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What are these small items called?
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POGS
You must’ve played with pogs as a kid! The early origin of this game (also called milk caps) may have started in the 1920s. Kids collected these cardboard toys for fun, as they usually came in unique colors and patterns. Bigger, harder versions of pogs (made from plastic) were called slammers.
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What is this item called?
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VCR
Starting in the 80s, every household ended up buying one of these products. With blank VHS tapes, you were able to record your favorite programs when you were not at home. When wanting to watch an old VHS tape or even a movie on a VHS tape, you’d simply put it into the available slot. For the record, VCR stands for videocassette recorder and VHS stands for video home system.
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What was this fun children’s toy called?
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Tamagotchi
This little Japanese handheld game gives the user the chance to “raise” their own digital pet. For those who weren’t able to have an actual pet at home, this was a nice alternative.
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What is this contraption called?
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Calculator Watch
You know your electronics! Good job! A calculator watch is the correct answer. This item first came out in the 70s and really gained some considerable steam from a consumer standpoint in the 80s. Imagine a small calculator on your watch. Not hard to imagine with the smart watches they have now, but these things used to be very impressive.
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What is this device called?
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Boombox
This portable conduit of sound can play the radio, CDs, and cassette players. The speakers were loud enough to amplify sound quite impressively. They became a fixture in pop culture for up-and-coming musicians — particularly in the realm of R&B and rap.
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What is this person holding?
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Floppy Disk
This piece of plastic was used to store saved data. Kids got introduced to these disks during computer class in elementary school. Since then, we’ve seen faster, more efficient versions of data storage created. Floppy disks used to be able to store 1.44 MB of data. That is 0.00144 GB if you were curious.
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Sony made this product. What is it?
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Walkman
This item was all the rage for people during the 80s. You’d go to the local record store and nab your favorite musical group’s cassette tape. You’d then pop it into the walkman, throw on your headphones, and you’d be able to listen to music anywhere. All you needed were batteries.
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What is this piece of equipment called?
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Fax Machine
Back before email was a thing, businesses all over the world used fax machines to send over documents to one another. This tool has also been widely used by businesses but were also found in homes. If you can’t tell from Office Space, they were not a favorite in the office.
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Which famous boardgame is this?
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Trivial Pursuit
This was a fun board game that tests anyone’s general knowledge with a set of questions on multiple different topics. It became a fun game to play at parties. Originating in 1981, Trivial Pursuit continues to be a fixture for lovers of board games.
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What is this person holding in their right hand?
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Cassette Tape
This was an earlier form of a CD. This tangible item was used with portable cassette players, where you could listen to music or comedy sets anywhere.
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What kind of shoes are these?
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Jelly Shoes
These are called jelly shoes. There were various forms of these shoes. Some were more casual in nature, though others were looked at as very fashionable entities. They originated in France and eventually became a fashion trend in the United States.
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What is this decorative item called?
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Chia Pet
This decorative item is called a Chia Pet. Surely you’ve heard of the iconic jingle associated with this product in commercials. It first came out in the late 70s, though became wildly popular for families in the 80s and 90s. It was essentially a decorative item often sitting in kitchens or windowsills. And clearly popular enough for people to dress their actual pets up as chia pets.
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What toy is this kid holding in his right hand?
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Rubik’s Cube
This puzzle was crafted by a Hungarian professor. It spread like wildfire in Europe before coming over to the United States. It’s small, handheld, portable, and quite unique. As such, it remains a popular mind-bender of an activity.
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What vintage gaming system is this?
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Atari
In the 80s, video gaming became a real craze across the United States. Most homes with children had some form of gaming system. In this case, Atari was the system to have. It’s still a beloved system today.
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Which basketball player made this shoe brand famous?
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Michael Jordan
Your Royal Airness aka Michael Jordan is the correct answer. The legendary basketball player was a transcendent figure on and off the court. The collective savvy from both Nike and his mother led to Jordan creating a multi-billion dollar empire.
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What is this item referred to as?
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Pogo Ball
If you guessed Pogo Ball, you are correct! Ironically enough, this toy is actually a great device for working out. You stand shoulder-width on the toy with your feet on either side of the rubber ball. By hopping up and down, it works on both your core and balance.
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What is this fun toy called?
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Slinky
As a kid, if you lived in a house with slinkies, this was the best toy to play with. It’s simple in design and initially became a thing in the 40s. Still, throughout the 80s and 90s, it was a trendy toy. The best was sending one of these down the stairs.
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What fun show did LeVar Burton once host?
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Reading Rainbow
Reading Rainbow is the right answer. Starting in 1983, this show aired for a whopping 23 seasons. It was a program aimed at children to educate them with wholesome, interesting television.
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What is this girl playing with?
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Slap Bracelet
This was a simple joy all kids in the 80s and 90s played with. It’s quite simple: You’d take this rigid item — which was usually covered in velvet material — and slap it on your wrist. It would then wrap around your wrist by constricting immediately.
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What are these creatures called?
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Care Bears
These cute creatures became all the rage in the 80s. Originating as little drawings on greeting cards, it morphed into something far bigger. The Care Bears merchandise was a money-making machine. Every kid in the 80s had some version of a stuffed animal Care Bear. They even made multiple animated movies about the set of fictional bears.
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What are these figures called?
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Cabbage Patch Dolls
Though they look a bit unsettling, these dolls came in sets — and were highly popular throughout the decade. Still existing today, the brand — which started in the early 80s — made a ton of money by further commercializing the dolls as clothing and other items.
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What is this kid playing with?
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Nintendo Game Boy
These portable playing devices were huge parts of every child’s upbringing back in the late 80s and into the 90s. A myriad of games could be played on this console. Over a hundred million Game Boys were sold over a few years.
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What is around this person’s waist?
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Release Date: June 18th, 2021
The fanny pack is making a comeback. Perhaps Dwayne Johnson still has his old one. If not, maybe he can borrow the one seen here from actor Uli Latukefu in Young Rock.
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Which 80s character is LL Cool J hanging out with here?
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Strawberry Shortcake
Similar to The Care Bears, Strawberry Shortcake was another character stemming from greeting cards. However, as it became more popular and commercialized, the figure became available in doll form, as well as on different types of merchandise and apparel.
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Mario Lopez (pictured far left) is wearing a unique type of jeans on the set of Saved by the Bell. What are they called?
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Acid-Wash Jeans
These were a major fashion statement back in the day. If you wore these during the heyday of the era, you meant business. In today’s current climate, they’d be looked at as outdated and very vintage. Still, acid-wash jeans are a fun representation of an earlier time period.
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In this image, what is used to create the St. Louis Gateway Arch?
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Lite-Brite
This fun, simple toy was an activity that would keep children busy for hours. Using fluorescent pegs and patterned black paper, kids would punch through the pegs to create a unique image or phrase. It gave off the presence as something glowing in the dark.
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This Motorola product is an example of what?
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Pager
Imagine getting a text alert on a small rectangular device that would hook to your belt loop or the outside of your pocket. Earlier iterations could only receive messages, whereas revamped ones could also respond back. This was essentially the precursor to mobile phones.
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Inventor Scott Stillinger (pictured) came up with these items. What are they called?
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Koosh Balls
The man on the previous slide created these toys back in 1987. This frayed rubber ball was essentially used as a softer alternative to other balls. Squishy yet still maintaining some integrity, they’re used in several different ways.
