So nostalgic!Retro toys and childhood knick-knacks only those born in the '60s and '70s will remember

Lai Pengxiang

Remember the days when there were no iPhones or iPads? Sticker albums, red-and-white Nintendo consoles, Game Boys, monster-fighting arcade games, *pogs*, marbles—retro toys and childhood knick-knacks only those born in the '60s and '70s will remember. Do you recall these symbols of an innocent childhood? The joy of those carefree times seems to flood back. If you’re a parent now, how many of these do you still remember?

The editor remembers how much she loved trading stickers with neighbors back then—Sailor Moon stickers, Doraemon stickers, shiny cards, all kinds of stickers. There were also idol stickers of stars like Jimmy Lin and Aaron Kwok, available at bookstores. Collecting a whole book and trading them with friends made them feel like treasures. She recalls there was an ABC classmate who had just returned from overseas and even had imported American perfume stickers that smelled amazing, making the whole class envious. Now, looking back at those old items, all those childhood memories come rushing back too.

Photo source: Sad Girl

Childhood idols like Fan Xiaoxuan, He Jiawen, and Xu Huanying, who have almost disappeared from the scene today, were insanely popular back then. During the era of karaoke tapes, every melody was instantly recognizable, bringing those songs back to life. Sing along with Fan Xiaoxuan to the “Healthy Song” and dance like a little witch, or belt out Sandy Lam’s “Fool” and “Duck,” or Xu Huanying’s hit “Miao Miao Miao” that took the streets by storm. Y-U-K-I, Y-U-K-I—every child of the '60s and '70s remembers those days. In the age of only VHS tapes and cassette tapes, kids would even gather at classmates’ houses after school to watch Fan Xiaoxuan’s latest music videos.

Image source: Rock Records, Forward Music

Besides sticker albums, what little boys loved most back then was playing video games. With the internet not yet widespread and fewer computer or mobile games, kids were obsessed with Nintendo’s red-and-white consoles. Even on graduation trips, kids would bring their brand-new Game Boys and play Pokémon together on the bus. It’s not so different from today’s kids having smartphones, right? Another huge craze was the “Dash Yonkurou” (Racing Brothers) four-wheel drive racing cars.Nowadays, kids play with gadgets but don’t know how to assemble them, whereas back then, every child was a master at building these cars. On weekends, they’d even bring their modified cars to races, showing off their amazing motor skills—it was awesome.

Back then, there was also an electronic toy craze—electronic pets like virtual chickens and dogs. Later, upgraded versions of monster-fighting arcade games that allowed online battles became all the rage. These were must-have items for elementary school kids. They’d feed their electronic pets under their desks, clean up their droppings, and play games with them. But if you weren’t careful, the pets would get sick and die. The crazy part? You could just raise a new one. These electronic pet-raising games were incredibly soothing back then.

Going even further back, there were ultra-retro toys like *pogs*, marbles, bamboo-copter spinning tops, and gyroscopes. These are more memories of children born in the '40s and '50s, but those born in the '60s and '70s were also influenced. For instance, the editor absolutely loved playing marble games at night markets, watching marbles spin on the boards—it was actually quite therapeutic. Also, the editor’s dad said the hottest childhood game back in his day was cricket fighting and playing with bitterwood seeds. That might be too far back for some, but everyone probably loves retro toys. Here’s some good news for you.

On Saturday, May 23rd, from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM, the Chung Yi Foundation and Silicon Motion Technology Corporation will host the 3rd “Happy Together: Childhood Memories” Charity Fun Fair at the Flower Sea Plaza of Taipei Expo Park. Proceeds from each booth will go toward the Dandelion Foster Care Program, supporting the healthy growth and joyful learning of 0-18 year-old children in care homes under the foundation. The fair’s spokesperson, Ah Xi—who has been actively advocating for neglected children—will also attend to join in the fun. Lucky participants can team up with her to tackle game challenges like “Build a Block Tower” and “Memory Card Flip.” By enjoying these nostalgic, playful games and making charitable contributions through food and fun, the public can help neglected children build happiness and create joyful memories. Everyone is welcome to purchase or sponsor fun fair tickets. We also hope you’ll invite your beloved family and friends to join in the fun and share the love. To sponsor a “Childhood Memories” fun fair ticket (each worth NT$100), please call Mr. Liu at 02-2930-2600.

“Childhood Memories” Charity Fun Fair – Chung Yi Foundation: www.cybaby.org.tw

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