25 Things Only 90s Kids Can Relate To
Kids in the 90s were so lucky. They could play outside without having to worry about their parents calling them every hour, they could watch cartoons on TV for hours, and they had a ton of toys to choose from.
Obviously, there was no internet back then like there is now, but that’s what made it so much more fun. Kids would go outside and play with their friends all day long.
The 90s was a time before smartphones and social media when kids would have to find other ways to entertain themselves. From playing with slinkies, watching cartoons on TV, or collecting troll dolls - kids in the 90s had it pretty good!
So here we present the 25 things that only nineties babies can relate to:
NEON KLICKER KLACKER
In the 90s, the neon klicker klacker was a very popular toy. It was the fidget spinner of the generation. Kids loved it not just because of its nostalgic coolness, but also because of its colorful design and the way it would make a loud sound when you clicked it.
2. TAMAGOTCHI
The toy is an egg-shaped device with control buttons on the front.
The game starts by showing the player their “TAMAGOTCHI”, which they can then name. The player then selects one of six different characters that they would like their pet to be, each with its own strengths and weaknesses.
The player then enters into a game where they must care for their virtual pet, feeding it, playing games with it, and cleaning up after it if necessary.
3. HIGH-HEELED SKECHERS
This shoe is especially nostalgic for those who grew up in the 90s. The famous Skechers with heels had been an iconic fashion statement for the shoe brand. It had gained popularity among teens who wanted to make their outfits stand out from the rest. Since the release of these uniquely designed sneakers, Skechers became a household name in the footwear business and still around to this day.
4. SLINKY OR MAGIC SPRING
Slinkies are a toy that have been around for many years. It is a helical spring toy that can do many tricks like go down a flight of stairs, it stretches and they come in fun neon colors.
In the 1950s, Richard James was tinkering with an old watch spring in his kitchen when he accidentally dropped it on the floor. He watched as the spring twisted and turned before finally coming to rest. James realized that the twisting motion could provide endless entertainment, so he spent months developing what would eventually become the Slinky.
5. NOKIA CELLPHONES
After the 1990s, Nokia decided to go into the communications business exclusively. In 1991, Nokia was the first to conduct a GSM call and the rest was history.
No 90s kid will ever remember their teens without getting a hold of these classic babies. It first started with brick-shaped cellphones with long antennae.
They were the iPhones of our yesteryears, and they were finally the answer to getting rid of the ‘Pager’ which was also huge in the 90s.
Nokia rapidly became the best-selling phone brand in the world following success in the mobile phone sector. The invention of the classic Nokia phones like 3310, 5210, and more changed the mobile phone game that would, later on, evolve into the smartphones that we have today. The success of Nokia phones catapulted the launch of other cellphone designs and up to this day, is a competitive market.
6. HANDHELD CAMCORDERS
Every child born in the 90s has fond memories of recording important moments with a handheld camcorder. This became every dad’s addiction before reality TV. In earlier decades, the use of these cameras might not have been so prevalent, but with the rise of people’s interest to record home videos, handheld camcorders became a staple in every household.
The earlier models were tape-based and later evolved into the digital cameras you see today like Go Pros, point and shoot digital cameras from major brands like Canon, Nikon and Fuji.
7. FLOPPY DISKS
A floppy disk is a thin, flexible magnetic disk that stores data on one side. It was the first disk storage system to be used commercially, and it became obsolete when USB drives and Bluetooth devices were invented.
The first floppy disks were 8 inches in size, but they later came in 5 1/4 inch and 3 1/2 inch sizes. The disks could store between 80 kilobytes and 1.2 megabytes of information.
8. WALKMANS
Before iPods, Spotify, CD players, there was Walkman.
The Walkman was a portable cassette player that was released in 1979. It was the first device of its kind to be commercially successful and it became a global icon of the 1980 to 1990s.
Sony, who invented the Walkman, released it as a response to the growing popularity of music in cassette tapes. The device could be carried around with ease, had better sound quality than most portable radios at that time and allowed people to listen to their favourite music wherever they went.
9. TIMBERLANDS
The Timberland shoes of the 1990s were a favorite of many people. They were not only stylish but also incredibly durable and made from quality materials. The company was founded in 1973 by Nathan Swartz, who initially designed them for his family to use as they spent time on their Maine farm.
Timberland is still around today and you can find their products all over the world, including in stores such as Amazon.
10. PAISLEY BANDANAS
The Paisley Bandana was a handkerchief that became popular in the 1990s. It is a square-shaped bandana with a paisley pattern. The bandanas were typically worn around the neck, head, or wrist.
In the 90s, it was considered as one of the most famous fashion accessories for men. The style of this bandana was so popular that it became iconic for that decade and is still used today by some people as an accessory to their outfit.
11. CASSETTE TAPES
90s babies have listened to a lot of pop music using cassette tapes. From Backstreet Boys, Spice Girls to 'N’Sync, every teenager has had a copy of their favorite tapes featuring their favorite artists.
Cassette tapes are played by inserting them into a cassette player like the WALKMAN or the BOOMBOX, which uses the magnetic tape inside to play back the sound. You can listen to music on cassette tapes or record music by playing it from a cassette player and recording it onto another cassette player. To do this, you need to rewind the tape so that you can playback what has been recorded so far, or fast forward the tape so that you can play back what has not yet been recorded.
11. HAIR DOCTOR
It was invented in the 1990s and has been popular ever since. The hair doctor comb is designed to be used on wet or dry hair. The teeth are designed so that they glide through the hair without tangling or causing friction.
This simple but smart invention became the must-have comb of the 90s. Every working woman or teenager has this in their purse.
12. PICK UP STICKS
Pick up sticks are super fun! They have been entertaining kids since forever! Back in the 90s before internet became huge, Pick up sticks was the go-to game. It was every kid’s past time right after hop scotch or jackstones.
This is a cheap board game that anyone can play. They are still available for purchase in any local school supply store or department store.
13. IN-LINE ROLLER BLADES
There was a time when we used to skate in the 90s. It was so much fun then and it is still fun now.
Despite being a trend in the nineties, rollerblading is still a popular sport. It is an efficient and eco-friendly way for people to commute, travel, or exercise. Rollerblading is also great for people who want to lose weight because it burns more calories than walking or running.
The inline roller blades are designed with safety in mind and can be used by both children and adults with equal ease.
14. BOOMBOX CASSETTE PLAYER
The boombox is a portable music player that can be used to listen to music from cassettes. The cassette tape player has been around for many years and was the first technology that allowed people to take their music with them.
It’s an amazing feeling when you put on your boombox on your shoulder and groove with the music. That’s how they rolled in the 90s.
15. PUBLIC PAYPHONE (COINS TO OPERATE)
Public payphones were a popular way to make phone calls before the widespread use of cell phones. They were usually located near businesses, public buildings and transit stations.
They were mostly used by basically anyone back in the day to make a long-distance call or for local calls.
Payphones are frequently featured in 90s classic movies such as Friday the 13th, Dial M for Murder, Psycho and many more.
16. DISPOSABLE CAMERAS
A disposable camera or single-use camera, is a camera that is manufactured to be used once and then thrown away. It contains a film roll of 24 or 36 shots. The higher the number of shots, the pricier they are. They were first introduced by Kodak.
The cameras are often used for travel photography or as souvenirs and are available at many tourist sites as well as at some convenience stores. The low cost of the cameras make them popular with children who take pictures at school events, such as dances or sporting events.
17. CONVERSE SHOES
Converse shoes are a classic fashion trend that has been around for decades. They are trendy, not so expensive and teenagers love them. The shoes come in different colors and styles and can be worn with any outfit. They especially became popular in the 90s as they are often worn by celebrities in movies and basically anyone look good in them.
18. LUMPIA SHANGHAI SNACKS
Lumpia Shanghai are basically corn snacks that are cheap and can be found in every sari-sari store in the Philippines. You could easily spot them as they are brightly orange and they are usually hung with other chips at your local sari-sari store. They are fried then covered with either sugar or salt to make them sweet or salty. They are every 90s kid favorite snack.
19. POGS
The name “pog” comes from a Hawaiian word meaning “to strike” or “to hit.” The game has been around for many years, but the Pogs that we see today are not the same as they were in the past. Back then, they were made of cardboard or paper. Pogs are now made out of plastic and come in many different colors and designs.
Pogs can be played by two people or more, with each player having their own stack of Pogs to whack other players' stacks at will.
20. VIEWMASTER
The View-Master toy is a stereoscopic 3D viewer that was first introduced in 1939. It was a product of the Fisher-Price company, and it was originally marketed as an educational toy.
They were the VRs of the nineties. It was the first commercially successful toy that allowed children to see three dimensional pictures. The white circular disc comes with the film that when inserted to the View-Master can show colorful pictures like scenery, patterns and many more.
21. FAMILY COMPUTER (ASIA EDITION)
The ultimate game console of the 90s. Every nineties child has a memory of playing Super Mario Bros., Tetris, Pacman and many more on the Family Computer. This was the Asian version of the Nintendo Famicom of North America.
The Family Computer was released in 1987 as a peripheral for the Famicom. The system itself was very different from the Famicom, requiring special disks that had to be purchased separately. It was only released in Japan, South Korea and Taiwan and later on the rest of Asia.
22. CHOKI CHOKI CHOCOLATE STICKS
Choki Choki is basically chocolate pudding in a stick. They were famous for being super easy to sneak in class back in highschool.
Choki Choki is a new, innovative product that allows people to enjoy their favorite chocolate dessert in a convenient package. This product is perfect for on-the-go lifestyles, and is easy to store and eat.
23. TROLLS (FIRST GENERATION)
Troll dolls were created by a Danish fisherman and woodcutter Thomas Dam. He could not afford a Christmas gift for his daughter, so he carved her a doll from wood.
For a brief time in the early-to-mid 90s, troll dolls were popularized and companies attempted to market them to young boys.
24. AVIATORS
Aviators are a type of sunglasses that were popularized by the movie Top Gun starring Tom Cruise. Aviator sunglasses have a unique curved frame and come in many different colors and styles. Some people like aviators because they are more durable than other types of glasses, and they also help to protect your eyes from the sun’s harmful UV rays.
Ray-Ban is one of the most popular brands for these glasses, but there are also other brands that make them too, such as Oakley, Persol, and B&L.
25. SLAP BRACELETS
In the 1990s, slap bracelets became popular among children and teenagers because they could be worn as a bracelet or used to play games. They were sold in stores everywhere and in every color imaginable. The trend was so popular that it even became an accessory for adults, most notably Madonna who wore them during her 1990 Blonde Ambition Tour.
Slap bracelets are still available today but they have lost much of their popularity with children due to the rise in popularity of smartphone games like Pokémon Go and Fortnite Battle Royale.
So there you have it! 25 Thing That Only 90s Kids Can Relate To. Do you agree with our list? What other 90s kids toys or gadgets that you would like featured in our blog?
