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Kids and grandparents react to ’90s toys exactly how you’d expect

Who knew that time moves along at a predictable pace?

Photo of Cece Lederer

Cece Lederer

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Oh, the ’90s. Who doesn’t miss baggy pants, grunge music, and Nickelodeon Guts? As it turns out, pretty much everyone who isn’t your age.

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To prove it, we gathered up some kids and some grandparents, showed them a bunch of toys from the teal decade, and wrote down their responses. Their bewildered—but totally understandable—responses will make you feel like you’re the exact age you already are.

1) Walkman

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Skyler Green, age 7: “How do I send a Snapchat from this?”

Paula Field, age 82: “It’s not working. Do I need to replace the needle?”

2) Gameboy cartridges

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Fiona Tilakawardine, age 16: “You have to carry a whole thing of games around with you, plus the device itself? Eww. I’d rather talk to my friends.”

Wayne Marcus, age 92: “We used to call these tiddlywinks.”

3) Graphing calculator

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Aushlee Wexblitz, age 14: “Why wouldn’t you just use your phone?”

Todd Urban, age 97: “I suppose you kids think you’re too good for long division?”

4) VHS cassette

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Brailynn Scappa-Ortiz, age 11: “How can there be a movie on this? There no screen”

Rebecca Gould, age 86: “Is the film already threaded? How clever! Is it on?”

5) Koosh ball

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Alphabetta Duchamp-Wong, age 13: “You use it in the bath, like a loofa.”

Doug Barkley, age 87: “It’s some kind of sex thing.”

6) Pogs

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Pinecone Lawrence, age 9: “I honestly cannot fathom what you would do with these.”

Miriam Glickman, age 72: “And what? Whoever throws it furthest wins?”

7) PT Cruiser

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Chipchop Donaldson, age 8: It’s a model-T Ford, right? Someone really let it go to shit.”

David Smith, age 97: “Is this from the future? Is it the time machine? Does it go to the past? Can I see my wife?”

8) Magic Eye

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Flamingo Jane Meltzer, age 13: “This is so dumb.”

Maura Long, age 78: “Call an ambulance!”

9) Floppy disk

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Zarathustra Weisberg-Lincoln-DeNoni, age 2: *tries to eat it*

Andy Dobbs, age 102: *tries to eat it*

Illustration by Max Fleishman

 
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