Historic photos of kids' favorite toys through the years
Credit: Paul Johnson
New Year's Eve festivities at The Children's Museum of the East End in December 2014. On Dec. 31, 2015, the museum will again ring in the new year, with two sessions of family-friendly New Year's Eve Ball Drops; call for reservations: 631-537-8250, cmee.org.
Credit: Newsday//Harvey Weber
Philip Collins of New York City plays with a Gilbert Atomic cloud chamber in this March 5, 1951 photo.
Credit: Newsday//Marvin Sussman
In this October 26, 1965 photo, George Hollwedel and Rudy Verderber of Garden City Moving and Storage pack toys donated to the First Marine Division Association for distribution in Vietnam.
Credit: Newsday//John Curran
In this November 30, 1966 photo, John Ferrara of Levittown checks over one of the many bicycles that were collected as part of a drive by the Water Division of the Town of Hempstead. The employees of the Water Division repaired the bicycles for distribution to hospitalized children for Christmas.
Credit: Newsday//Bill Senft
James Young, 6, and Stephen Kish, 3, both of North Babylon, try out a new Tyco Over and Under racing set at Macy's in Roosevelt Field on December 9, 1969.
Credit: Newsday//Bill Senft
Dennis Marinuzzi,3, of Bethpage, plays with a walking space robot toy at Macy's in Roosevelt Field on December 9, 1969.
Credit: Newsday//George Argeroplos
Nick Pellicaro of Jericho tries out klick klacks at a store in Roosevelt Field on March 10, 1971.
Credit: Newsday//Tom Maguire
Angela Nudo of Westbury looks at dolls for her daughter Michele, 15 monhs, at the Korvette's in Carle Place on December 21, 1971.
Credit: Newsday//Dave Pokress
The Coleco Cabbage Patch Doll exhibit at the New York City Toy Fair on February 13, 1984.
Credit: Newsday file photo
On February 8, 1993, two women at the New York City Toy Fair in Manhattan demonstrate just how far the new Stretch Armstrong Toy could be stretched.
Credit: Newsday//Audrey C. Tiernan
Erika Ravdin, 8, of Merrick, plays with Magna Sticks, a building game, in this November 17, 1981 photo.
Credit: Newsday//Dick Yarwood
Shoppers who waited three hours in the rain pick up rare Cabbage Patch Dolls at the Toys R Us in Commack on November 25, 1983.
Credit: Newsday//Jim Estrin
Children watch as a Cabbage Patch Doll is "born" at Babyland General Hospital in Manhattan on December 11, 1985.
Credit: Newdsay//Jerry Gay
Kelly, 5, and Tracey, 8, Coleman, of Columbia, S.C., check out Jem and Barbie dolls at Kay-Bee Toys in Elmhurst, Queens on August 22, 1986. The sisters were visiting their grandmother Irene Lark of Queens.
Credit: Newsday//Jerry Gay
In this August 22, 1986 photo, six year old Elombe Jean Rae tries out a skateboard at Kay-Bee Toys in Elmhurst, Queens.
Credit: Newsday//Jim Peppler
Rabbi Elliott T. Spar explains the Hebrew naming ceremony to seven-year-old Rachel Hippner of Nissequogue. Rachel wanted to give her Cabbage Patch doll the Hebew name Edina Hana.
Credit: Newsday//Alan Raia
Adam Zalma, 4, of Baldwin, and Michael Chun, 4, of Freeport, play at the Hofstra University Nursery School.
Credit: Newsday//Richard Lee
Store managers Mike Mallon, left, and Calvin Nelson, right, show some of the best selling toys at Toys R Us in Long Island City on October 23, 1990.
Credit: Newsday//Susan Gilbert
Francesco Brenta and Marco Bongioanni, both 7, check out some of the more popular GI Joe toys that were on the market in this December 2, 1986 photo taken at Toy Park in Manhattan.
Credit: Newsday//Ozier Muhammad
Milton Puryear and wife Yla Eason at the Manhattan office of their company Olmec Corp. The couple hold their 4-year-old son Menelik, who inspired their biggest seller, Sun-Man. Menelik is seen here on December 17, 1985 holding Sun-Man and Pig Head figures.
Credit: Newsday//Bill Davis
Annette Gelfand displays her "First Ladies" dolls in their inaugural gowns in this February 6, 1984 photo taken at the East Meadow Public Library.
Credit: Newsday//Dick Kraus
In this December 17, 1985 photo, Lee Mambuca, 8, of Flushing, Queens, holds a Star Trek U.S.S. Enterprise action playset at the Toys R Us store in Levittown.
Credit: Newsday//Jerry Gay
Kings Park twins Tommy and Timmy Mankowski, 7, check out Humanoid toys along with their ten year old brother Danny at the Toys R Us store in Commack on August 23, 1986.
Credit: Newsday//Jim Cummins
The Last Wound-Up toy store at the South Street Seaport is seen in this photo taken on December 27, 1987.
Credit: Newsday//George Argeroplos
Donald Pearlstein, vice president of research and development at Tara Toys in Hauppauge works with one of the company's products in this December 4, 1987 photo.
Credit: Newsday//V. Richard Haro
A boy is seen playing with the Super Hyper Racer/Enduro 500 Race Set by Bandai in this September 12, 1989 photo.
Credit: Newsday//Susan Farley
Joyce Lyons demonstrates TYCO's DinoRider dinosaur replicas at the Toy Fair in Manhattan on February 13, 1989.
Credit: Newsday//Dave Pokress
Ken Farrell, owner of Just Kids Nostalgia in Huntington, is seen in this November 21, 1991 photo showing an array of vintage and collectible toys that were sold at his shop.
Credit: Newsday//John Naso
World Grandmaster of Erector Sets, Francis LeCocq, tops off a seven foot replica of the Empire State Building on October 8, 1992.
Credit: Newsday//J.Conrad Williams, Jr.
In this August 6, 1992 photo, Steven and Eva Stark display some of the trolls which their Farmingdale company produced.
Credit: Newsday//Dave Pokress
Carol Spencer, one of the principal designers of Barbie dolls, shows off one of her creations at Dear Little Dollies in Bellmore on March 28, 1993.
