1. Webkinz
Thanks to the Canadian toy company Ganz, we could cuddle our new stuffed animal pet and also build a virtual world for them online, where we could play with them, meet friends, and hope we fed them enough so they aren't sick the next time we log online. Or as parents would say, the reasoning behind most sibling fights and empty wallets since 2005.
2. Pokemon Cards
Most kids would collect cards based on HP, damage, etc. to battle in an intense card game. But if you were like my sister and I, you collected the ones that had the cutest/coolest Pokemon characters, and never even bothered to learn to play the game. Why we absolutely needed to collect these cards? Who knows.
3. Polly Pocket
Not only did you have to have all of the different people, but each one had to have multiple outfits. Luckily Polly Pocket boy dolls were made for brothers to play too.
4. Rescue Heroes
Every boy growing up had a huge bin of these guys in their room, plus all of the accessories, and the movies. What boy wouldn't want a toy dalmatian who shoots water bullets?
5. Littlest Pet Shop
One wasn't enough, five wasn't enough, even ten wasn't enough. These big head-little body pets with magnetic paws were scattered all over play rooms, bedrooms, microwaves and refrigerators of any child's home in the mid 2000s.
6. Matchbox Cars
What is going to Walmart without buying a Matchbox car? The best part about weekends while growing up was Dad being home to build race tracks for Matchbox cars all throughout the hallways of the house. The most fun was seeing which cars were faster than others. The fastest car was the favorite car for the whole week, until the weekend came back around and there was a new crowned champion at the races.
7. My Little Pony
Why these creepy rainbow colored horses were fun to play with I will never understand. Some had real hair, some had plastic hair, some even had wings. Each had a stamp on their backside called a "cutie mark." They somehow were so popular that they turned My Little Pony into a TV Series and a series of movies.
8. Beyblades
Yes! Lets scratch Mom and Dad's kitchen floor with our new Beyblades! If you were lucky your parents bought you a Beyblade stadium to battle out all of your problems between your siblings, or to pretend you were in the TV Show. You then spent the remaining time of your Beyblade phase hoping nobody would step on your stadium and break the cheap plastic it was made of.
9. Crazy Bones
The most painful yet fun game kids could play. While each flick of a crazy bone hurt like hell, it didn't matter as long as you knocked down all or any of your opponents' crazy bones. Not as popular as other games, but definitely something my siblings and I raided eBay to collect.
10. Silly Bandz
Just when you thought you were done collecting all of these little toys and cards, BAM! Silly Bandz become a trend. Pre-teen years were spent using all of your birthday money to buy all of the different Silly Bandz sets known to man to wear them to school and trade with your friends, and look absolutely ridiculous to all older kids and adults while at it.
