If your plans today involve heading to the mall to battle deal-crazy shoppers just to save a few bucks on the latest toy or video game system you're already spending hundreds of dollars on, might we remind you there are best-selling toys that are already a pretty great bargain all year round?
Most of these toys have been appearing under Christmas trees for decades now, that's why they're considered classics. And despite millions of them already being sold, the demand for them remains so high that millions are still being produced, perpetually keeping the prices even lower than most of the Black Friday deals you'll find today.
Rubik's Cube - $10
This iconic twisting puzzle cube hasn't changed in decades, yet the challenge remains absolutely the same for generation after generation. Newer versions use plastic colored tiles to help prevent cheating, but the original version with its peel-able stickers is cheaper, and guarantees you've got a last resort method for 'solving' your cube. [ Amazon]
Frisbee - $4
One-part flying toy, one-part science experiment on the basics of aeronautics, and one-part emergency picnic plate, the Frisbee is the perfect toy for trips to the park or the beach. It's virtually indestructible too, no matter how many times it's sent crashing into a tree or sliding across the road. (Although sometimes man's best friend has been listed as the Frisbee's only known predator.) [Amazon]
Etch A Sketch - $17
It doesn't need a stylus, there's never any firmware updates, and once you've ponied up for an Etch A Sketch you'll never need to drop a dime on apps or additional premium content. But it's just not a drawing toy, it can actually provide as much a challenge as a Rubik's Cube does. Just ask someone to draw a perfect circle and watch them struggle for hours. [ Ohio Art]
Monopoly - $8
Monopoly has been tearing families apart for decades while it teaches a balance of responsible spending versus unfair monopolistic business tactics. The game itself seems to have a solid monopoly on quality family time, undercutting other board games with a ridiculously cheap eight dollar price tag. And now there's a cat token too—if you're into that kind of thing. [Amazon]
Slinky - $5
Honda has spent millions of dollars on its Asimo bi-pedal walking robot, but it still can't handle walking down a flight of stairs as effortlessly and elegantly as a Slinky can. With a little TLC your Slinky can last for years and years, but if it does get damaged, it's just five bucks to replace it. It's like the pet hamster of toys. [Amazon]
Jenga - $8
Four years of studying structural engineering can't provide as much practical insight into what makes a structure fall down as two or three games of Jenga will. It's also a great way to really boost your stress levels if you find yourself just too relaxed one lazy afternoon. And no tool on earth is better at telling you if a table is level than a tower of Jenga blocks precariously leaning one way or another. [ Amazon]
Play-Doh - $4
Nothing represents raw potential like a freshly-opened tub of plasticine. It doesn't matter what color it is, it can take the shape of any person, animal, object, or entity in our universe. It's particularly great for making snakes, and is without a doubt the original stress toy if you need to squeeze out some frustrations. [Amazon]
Hot Wheels - $1
It's hard getting kids to understand the value of money, and that's mostly because they can buy an entire car, all four wheels and all, for just a dollar every time they visit the toy store. The cheap price tag has easily been Hot Wheels' most valuable marketing tool for kids, but they also give adults the chance to buy the Ferrari or Porsche they may otherwise never be able to afford. [Hot Wheels]
Bicycle Playing Cards (Solitaire) - $4
There will never be a greater multi-player game than a simple deck of 52 cards. There is almost an infinite number of ways they can be played with, whether by yourself with a quiet game of Solitaire, or with a group of friends playing Texas Hold 'Em. They even double as a building toy if you've got a steady delicate touch, or a makeshift Frisbee if you can master that wrist flick. [Bicycle]
Silly Putty - $1.50
It's been claimed that Silly Putty was cooked up in a lab somewhere, but it's hard to believe the magical ball of goo didn't fall from space decades ago. It bounces, it works like a photocopier on comic books, it stretches like Play-Doh, and it generally feels like you're holding on to alien technology. If you can think of a better way to spend $1.50, you're lying to yourself. [Crayola]
Plastic Army Men - $7
They don't have any points of articulation, they don't interact with a tablet, and their weapons certainly don't fire, but that hasn't stopped those simple green plastic molded army men from remaining popular. It probably has something to do with them being nearly invincible, and that you can instantly build an army of 40 troopers for just seven bucks, or even cheaper if you're willing to buy hundreds of them by the barrel. [Amazon]
Yo-yo - $3.50
Difficult to master but incredibly satisfying when you do, the humble yo-yo's ability to seemingly defy gravity and continuously return to your hand is a mesmerizing trick. But not nearly as impressive as the first time you get it to momentarily 'sleep' before it climbs back up that string. It's certainly worth at least a few minutes of fame, even if it's only your dog who saw you pull the trick off. [Duncan]
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