for the tiny pet as it grew up. The Tamagotchi worked in real time, requiring the owner (or more usually the owner’s mom) to keep up with it almost all the time. By 2008, the sales mark on this little toy reached 70 million.

3. Beanie Babies

If the TY toy manufacturer had any idea of the gold mine that they stumbled into with Beanie Babies, then they surely did well with marketing them. These little beanbag stuffed animals became the collector’s treasure in a very short time after they were released in 1993.

4. Pogs

Who would have ever thought that small cardboard discs would be so popular? However, the discs with different images took off like wildfire in the mid nineties and almost everyone had one or two to their name. Some people refer to them as milk caps because of their shape and size, and other names include Tazos and Trovs.

5. Yo-Yos

This does not seem like a toy that would make it to the craze list, especially since the yo-yo has been around since the 1920’s. However, in the early nineties, its popularity skyrocketed to become once again a fad of the generation. In fact, millions of yo-yos were sold each year during that decade.

6. Teletubbies

While the cartoon was the most popular, toy versions of the main characters certainly became a craze for younger children. The British-born cartoon includes the characters of Tinky Winky, Dipsy, Laa-Laa and Po.

7. Crazy Bones

A modern version of an ancient Greek game, Crazy Bones involved tiny molded plastic characters with hundreds of different names, shapes and colors. In fact, because these little characters were so popular and such a distraction with children during the 90’s, many schools banned them from campus.

8. Furby

This intuitive yet infuriating little creature came along in the late nineties. Designed for children, it became a favorite of all ages to the point that many stores sold out before they even hit the shelves. Furbies were odd little creatures that included the ability to learn languages, talk, dance and interact with others of their kind.

9. Polly Pocket

Think of Barbie, only miniscule. Polly Pocket lived in a tiny world complete with tiny houses and pets and clothing that all fit in a child’s pocket, making her a great travel toy. She was created before the 90’s but Polly Pocket became a craze during that decade.

The 1990’s were a time of new invention and innovation that crossed over into the toy market. This is most likely why so many toys became crazes during the decade, like Furbies or Tamagotchi. These nine toys definitely held the market for those years, and while most of them have dwindled, almost everyone has heard of them or owned a few.