Latest news with #Sindy
Scotsman
28-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Scotsman
some of which you'll only remember if you grew up then
This article contains affiliate links. We may earn a small commission on items purchased through this article, but that does not affect our editorial judgement. How many of these classic 1960s toys did you play with as a child? Sign up to our Retro newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Edinburgh News, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... The top 100 toys of all time have been named by Hamleys Many of the greatest toys were born in the 1960s Some are still popular all these years later, but others have failed to pass the test of time The 100 greatest toys ever have been named, including some classic 60s playthings. Many of the toys listed in Hamleys' top 100 of all time remain hugely popular with youngsters today - having been enjoyed by generations of children before them. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad But there are some nostalgic 60s toys you will probably only remember if you grew up back then, when they were all the rage. In total, 16 toys launched during the 1960s have made the top 100 according to Hamleys. They are: Operation (1965) This test of manual dexterity has been keeping families entertained for 60 years, with countless budding surgeons honing their skills on long-suffering 'Cavity Sam. Tammy Doll (1962) Tammy Doll was the 'girl next door' answer to the more glamorous Barbie doll. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad She was advertised as the 'doll you'll love to dress' but she lacked Barbie's staying power, with only three models being made, between 1962 and 1966. Clackers (1960) A child playing with clackers | Keystone/Clackers were one of the biggest crazes of the 1960s and 70s. They consisted of two acrylic balls on a piece of string which you had to make collide to produce the addictive 'clacking' noise which gave the toy its name. Sadly, the balls had an alarming tendency to 'explode', which led to clackers being banned by some schools over safety concerns. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Lite Brite (1967) This classic toy has been sparking children's creativity for nearly six decades, and remains hugely popular. Youngsters use coloured pegs to create their own glowing masterpieces - but make sure you keep track of those tiny pegs! Sindy doll (1963) Sindy, the British doll launched to rival Barbie, with her boyfriend Paul in 1967 | Getty Images Sindy was launched in 1963 to rival her US counterpart Barbie. She was the best-selling toy in the UK in 1968 and 1970 but her popularity waned, while Barbie's appeal shows little sign of diminishing. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Buckaroo (1967) Everyone has their own strategy for Buckaroo but the bucking mule remains a law unto itself. Players take turns to stack items on the long-suffering mule, trying not to cause him to kick out and eliminate them from the game. Few players have succeeded in placing all the items on the mule without it bucking, though it is possible. Nerf Blasters (1969) These toy guns, with their foam bullets, remain as popular as ever - and they've changed remarkably little since they first hit the shelves in the 60s. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad You'll want to stock up on the bullets though, as they have a habit of going missing. Battleship (1967) The simplicity of this game has made it an enduring classic. The phrase 'you sunk my battleship' has made it into almost every area of popular culture, sparking numerous memes. Action Man (1966) A young boy playing with Action Man toys in 1966 | Getty Images Action Man was the UK's answer to GI Joe and provided hours of fun for youngsters during the 60s, 70s and 80s, especially with the addition of the moving Eagle Eyes. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Spare a thought for Red Rocker and Blue Bomber, the two duelling robots who have been sparring for more than 60 years. Vin Diesel is reportedly set to star in a film based on the game, which ends in spectacular fashion with the loser's head popping up from his neck. Mouse Trap (1963) This game has one of the most satisfying conclusions - when it works. It can take ages to set up just right, but the pay-off is worth it in the end. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Tiny Tears doll (1960) Tiny Tears doll | Submitted One of the best things about dolls used to be that you don't have to change their nappies or put up with them crying. But Tiny Tears, which sheds tears after being given water from a bottle, sparked a trend for hyper-real dolls. It was marketed as being 'just like a real baby'. Hot Wheels cars (1968) Hot Wheels cars have been named by Hamleys as one of the 100 best toys ever | Getty Images These mini vehicles have been racing off the shelves since 1968, and their appeal shows no signs of slowing down. They are hugely collectable, with the most expensive vintage Hot Wheels vehicle ever having sold for a phenomenal $175,000. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Etch A Sketch (1960) You've heard of the paperless office, which never quite happened. Well, this was so nearly the solution to the paperless games room. Children could simply shake to clear the screen and get working on their latest magnetic masterpiece. No longer would parents have to put up with their kitchen and living room walls being covered with their child's artwork. Alas, it was not to be, despite the toy's enduring popularity, and the satisfaction gained from mastering the controls. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Walkie Talkies (1960) Toy walkie talkies were launched in 1960 and all these years later it's still not 'over and out', thanks to their enduring popularity. Spirograph Another toy which has been fuelling children's creativity for decades, Spirograph enables even the least artistic of children to create enchanting works of art. What do you think was the best toy of the 1960s? Let us know in the comments section.
Scotsman
28-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Scotsman
some of which you'll only remember if you grew up then
This article contains affiliate links. We may earn a small commission on items purchased through this article, but that does not affect our editorial judgement. How many of these classic 1960s toys did you play with as a child? Sign up to our daily newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... The top 100 toys of all time have been named by Hamleys Many of the greatest toys were born in the 1960s Some are still popular all these years later, but others have failed to pass the test of time The 100 greatest toys ever have been named, including some classic 60s playthings. Many of the toys listed in Hamleys' top 100 of all time remain hugely popular with youngsters today - having been enjoyed by generations of children before them. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad But there are some nostalgic 60s toys you will probably only remember if you grew up back then, when they were all the rage. In total, 16 toys launched during the 1960s have made the top 100 according to Hamleys. They are: Operation (1965) This test of manual dexterity has been keeping families entertained for 60 years, with countless budding surgeons honing their skills on long-suffering 'Cavity Sam. Tammy Doll (1962) Tammy Doll was the 'girl next door' answer to the more glamorous Barbie doll. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad She was advertised as the 'doll you'll love to dress' but she lacked Barbie's staying power, with only three models being made, between 1962 and 1966. Clackers (1960) A child playing with clackers | Keystone/Clackers were one of the biggest crazes of the 1960s and 70s. They consisted of two acrylic balls on a piece of string which you had to make collide to produce the addictive 'clacking' noise which gave the toy its name. Sadly, the balls had an alarming tendency to 'explode', which led to clackers being banned by some schools over safety concerns. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Lite Brite (1967) This classic toy has been sparking children's creativity for nearly six decades, and remains hugely popular. Youngsters use coloured pegs to create their own glowing masterpieces - but make sure you keep track of those tiny pegs! Sindy doll (1963) Sindy, the British doll launched to rival Barbie, with her boyfriend Paul in 1967 | Getty Images Sindy was launched in 1963 to rival her US counterpart Barbie. She was the best-selling toy in the UK in 1968 and 1970 but her popularity waned, while Barbie's appeal shows little sign of diminishing. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Buckaroo (1967) Everyone has their own strategy for Buckaroo but the bucking mule remains a law unto itself. Players take turns to stack items on the long-suffering mule, trying not to cause him to kick out and eliminate them from the game. Few players have succeeded in placing all the items on the mule without it bucking, though it is possible. Nerf Blasters (1969) These toy guns, with their foam bullets, remain as popular as ever - and they've changed remarkably little since they first hit the shelves in the 60s. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad You'll want to stock up on the bullets though, as they have a habit of going missing. Battleship (1967) The simplicity of this game has made it an enduring classic. The phrase 'you sunk my battleship' has made it into almost every area of popular culture, sparking numerous memes. Action Man (1966) A young boy playing with Action Man toys in 1966 | Getty Images Action Man was the UK's answer to GI Joe and provided hours of fun for youngsters during the 60s, 70s and 80s, especially with the addition of the moving Eagle Eyes. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Spare a thought for Red Rocker and Blue Bomber, the two duelling robots who have been sparring for more than 60 years. Vin Diesel is reportedly set to star in a film based on the game, which ends in spectacular fashion with the loser's head popping up from his neck. Mouse Trap (1963) This game has one of the most satisfying conclusions - when it works. It can take ages to set up just right, but the pay-off is worth it in the end. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Tiny Tears doll (1960) Tiny Tears doll | Submitted One of the best things about dolls used to be that you don't have to change their nappies or put up with them crying. But Tiny Tears, which sheds tears after being given water from a bottle, sparked a trend for hyper-real dolls. It was marketed as being 'just like a real baby'. Hot Wheels cars (1968) Hot Wheels cars have been named by Hamleys as one of the 100 best toys ever | Getty Images These mini vehicles have been racing off the shelves since 1968, and their appeal shows no signs of slowing down. They are hugely collectable, with the most expensive vintage Hot Wheels vehicle ever having sold for a phenomenal $175,000. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Etch A Sketch (1960) You've heard of the paperless office, which never quite happened. Well, this was so nearly the solution to the paperless games room. Children could simply shake to clear the screen and get working on their latest magnetic masterpiece. No longer would parents have to put up with their kitchen and living room walls being covered with their child's artwork. Alas, it was not to be, despite the toy's enduring popularity, and the satisfaction gained from mastering the controls. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Walkie Talkies (1960) Toy walkie talkies were launched in 1960 and all these years later it's still not 'over and out', thanks to their enduring popularity. Spirograph Another toy which has been fuelling children's creativity for decades, Spirograph enables even the least artistic of children to create enchanting works of art.
The Guardian
25-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
Digested week: Naked glamping and the Gen Z stare
Spare a thought, please, for all the participants returning from the fifth annual swingers' festival Swingathon (suggested tagline: 'Genitally bored? You don't have to be! But it's easier') in Allington, Lincolnshire, whose weekend event was beset by thunderstorms and heavy rain. Why should this matter, I hear you ask. For humans long ago invented walls and roofs as sturdy proofs against this sort of thing. And you ask this, my friends, because you have, like me, naturally assumed that a swingers' event takes place indoors. But no. No, the Swingathon is a tent-based event. It is basically naked glamping. I'm going to give you a minute to try and think of a worse phrase in the English language. Not possible. It is, however, the most perfect and succinct expression of the national psyche. Because it takes something deeply enjoyable (to those who like smooshing booty with strangers – as a misanthropic introvert this is not my thing, though I would still prefer it to small talk) and essentially caps the fun you can have, by importing camping into the mix. No, I don't care how luxurious the site. You're sleeping outside and there are no proper loos. End of. I applaud those whose libidos survived the tents and the downpour and wish those whose didn't better luck next year. The school holidays have begun and in a desperate attempt to keep my 14-year-old off his computer by any means necessary, I have been doing the one thing he rates almost as highly as questing for gold and/or murderous mechanical spiders through a cod-medieval landscape/apocalyptic wasteland for 32 hours a day, and been playing board games with him. Playing board games with him and wondering where I hid the edibles that might make such an undertaking bearable, yes, but this still counts as absolutely top-notch parenting. Then – a breakthrough. He plays cards at school, he tells me. What kind of cards? A game called poker – have I heard of it? Why, yes, son, yes I have. Show me what kind you play? Ah. OK, yes, I think I have the idea now. Shall we play for money? Great. I am £3.50 up. This holiday is looking better by the moment. News reaches us that a Sindy movie – perhaps inevitably, given the literal billion-dollar success of the Barbie blockbuster – is finally in development. I think we are about to embarrass ourselves hugely. A Sindy movie? A Sindy movie? A Sindy movie that tries to compete with Barbie? Please, film people – please talk to some women of a certain age and understand the relationships here. Both between Sindy and Barbie, and between Sindy and her owners. Sindy was launched by British company Pedigree four years after Mattel took the doll market by storm with their pneumatic blonde. Sindy was … less pneumatic, had flatter feet and a slightly less pronounced waist. She was supposed to be more relatable, more girl-next-door than aspirational goddess. We hated her. I mean, we played with her (I say we – I didn't. Artificial hair sends me screaming for the hills. I still gibber in fear at the bodiless monstrosity known as a Girl's World). We said and did all the right things when she was given to us as a birthday or Christmas present by well-meaning relatives. But we hated her. She was second best, an also-ran, a wannabe, the poor relation, forever defined and tainted by what she was not: Barbie. Who drove a pink Chevrolet. Sindy drove a clapped-out Austin Allegro, at least metaphorically. Actually, you know, if they leaned into this, Sindy could be a great movie. Casting? Rosamund Pike as embittered adult Sindy, scraping a living from appearances at doll conventions and still with Paul – Tom Hiddleston – despite his erectile dysfunction, which only worsened after their desperate trip to the Swingathon this year. The Sindy doll house is falling to bits round them. Plot happens. They die. The end. I love it. A billion pounds as good as banked. Sign up to First Edition Our morning email breaks down the key stories of the day, telling you what's happening and why it matters after newsletter promotion Apparently it has a name. That flat, affectless yet contemptuous look so often visited upon customers while being served – if that is the right word – by youngsters in shops? That's the 'Gen Z stare' and suggestions about its cause are proliferating: it's a sign of the profound disconnection from humanity suffered by those reared amid technology generally and social media specifically; they can communicate online but the niceties of interaction in real life elude them; it's the fault of Covid and lockdown, stunting their development in their formative years. And so on. Speaking as a member of Generation Come Off It, who is technically raising a Gen Z entity (born a year before cutoff point for entry) let me explain. The Gen Z stare is a textbook example of young people not being old enough yet to know or care about what good manners are and who still need whatever the closest thing is to a slap that you can allow yourself when they indulge in behaviours that are unacceptable if you wish to partake of civilised society. And let me tell you, dear child who is staring at me as if I am shit on her shoe instead of answering my perfectly reasonable question about where I can find multipack knickers in this suddenly rearranged retail emporium, you do. An uncivilised society would be even worse than the one you disdain now. The fact that you live in a civilised society is what gives you the secure base from which to exercise your rudeness so freely. It's counterintuitive but it's true. Think about it. But take that look off your face and show me the knicker aisle before I slap you. I have been inadvertently conducting a valuable experiment all this week. I recently bought a variety of secondhand items from eBay and they have been being delivered all week. The emails and texts arrive in their customary thousands, recording every stage of each one's journey before the telltale pause and … 'The courier was unable to deliver your parcel'. Followed by some polite variation on: 'You weren't in, derbrain. We'll try again whenever suits us' The thing is – I was in all week. Every day, all the time. Staying in is what I do. I'm an Olympic gold-standard stayer-inner. I didn't go out until late evening at any point. So I can record without fear nor favour that of the 11 deliveries I was expecting from four different couriers, three were achieved by two of them. A 27% success rate. Or, if you prefer, a 63% lying rate. Because I WAS IN. Whenever you called, I WAS IN. I'm ordering more clothes to accrue further data. This is my hobby now, I think. I literally should get out more. Book a Swingathon 2026 ticket or something. But I think I'm happier like this.
Telegraph
17-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Telegraph
Barbie's British rival is finally getting her own movie – and I can't wait
This week it was announced by the London-based production company A2R2 that a new film about Sindy is in development. There is something very apt about this flagrant act of cinematic catch-up. Poor Sindy has always played second fiddle to the vampy, bubble-gum aesthetic of Barbie. Launched four years after Barbie, in 1963 by the British company Pedigree, she is the equivalent of Barbie's plainer younger sister. She has flatter feet, a flatter chest and a thicker waist. It is typical of her fate that when she hit 60, in 2023, no one noticed. They were all too busy trying to sing along to What Was I Made For while watching Greta Gerwig's smash hit movie Barbie for the umpteenth time. Yet as the British women who grew up with Sindy as children know deep in their hearts, the Barbieverse was never really 'us'. It's always been Sindy – the biggest selling toy in Britain in 1968 and 1970 – who has represented the achievable version of our better selves. Relatability was built into her DNA: from the outset Pedigree deliberately favoured a 'girl next door' look over Barbie's alarming pneumatic glamour. Sindy clearly spent a lot of time riding her bike in the street and her eyes and boobs were a normal size. She tended to be dressed for the British weather rather than the Californian sunshine and during her first few years wore sensible knitwear, buttoned up coats and flat boots, because no one can run in high heels. Admittedly she also had quite a lot of kitchen appliances and a frying pan with startlingly realistic eggs. She was definitely more suburban housewife than go-getting career girl. But that didn't matter to me at the age of four, because my mum was a housewife too, so it all felt reassuringly familiar. Like many parents, mine bought me a Sindy because they thought Barbie was too vulgar and too American, the doll equivalent of McDonalds, which they also hated. Sindy was a plastic form of political soft power, promoting kindness and decency and wholesome values over brash American excess. As such she is an integral part of a cultural war that has been playing out for decades – Malory Towers versus Sweet Valley High; The Beano versus Superman. Sindy's superpower was that she was just like us, and almost certainly very plucky if she needed to be. She wasn't remotely flash. She may have had a boyfriend, Paul, but no one remembers him. Sindy was definitely the sort of girl to be tucked up in bed with hot cocoa by 8pm. Yet in the 1980s Hasbro bought the rights to Sindy and launched a botched attempt to ramp up her appeal in America. Sindy's face and body underwent a few tweakments and her wardrobe was vamped up. So similar did she now look to Barbie that Barbie's owners Mattel sued for copyright infringement and Sindy never really recovered. She was retired in the late 1990s but has been relaunched several times since. Today she is back to a normal body size, her face is averagely attractive and her hair has been straightened. Gone is the wannabe-Barbie high heels and Instagram-friendly fakery. These days Sindy hangs out in sensible pre-tween, high-street athleisure. Nations tend to get the dolls they deserve. These days Barbie is virtually Lauren Sanchez incarnate. By comparison, Sindy is the equivalent of Catherine, Princess of Wales. Regardless of what she is wearing she still looks demure, capable and kind. Her website, aimed at three to six year olds, promises 'good old-fashioned Sindy fun' in a pointed antidote to today's algorithmic-driven screen based entertainment. Meanwhile the film promises a 'bold, feel-good live-action musical that mixes heart, humour and high fashion'. One wonders what they have in mind. Perhaps something akin to Nativity! in which the underdogs win out over the hoity-toity posh lot up the road. Perhaps One Day-star Leo Woodall will play Paul, emerging Darcy-style from a freezing lake instead of the Pacific ocean. And perhaps Sindy, dressed in John Lewis, will save the day while remaining true to her friends. Either way I doubt it will involve Sindy having an identity crisis. She knows who she is. And so do we.
RTÉ News
15-07-2025
- Entertainment
- RTÉ News
Lego, Barbie and Rubik's Cube among top toys of all time
Lego classic bricks, the Barbie doll and the Rubik's Cube have been named among the top toys of all time by British retailer Hamleys. The boardgame Monopoly, the Tamagotchi virtual pet, which Hamleys described as a "symbol of 90s tech toy obsession", and the Action Man doll also make the top ten, as does the Teletubby doll, the Furby, the Frozen singing doll and Nintendo Game Boy. The toy store said it compiled its "hero" 100 list with the help of top buyers to mark its 265th birthday, and included toys that had cultural impact, enduring popularity and historical significance. It described Lego - first released in 1958 - as "timeless, creative, and a global phenomenon", noting it had gone on to span toys, films and theme parks. It said more than one billion Barbie dolls had been sold across the world since its first release in 1959, making it a "pop culture icon" across the decades. More than 500 million Rubik's Cubes had been sold since 1974, making it the world's best-selling puzzle toy. However, Hamleys said "eternal classics" such as the hula hoop, spinning tops and marbles were still bought around the world today, despite them being among the first toys sold by the store when William Hamley opened its doors in 1760. Victoria Kay, head buyer at Hamleys, said: "Once you start looking at this, it turns rapidly into a nostalgia-fest - even for toys from four or five years ago. "My personal favourites are Sindy doll - I was always a Sindy girl as she was a cool British icon. I also adored Glo Worm, even though I was maybe a bit old for it and Simon felt like properly, cutting edge, advanced technology when it came out - it was literally the soundtrack of Christmas in the 80s." Senior Hamleys buyer Karen Dennett said she particularly remembered toys where stocks were under severe pressure due to unforeseen demand and unusually had to be restricted to one per customer. She said: "It was mayhem at times with toys like the singing Frozen 'Let it Go' doll - we were getting them rush air freighted in to try to satisfy demand. "I remember me and my brother both getting a Rubik's Cube for Christmas. He solved it super quick, but I was nowhere near solving it, so I remember peeling the coloured stickers off to allow me to look like I had managed it." Ms Kay said it was difficult to determine what made a toy popular. "You can never underestimate the power of togetherness created around some of the big sellers. "Those toys that bring people of all ages together - get families around a table talking, playing, challenging, maybe even cheating. Monopoly would be nothing without the competitive family battles that emerge," she said. Ms Kay added: "We also mustn't forget that simplicity is often key - the joy of cuddling a doll or storytelling with an action figure or a superfast Hot Wheels car. "Combined with a good dose of jeopardy and you have something truly memorable - think Operation or Kerplunk, Jenga or Buckaroo - they are so simple. "I used to panic trying to balance the boot in Mousetrap and be terrified of the noise Operation would make when I got it wrong or just burst with panicky laughter when the Jenga tower finally wobbled and collapsed. Toys like that will last forever."
