The 10 Essential Stuffed Animals of the 80s

5. Popples

Created by a subsidiary of American Greetings (the other greeting card people) and produced by Mattel, Popples were strange stuffed creatures that could fold into themselves via a pocket. They weren’t quite teddy bears, but they also weren’t traditional marsupials, either.

Although these were more popular with girls, Popples were very much targeted at both boys and girls. They came in a variety of colors and shapes and could be rolled up into Popple balls. Some were even transformed into backpacks. It’s a gimmick that made little sense, but it was a hit with kids none the less.

4. Pound Puppies

Tonka’s Pound Puppies were an overnight success that followed the Cabbage Patch Kids formula. You got registration papers along with a collar, and l.D. tag. Unlike Cabbage Patch, the floppy eared soft plush dogs were aimed at boys and girls.

A cartoon soon followed and kids of all ages had tons of different stuffed dogs. There were actually lots of kids who wanted these stuffed dogs instead of real dogs and probably a lot of parents who were willing to oblige.

3. Care Bears

Although they were almost directly targeted at girls, there were some boys who liked the Care Bears as well. Yet another American Greetings creation, the Care Bears have continued to be a force in the toy aisles ever since.

It was their bright colorful stuffed likenesses that ruled the 1980s and earned them a spot on this list.

2. Teddy Ruxpin

The most expensive stuffed animal of the 80s, Teddy wasn’t any ordinary plush. Teddy was a real life animatronic that you could have in the comfort of your own home.

Teddy could read stories, tell you of his adventures and even connect up with his pal Grubby for a reenactment of their greatest adventures. There wasn’t anything else like Teddy Ruxpin in the 1980s and there hasn’t been anything comparable since. Ruxpin at the heart of it all, was a stuffed animal… Just a very fragile one.

1. My Pet Monster

This gruesome blue beast was also produced by American Greetings (noticing a trend?) and was just about every boy’s dream stuffed animal as a kid. Even when older kids laughed at you for having stuffed bears or trinkets, nobody laughed at the My Pet Monster.

In a reverse trend of most the stuffed animals on this list, My Pet Monster was primarily a boys toy that was marketed to girls as well. His massive size and breakable chains made him the only stuffed animal that seemed to be as big as you were. He’s a monster, but he’s also your friend too.

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