The hottest trend on social media right now? Recapturing the vibe of the 1990s! Parents and caregivers have been promoting their ‘90s memories online, and it’s brought up a discussion about the benefits of 90s style play—letting kids play independently, letting them stay out with friends until dark, going more offline with daily tasks, and engaging with screen-free toys that are playable for hours, days, weeks, and even years.
At Melissa & Doug, It’s our mission to inspire kid-powered play that builds the skills and confidence to thrive in the world. We believe in purposeful play that's sparked by a child's imagination and its endless possibilities. We design every product with thoughtful details to inspire the kind of kid-powered play that helps shape who children will become. The play may be pretend, but the discoveries and skills are real.
Our Top Toys to Bring Kids Back to the '90s
To get in on the ‘90s theme conversation, the Melissa & Doug team curated this thoughtful selection of toy suggestions based on 1990s themes we encountered online. Enjoy your nostalgia trip down Memory Lane as we present the perfect playlist of our current toys, perfect for that 1990s style!
Very Offline Play
Remember life before EVERYTHING happened on screens? There’s growing concern that this generation of kids relies too much on screens for entertainment, play, and learning, and it’s causing them to fall behind developmentally. Screen-free play always makes for a good option if you want your kids to learn important skills such as gross and fine motor development, problem solving and critical thinking, creativity, empathy, and much more. Check out this curated selection of Melissa & Doug toys that perfectly capture a very offline vibe!
No apps or delivery service here—shopping and playful purchasing is exciting at the sturdy wooden Fresh Mart Grocery Store!
Fun on aisle five! Kids can have loads of fun as they pretend that they're grocery shopping with this kid-sized shopping cart, because back in the ‘90s, we didn’t have Instacart.
The Melissa & Doug Pizza Party is a complete wooden playset that lets kids create, slice, and serve their own custom pizzas—unfortunately, Gen X and Millennials didn’t have UberEats or DoorDash, so be sure to call on your landline for pretend pizza delivery service.
Scoop & Serve Ice Cream Counter
Ice cream is pure joy, and no screen can capture that feeling, even if it’s pretend! The Melissa & Doug Scoop & Serve Ice Cream Counter is a 28‑piece wooden pretend ice cream shop, featuring 8 wooden scoops, 6 toppings, 2 cones, a plastic cup, scooper, tongs, wooden spoon, reusable menu card, and pretend dollar bills.
Wooden Cutting Fruit Play Food
The Melissa & Doug Cutting Fruit Set is a 17-piece wooden play set that lets kids slice and serve a delicious fruit salad. Kitchen skills are life skills, and this play set promotes healthful eating habits and key kitchen skills.
“The Stay Outside Until Dark" Vibe
One of the benefits of being a 90s kid was getting to stay out until evening time unsupervised. If you want to give your little ones that feeling of freedom and independence, Melissa & Doug curated this selection of toys that’ll help them recreate that 90s vibe of playing all night long, with no parents allowed!
This wooden pull-toy from Melissa & Doug is sure to have little animal lovers zooming around and giggling with joy! Now take him outside and play until we call you for dinner.
With the Pretty Petals Sprinkler, the flowers water you! This sweet and whimsical outdoor sprinkler features pretty pink flowers on a green base, all made from durable materials. This one’s a winner—good luck getting little ones OUT of the sprinkler!
Bella Butterfly Child's Outdoor Chair
Your child will be "sitting pretty" in this delightful outdoor folding chair made just for kids—and reminiscent of the neighborhood ladies holding court all night. It features the adorable Bella Butterfly character on a sturdy metal frame.
Create countless scenes with colorful chalk in “sweet” dessert and “cool” ice cream shapes! Play games, get creative, draw fun stuff…sidewalk chalk will keep kids engaged till there’s nothing left but dust and nubbins.
The dark won't "bug" young adventurers when they have Giddy Buggy to light the night—and without a phone flashlight, your kiddo will need an analog option!
Classic Analog Toys
Nostalgia may fuel this 1990s vibe trend, but some toys are classic for a reason: Because they stand the test of time while helping kids learn key developmental skills. In this selection of Classic Melissa & Doug toys, your kids will engage in play patterns and play with toys that go back generations, unlocking core memories for the families that play together in the process.
Wooden Grocery Store/Lemonade Stand
Whatever the season or weather, the Melissa & Doug Grocery Store/Lemonade Stand is a double-duty wooden play set for kids that serves as a grocery store or a lemonade stand with a simple flip of the awning. Best kid job they'll ever have!
Children can match the colors, sort the shapes, and solve the puzzle as they manipulate the color blocks and turn the hands, building cognitive and motor skills and laying the groundwork for learning to tell time.
Build and design a home with the Cheery Lane House Play Set, featuring fold-out rooms and modular corners. This wooden toy is part of our Cheery Lane collection, designed for top-down play by the youngest kids.
This giant two-level tractor-trailer comes stocked with four wooden emergency vehicles and delivers unlimited play possibilities.
Little builders can get right to work with this clever house-shaped toolbox that becomes part of the construction fun.
Mood: Totally Summer Camp!
Give your little ones the summer camp experience at home, without the separation anxiety! (Yours, obvi.) Many ‘90s kids have wonderful memories of their camp getaways, and if that’s something you want to share with your toddler or preschooler to prepare them for their own camp days, Melissa & Doug has the toys to guide them to camp glory.
Everyone likes getting letters--especially at camp in the '90s with no email! Sending and receiving "mail" is even more fun with this toy mailbox, complete with a bright red flag.
A fun-filled activity that lets kids stamp out stickers as they play, create, and learn. Collect them all! It’s a revolution in sticker play as kids stamp, stamp, stamp their way through all kinds of adventures.
On the Go Crafts - Friendship Bracelets
From simple knots to tricky patterns, this activity set guides kids through more than 10 cool friendship bracelets--a camp staple activity if there ever was one!
With its easy-to-use adjustable frame, oversized wooden needle and generous 91 yards of rainbow yarn, this wooden loom toy lets kids choose to make a scarf, a tasseled coaster, a drawstring pouch, a crafty carry-all--or whatever they design themselves!
Deluxe Grill & Pizza Oven Play Set
Fire up pretend play with this perfectly kid-sized wooden barbecue grill, smoker, and pizza oven play set! It’s not a campout without a cookout!
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