Are you ready for some nostalgia? Looking for vintage toy gift ideas? Do you ever think back on your childhood and think about all the great toys that you used to have? Luckily, there are lots of toys that are still around and have made a comeback. Those limited-edition purchases are so exciting to have!

Nowadays, these vintage-inspired toys will give you the perfect opportunity to recreate some of the magic you had in your own childhood. Here are some vintage-inspired toys your kids will love as much as you did.

Collage image of vintage toys for pinterest pin. Featuring paddle ball game, and kaleidoscope.

Vintage Toy Gift Ideas Your Kids Will Love

1. Vintage-Inspired Toy Gift Clockwork Spring Windup Robot Idea

Passion for robots never gets put of style. Skip Power rangers for now. Not only is this windup robot adorable it takes me right back to the old school! Your kids will go crazy for this one! This cute vintage robot toy has a “Jetsons” inspired feel. You could easily challenge your kids to build their own robot out of things laying around the house. Make it into a scavenger hunt for robot pieces and then let the fun begin with your own inspired vintage toy gift ideas.

Possible Homemade Robot Items:

  • Paper clips (or metal pop tabs)
  • Plastic lids or bottles (Think water bottles or milk jugs, or empty soda cans make great robot bodies).
  • Cardboard
  • Glue
  • Push Pins

Blue robot with red feet and royal blue arms. Vintage inspired robot from the Jetson's era. Toy robot gift idea for those you love.

2. Vintage Classic Record Player Toy Gift Idea

There are so many modern toys out at ebay, but this one might just be lined up with the antique toys. I bought this the instant I saw it because it took me right down memory lane! I mean this was one of my favorite toys to play with as a kid! Remember putting the records on and listening to the familiar songs? So fun as a kid and now I have the real one as an adult! This music box record player is sure to be an all-time favorite.  I love the bright colors and vintage-inspired flair and classic tunes. What a great vintage-inspired musical gift idea.

Vintage inspired record player toy gift idea for the music lover.

3. Vintage Classic Red Wagon Gift Idea

I bet this one will beat hot wheels when it comes to nostalgic memories. The little red wagon has been around FOREVER it seems. And it’s not going anywhere. This wagon is great for taking the kids to the park and there is nothing more iconic than this red wagon. In 2018, the Radio Flyer Little Red Wagon had been around 100 years. There is even an entire book dedicated to the first centennial anniversary. Did you know that even miniature versions of this cute red wagon exist? Perfect for your kid’s doll’s house or knick-knack shelf!

Vintage red wagon radio flyer brand. Perfect toy gift idea for the vintage lover.

4. Classic Tin Kaleidoscope Vintage Toy Gift Idea

Want some simpler accessories and single items for your kiddos? This one will excite them for sure! I remember being so mesmerized as a kid by a kaleidoscope! I would get lost in the colors, shapes, and designs… for hours. These are so fun and even little ones will enjoy looking through them. This is the perfect vintage toy gift idea to help toddlers learn about colors. What a fun and unique toy to help them learn. You’ll love watching them be filled with joy as they experience this fun retro toy!

Vintage inspired kaleidescope gift idea

5. Vintage-Inspired Magic 8 Ball Toy Gift Surprise

Want to entertain your family for hours? Grab this classic magic 8 ball game. You can find it in Etsy or any toy stores. Great for conversation and keeping everyone entertained on a road trip. This vintage Magic 8 Ball can even help settle sibling disputes. Hand it off to the kids and wait for the amusement to start. Here’s a fun tip: bring another card game that asks questions and use the vintage-inspired Magic 8 Ball to answer them all. You could try using it for spousal disputes, but it might not work as well. (You’ve been warned).

Photo of Magic Eight Ball in package. Vintage inspired magic 8 ball gift idea.

6. Vintage Game Rock Em Sock Em Robots Gift Idea

Is there anything more satisfying than seeing your opponent’s head pop off? I don’t think so! What’s more fun than a game of vintage robots fighting it out in the ring? I don’t know about you, but I’m rooting for blue! This is the best vintage-inspired toy gift idea for the WWE fan in your life. This is the perfect table-top game after dinner. Now go get your fight on! I don’t know about you, but I’m ready to see heads flying!

Shows vintage wrestling men in match figures toy gift idea.

7. See N Say Vintage Toy

Forget Barbie from Mattel or Superman action figures or the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. For the littlest ones, you should grab this old-school toy. It is entertaining and they can do it for hours, plus it teaches them stuff which is always a plus! Do you remember the See N Says with the pull string? That was the one I used to have, years ago. We love how happy and jovial the animals on this vintage toy version look and sound. Even the sounds have a vintage feel to them. What’s not to love?

Photo of a Vintage See-n-say toy that features animals and makes animal noises. Fun vintage kids gift idea.

8. Vintage Little Snoopy Toy Gift Idea

Trust me this dog is so much easier to take care of than a real dog! You’ll love his nostalgia vintage vibe! Little ones will love pulling this snoopy around and having an adorable pet. This little guy even makes a cute “yip-yip” sound as he is pulled. Take your kiddos down to memory lane before Star Wars and Facebook came. Your vintage-inspired heart will be delighted with the wobbling of his ears! I know I can’t get over all this vintage toy cuteness.

Photo of a vintage inspired pull along dog that is brown and white with red wheels and red string. Makes noise and spins ears.

9. Vintage Inspired Retro Magic Rail Twirler Gift

I always felt so magical when I was able to make this work as a kid! How is it even possible? The kids will love playing with this vintage toy for sure. Who am I kidding, I love playing with it even now! It also helps with hand and eye coordination, too. This vintage-inspired toy gift increases motor skills and decreases boredom. It’s a win-win retro toy for all.

Photo of a vintage slider toy featuring a blue rolling wheel part and yellow accents.

10. Vintage-Inspired Toy Slinky

The slinky will never go out of style. In fact, it’s in the National Toy Hall of Fame and was created by accident by Richard James. This is another one of those incredible education vintage toys. The slinky is the perfect tool for demonstrating how the principles of gravity work. There are so many fun things you can do with it.

Grab a few because you will enjoy fiddling with it too when you are on the phone or watching tv! My favorite is slinky races with the kids. Time to start planning your vintage toy-themed party now. Vintage party favor bags, with vintage boxes and slinkies, would make great door prizes!

Photo of a vintage boxed slinky.

11. Vintage-Inspired Paddle Ball

This paddle ball game will definitely keep the kids busy. I remember being so frustrated and determined to get good at this, never happened but I wanted to be good! With lots of practice, I’m sure the kids will get the hang of it in no time.

Create a challenge for the kids to see who can keep the game going the longest, where whoever stops first, loses. Make it extra but letting the winner choose their prize. A night of ice cream? Their choice for movie night? I can’t wait to try it with my kids.

Photo of a red and blue vintage inspired paddle ball games.

12.Teaching Clock Vintage Toy

Check out this super fun vintage toy gift idea! I love listening to this clock. My kids have this sweet toy too and I love to put it on for them when it is bedtime and just listen to the sweet song. Oh yeah, they love it too. I also use it to help them learn how to tell time. Have really small kids? You could use it to teach them to identify their numbers. Oh, what fun vintage clock toys are!

Speaking of toy vintage clocks, I really love old-fashioned grandfather clocks, too. Don’t you?

Photo of vintage toy red clock with yellow hands, a moon and a sun, by Fisher Price.

13. Vintage-Inspired Bozo Bopper Bag Gift Idea

If you have a busy little one like I do this Bozo bag is a lifesaver. Letting Bozo have it, is a safe and easy way to let them get some energy and aggression out. They will really get a kick of how easily he bounces around and back. This is one unique vintage toy gift idea I love and straight out of the Payne Brothers’ notebook.

Vintage antique clown figurines are fascinating and surprisingly valuable. Who knew?

Some of you may prefer to leave Bozo in the toy’s past life and that’s okay, too. If you’re not a clown lover, not to worry, as I’m sure there are some more traditional options.

Photo of Bozo the blow up toy you can hit and he will fly back at you.

14. Etch A Sketch Vintage Artist Gift Idea

Can you believe this one was invented by an electrician, named Andre Cassagnes, in the late 1950s? I love the etch of a sketch to promote creativity and get the kids to sit down and be calm for a few moments. This is a good type of “screen time” that you won’t feel guilty about! Small, portable and reusable makes this vintage-inspired gift perfect for everyday use. There are even Youtube tutorials on how to recreate the fun dinosaur, Rex that you see here. How cool is that?

Red Etch-A-Sketch with Rex the dinosaur from Toy Story drawn on the screen.

Check out these fun links for more great reads:

Collage photo of etch a sketch, vintage robot toy, slinky, and vintage wrestling toy. Collage for vintage gift toy ideas.

What is your favorite retro/vintage toy?


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