There are times when thinking about the past isn't so bad. The other day I had the opportunity to go to the park with my cousins. I have not been to a park in many years and I thought to myself, " I spend too much time on my phone a little outdoor action should be fun." I was wrong! As I sat on a swing I looked around and noticed that more than half of the children were on their cellphones as their parents "watched" them. Both the parents and children were on their cellphones. The most intriguing part was watching five year olds run around the park looking for Pokèmon.

When I was about their age we played Pokèmon with other children, however we did not lose our social skills because we played by using cards and trading them with other children. If you think about it we were developing negotiation tactics and skills. Times have changed, but fortunately I can say that technology is slightly part of my childhood.

Here are a few toys as well as technologies that many can reminisce on:

Hit Clips

These music players were tiny. They were keychain players in which every cassette only had one song; The more cassettes you had the more songs you can listen to. The best part was that once you were done with one you could trade amongst your friend or simply let them borrow them.

Cassettes

Music was fun because we all felt proud when we would rewind to that song that we wanted because there was not an easy 'next' and 'back' button system.

Nokia Cellphones

Having a Nokia was a big deal. These cell phones had about two games, but during that time two games were already two more than the previous cell phones. Unlimited texting was not yet invented, therefore writing notes to your friends was still the cool thing to do.

Nintendo 64

This was probably one of the best indoor activities. From Super Mario to the Race games--and let's not forget the Bird Hunt.

Belly Washers Juice

Drinking juice was far from boring. These collectible tops were once the biggest reason to go over to the nearest gas station.

Razor Scooters

Who needed a cool bike when Razor Scooters felt like a brand new set of wheels. My earliest memory comes from riding a scooter down the block and hitting the back break with my right foot.

Skip It

Jump rope was cool, but this toy was evolutionary!

Easy Bake

Okay this was epic! The way in which those commercials made cookies look so delicious by simply using an Easy Bake oven was amazing.

Dancin' Debbie

This doll gave me a dancing partner. The toy came with a music controller that clipped onto your clothes and you mimicked her dance moves. I was Shakira's biggest fan, therefore when I saw the way this doll moved her hips I never felt cooler moving to her beat.

My Scene Barbie Dolls

These barbies had a kick to them because they had more makeup and bigger lips. The most popular barbies seemed to be Madison and Chelsea. My friends from the block would come over and we would play for hours!