28 Gifts Grandparents Gave in the ’60s
Gift giving in the 1960s favored the practical, the durable, and the occasionally strange. Grandparents who had lived through hard times often chose things that would last, and sometimes things that would make a child’s eyes go wide.
The decade also produced some of the most beloved toys ever sold. Here are the presents that showed up wrapped in tissue and tied with ribbon.
Hot Wheels
Mattel unveiled Hot Wheels on May 18, 1968, and Elliot Handler wanted cars that were faster and flashier than anything else on the market. The first 16 cars, called the Sweet 16, included the Custom Camaro, and they sold 16 million in the first year.
Early cars with Spectraflame paint and redline tires are the most valuable today.
Easy-Bake Oven
Kenner introduced the Easy-Bake Oven in 1963, and it baked tiny cakes using the heat of a 100-watt bulb. It entered the National Toy Hall of Fame in 2006.
A vintage oven with its original pans and mixes is the one collectors want.
Etch A Sketch
Ohio Art released the Etch A Sketch in 1960. Kids drew with two knobs and erased by shaking the screen.
The toy was simple, sturdy, and nearly indestructible.
Chatty Cathy
Mattel’s talking doll said phrases when a child pulled a string at her neck. She became one of the most popular dolls of the early part of the decade.
Early dolls with working voice boxes are especially desirable.
Spirograph
The geometric drawing toy appeared around 1965 and 1966. Plastic gears guided pens to make looping patterns.
Children produced dozens of designs in an afternoon.
Twister
Milton Bradley launched Twister in 1966, and it was the game that required players to bend into knots. A spinner told players where to put hands and feet.
The game made headlines for its playful physical nature.
Rock’em Sock’em Robots
Marx’s boxing robots arrived in 1965, controlled by two sets of joysticks. A knocked-out head popped upward when a hit landed.
It was a staple of boys’ bedrooms.
Operation
The surgical game of 1965 buzzed when a player touched the sides of the cavity. Players tried to remove tiny pieces from the patient.
The red nose lit up when a mistake was made.
Lite-Brite
Hasbro’s Lite-Brite came out in 1967, letting kids poke colored pegs into a lit panel. Pictures glowed in a dark room.
Refill sheets sold separately.
Barbie
Barbie first appeared in 1959, and Ken followed in 1961. By 1965, the doll got bendable legs.
Grandparents often picked out outfits as presents.
Fisher-Price Chatter Telephone
The Chatter Telephone rolled along the floor with eyes that bobbed when pulled. It first appeared in 1962 and remains a classic.
The dial and wheels survived years of play.
A Savings Bond
Many grandparents tucked a savings bond into a birthday card. It matured years later and sometimes helped pay for a car or tuition.
Kids found it boring at the time.
A Pocket Watch
An engraved pocket watch passed down from older relatives was a serious present. Kids kept it in a dresser drawer.
Wind-up models are collected today.
A Silver Dollar
Grandparents often gave silver dollars as keepsakes. The coins were heavy and shiny and clinked in a jar.
Condition drives their price.
A Transistor Radio
Pocket-sized radios let kids listen to the hits of the day. They ran on a nine-volt battery and tuned with a thumbwheel.
Many came with an earphone.
A Kodak Instamatic
Kodak introduced the Instamatic in 1963 with drop-in film cartridges that removed the fuss of loading film. Grandparents gave them to children for vacations.
The snapshots survive in photo albums.
A View-Master
The View-Master viewer clicked through 3D slides on circular reels. Reels covered national parks, cartoons, and television shows.
Collectors love complete sets.
A Slinky
The Slinky dates to the 1940s and was still a hit in the 1960s. It walked down stairs on its own.
It tangled eventually.
A Tonka Truck
Steel Tonka trucks were built to survive the sandbox. They were heavy and hard to break.
Rust and scratches show decades of use.
A Schwinn Bicycle
A Schwinn was often a Christmas gift for years. The Sting-Ray style with its banana seat emerged in 1963.
Chrome fenders and the right paint raise value.
A Hand-Knit Sweater
Grandmothers knit sweaters, mittens, and scarves for the winter. The patterns were bold and scratchy.
Each piece took many hours.
A Child-Sized Rocking Chair
A small rocker with a woven seat was a familiar present. Kids sat in it for story time.
It often became a family heirloom.
A Cap Gun
Cap guns snapped paper rolls and filled the room with smoke and noise. Cowboy outfits came with holsters.
Cast metal versions command the highest prices.
A Box of Crayola Crayons
The 64-count box with a built-in sharpener debuted in 1958 and was a prize by the 1960s. Kids sorted the colors by shade.
Fresh points made drawings neat.
A Radio Flyer Wagon
The red wagon carried toys, dolls, and little brothers. Its steel body held up to rough treatment.
Original paint is hard to find.
A Handheld Magic Set
Magic kits promised easy tricks to amaze the family. Cards, cups, and a wand came in the box.
Few kids mastered the routines.
A Charm Bracelet
Grandmothers began charm bracelets and added a new charm every birthday. Each charm marked an event.
Gold charms are weighed for their metal content.
A Dollar Bill in a Card
A crisp bill tucked in a card meant a birthday trip to the candy store. It bought a lot more in those days.
The gesture mattered more than the amount.
What the Presents Really Meant
Grandparents gave what they knew, and what they knew was often built to last. A steel truck, a bond, or a watch carried the idea that the best gifts would be useful for years.
The toys were just the fun wrapper. That mix of sturdy and sentimental is why these items still turn up in attics and estate sales.
Condition and original packaging separate a nostalgic keepsake from a collectible worth real money. Each object is a snapshot of a gift once chosen with love.
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