Get Into It! Trivia Quiz

The teddy bear originated in 1902 when U.S. shop owner Morris Michtom created the first plush "Teddy's bear" after seeing a political cartoon of President Theodore Roosevelt refusing to shoot a bear cub. German designer Richard Steiff developed a jointed bear the same year, launching one of the world's earliest and most enduring plush‑toy fads.

(I still have my Teddy bear from my childhood --- his name was George)

Lincoln Logs were invented around 1916 by John Lloyd Wright, son of architect Frank Lloyd Wright, and first marketed in 1918 as a notched‑log construction set inspired by interlocking beams used in the design of Tokyo's earthquake‑resistant Imperial Hotel.

(I never had Lincoln Logs, but I did (and still do) have tons of Lego... which was invented in the 1930s)

Although the yo‑yo is centuries old, its major American fad began in 1928 when Filipino entrepreneur Pedro Flores founded one of the first U.S. yo‑yo companies and popularized the toy through demonstrations and competitions made possible by his loop‑axle design.

(I was never very good with a yo-yo, but I have owned numerous over the years)

The View‑Master stereoscope was created by William Gruber and introduced in 1939, using Kodachrome color film to present 3‑D scenic and travel images on circular reels, establishing a long‑running fascination with miniature stereoscopic worlds.

(I remember enjoying looking at amazing world sites from around the world... in my bedroom!)

The Slinky debuted in 1945 after naval engineer Richard T. James discovered in 1943 that a metal spring could "walk" down steps. Perfected with his wife Betty James, the toy became an instant success when first demonstrated at a Philadelphia department store.

(Another favourite growing up -- racing Slinkies with my best friend!)

Barbie was created by Ruth Handler and launched by Mattel on March 9, 1959, introducing an adult-figured fashion doll inspired by the German Bild Lilli toy and reshaping the doll market with its emphasis on style, aspiration, and an ever-expanding accessory world.

(I never owned a Barbie doll, but certainly had the little boy equivalent -- a Spider-Man action figure!)

Invented by French electrical technician André Cassagnes and released in 1960 by the Ohio Art Company, the Etch A Sketch captured imaginations with its red frame, dual knobs, and aluminum-powder "magic screen" that allowed erasable line‑drawn creations.

(I must have spent hours trying to make curved lines with my Etch A Sketch!)

Hungarian architect Ernő Rubik invented the "Magic Cube" in 1974, with global release as the Rubik's Cube in 1980; its twistable 3‑D mechanism and billions of possible configurations made it a worldwide puzzle craze and enduring cultural icon.

(I was never able to figure out how to solve a Rubik's Cube without looking it up... so impressed by those that can!)

Inspired by Xavier Roberts' hand‑stitched "Little People" soft sculptures first created in 1978, Cabbage Patch Kids were mass‑produced starting in 1982 by Coleco, sparking massive demand with their unique "adoption" concept and collectible designs.

(This fad actually made me scratch my head, even as a kid. I couldn't see the attraction.)

Created by Akihiro Yokoi and Aki Maita and released by Bandai in 1996, the egg-shaped Tamagotchi introduced handheld virtual-pet caregiving to millions, becoming a global late‑'90s phenomenon and evolving into a long‑running digital-pet franchise.

(I never owned my own, as this came out after I finished high school, but I remember how popular a fad it was!)