If You Can Identify These Objects, You're Probably a Baby Boomer

By: Jacqueline Samaroo
Estimated Completion Time
4 min
If You Can Identify These Objects, You're Probably a Baby Boomer
Image: Eva-Katalin/E+/Getty Images

About This Quiz

If you were born between 1946 and 1964, you are a group identified as baby boomers. Due to the boom in births following World War II, this generation shared many life experiences, from Vietnam to Watergate to watching the first man walk on the moon. They also shared the common experiences of home life, like getting milk delivered daily and collecting Green Stamps (or Blue Chip Stamps depending where you lived) to redeem merchandise. Let's face it. They also had the best music. Boomers listened to the Beatles, Ray Charles, the Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan  and so many other greats. 

The baby boomers just knew how to have fun. From Super Balls to Pogo sticks to Barrel of Monkeys, the world was a playground. As they got older, TV dinners arrived, as well as transistor radios and Polaroid cameras; all to make life more convenient. 

Whether you’re a leading-edge boomer born between 1946 and 1955 or a trailing-edge boomer born between 1956 and 1964, you’ll enjoy reminiscing about your youth with this quiz. If you're the child of a boomer, see how much your parents have told you about their youth!


Wall-Mount Bottle Opener
Gadgets and Grain via Youtube
Do you know the name of this old-school object?
View-Master
Skate key
Wall-mounted bottle opener
Polaroid camera
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Wall-mounted bottle openers were very similar to church key openers, as well as the bottle openers installed in older versions of vending machines. Remember, soda came in bottles, not cans. Some wall-mounted bottle openers came complete with a cap catcher.

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No draft window car
Wiki Commons by CZmarlin
Can you name this object beloved by driving boomers?
Bouffant hairdo
Polaroid camera
No-draft window
Icebox
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

No-draft windows (a.k.a. breeze windows, wing vents and butterfly windows) were commonplace in vehicles before air-conditioning became mainstream. They were a smart design feature which allowed you to keep the bigger windows rolled up but still have adequate ventilation in your car (to save your bouffant, of course!)

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Green Stamps
Wiki Commons by Wandering Magpie
What is this object that baby boomer (and their parents) collected?
Rotary dial telephone
Mr. Potato Head
Green Stamps
Glass milk bottles
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

S&H Green Stamps were very popular with the families of baby boomers. Customers received the trading stamps at the checkout counter of select supermarkets and department stores, as well as at some gas stations. The stamps were redeemable for items in S&H’s catalog or at their Green Stamps store. In certain parts of the country, people collected Blue Chip Stamps instead.

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linoleum
FogStock/Alin Dragulin/FogStock / Getty Images Plus/Getty Images
Only true boomers, or those who grew up in an older house, can name this item:
Wall phone
View-Master
Linoleum flooring
Church key
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The original linoleum material was a durable, attractive flooring option which has suffered the fate of being largely replaced by polyvinyl chloride (PVC.) Linoleum was so commonplace, however, that most people still call PVC (or any similar flooring material) linoleum.

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coat dress
Plume Creative/DigitalVision/Getty Images
Can you identify this baby boomer fashion fave?
Coatdress
Fotomat booth
Typewriter eraser
Corded TV remote
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The 1960s marked the height of popularity for this particularly chic item of apparel. Princess Diana led its resurgence in the 1980,s and baby boomers got to take a nostalgic walk down memory lane. It actually first made its appearance at the turn of the 20th century.

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kitten heels
Monkey Business Images/Monkey Business / Getty Images Plus/Getty Images
Which baby boomer fashion object is shown in this image?
Record cabinet
Kitten heel pumps
Mr. Potato Head
Bell-bottoms
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

In the 1950s, kitten heel pumps became the go-to style in footwear for young girls and grown women, alike. The style is essentially a very short stiletto heel, which made walking in them easier than traditionally high stilettos.

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glass milk bottles
Javier Ghersi/Moment/Getty Images
What is this classic object called?
Record cabinet
Chatty Cathy
45 RPM record adapter
Glass milk bottles
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

More amazing than the fact that the milk came in glass and not the now-ubiquitous plastic and cardboard, is that it was delivered right to your door by the milkman. For baby boomers, fresh milk delivered to your doorstep each morning was normal.

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Banana seat bicycle Schwinn
Beastly82Fox via Youtube
Do you remember what this childhood necessity was called?
Banana seat bicycle
45 RPM record adapter
The Game of Cootie
Payphone
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Saddle-shaped (or banana) bicycle seats were invented in 1885, but it wasn’t until the mid-1900s that they became really popular. The banana seat was more comfortable than other available seats, plus, it could easily accommodate a second rider due to its longer length.

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bouffant hairdo
H. Armstrong Roberts/Retrofile RF/Getty Images
Can you identify this baby boomer style fave?
Liquid paper
Bouffant hairdo
Die-cast soldiers
Icebox
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Jacqueline Kennedy was the epitome of style while her husband was the president of the United States. So, no matter how difficult her signature bouffant hairdo was to achieve or maintain, you can bet your bottom dollar every woman was teasing (and torturing) her hair into one. Bump-its didn't exist yet.

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love beads
YinYang/E+/Getty Images
Do you know what these iconic strands were called?
Love beads
Tang
Go-go boots
TV dinners
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

You didn’t have to be a hippie to adorn your wrist or neck with a string of love beads (although many hippies, both male and female, did!) Those colorful, easy-to-make (and mostly handmade) items of jewelry were everywhere.

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t.v. dinner
Rob Melnychuk/Photodisc/Getty Images
Can you remember what this culinary classic is called?
TV dinner
Payphone
Mood ring
Go-go boots
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

C.A. Swanson & Sons brought out its first TV Brand Frozen Dinner in 1953, and everyone started craving mealtime convenience. Their original 98-cent offering was a Thanksgiving turkey meal complete with cornbread dressing, sweet potatoes and frozen peas.

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shag carpet
Noel Hendrickson/Photodisc/Getty Images
Think you can name this nostalgic (and static-inducing) item?
Mimeograph machine
Glass milk bottles
Barrel of Monkeys
Shag carpet
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Shag carpeting has been around for centuries and is currently seeing a resurgence in its popularity. These super plush carpets hit the peak of their popularity, however, in the 1960s and 1970s, when they were closely associated with hippie culture.

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typewriter
guvendemir/E+/Getty Images
Have you ever used one of these?
Typewriter
Liquid Paper
Easy-Bake Oven
Pet Rock
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Typewriters enjoyed steady popular from the late 1800s into the 1980s. Even though they have been largely replaced by more efficient computers, we all still have typewriters to thank for the QWERTY keyboard we use each day.

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Mood ring
Anne Helmenstine via Youtube
Name this item beloved emotional barometer:
Banana seat bicycle
Pogo stick
Mood ring
The Game of Cootie
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Liquid crystal temperature strips were invented in 1970. While those convenient thermometers didn’t hit “fad” status, mood rings, which were based on the same technology and released five years later, certainly did. No need to explain your feelings; the mood ring said it all!

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View-Master
n/a
Do you know the name of this vintage entertainment object?
Transistor radio
Church key
View-Master
Wall phone
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The View-Master was released in 1939, but was at the height of its popularity in the 1950s and 1960s. Reels ranged from exotic vacation destinations to famous world landmarks and popular Disney characters.

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Barrel of Monkeys
YouTube
Can you name this classic game?
Barrel of Monkeys
Carbon paper
Super Ball
Typewriter eraser
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Marketing of Barrel of Monkeys began in 1965, and many a baby boomer had hours of fun playing with these interlocking little critters. In 2011, Barrel of Monkey’s earned 53rd place on Time Magazine’s list of All-Time 100 Greatest Toys.

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Mr. Potato Head
Hasbro
Know what these nostalgia-inducing toys are called?
Icebox
Fotomat booth
Mr. Potato Head
Rotary dial telephone
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Mr. Potato Head, released by Hasbro in 1952, holds the distinction of being the very first toy advertised on TV. Baby boomers might recall that the original Mr. Potato Head was just a bunch of pushpin body parts. You had to find your own potato (or other vegetable of your choice) to stick them into. The plastic head came later.

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Tang
General Foods
Which baby boomer edible creation is this?
No-draft window
Record cabinet
Chatty Cathy
Tang
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Tang first hit the market in 1959, and by 1962, the powdered orange-flavored drink mix was on-board with astronaut John Glenn on his Mercury mission flight. NASA kept using Tang aboard its missions which added to the drink being closely associated with the space program in pop culture.

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Super Ball
Wiki Commons by Lenore Edman
Pick the correct name for this baby boomer toy:
Typewriter
Typewriter eraser
Die-cast soldiers
Super Ball
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

1964 saw the accidental invention of a crazy bouncing ball that became so popular, it was even handed out to White House staff. While the material that made it had a cool, space age-sounding name, Zectron, for baby boomers, “Super Ball” just seemed to say it all.

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45 RPM Record Adapter
YouTube
Pick the correct name for this baby boomer entertainment favorite:
Mary Jane shoes
No-draft window
Go-go boots
45 RPM record adapter
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Seven-inch vinyl records, known as singles or 45s, had a much bigger hole in the center than the wider LP records. That was okay, since 45s were originally meant to be played in a jukebox. For playing 45s on your home turntable, however, you needed a 45 RPM record adapter.

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pay phone
Keith Getter/Moment Open/Getty Images
Can you name this blast from the past?
Coatdress
Payphone
Mary Jane Shoes
Rock ‘Em Sock ‘Em Robots
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Mobile phones have made payphone and phone booths all but obsolete. While they were around, payphones were extremely convenient for placing calls while out and about or (if you were Clark Kent) for quickly changing into your superhero outfit in privacy.

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Typewriter eraser
Wiki Commons by Marcin Wichary
Which baby boomer office object is this?
Love beads
Typewriter eraser
Pet Rock
Linoleum flooring
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Typewriters didn’t come with an “undo” button, so for fixing typing mistakes, you needed your trusty typewriter eraser. Typewriter erasers were made either in pencil or disc shape.

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bell bottoms
Tom Kelley Archive/Retrofile RF/Getty Images
Can you name this fashionable blast from the past?
Bell-bottoms
Mr. Potato Head
Kitten heel pumps
Rotary dial telephone
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Elvis and Sony and Cher certainly deserve some of the credit for the popularity that bell-bottoms enjoyed in the 1960s and 1970s. The style may have been based on Navy uniforms, but many “landlubbers” definitely partied the night away in a pair of these rocking hot pants.

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go-go boots
Thinkstock Images/Stockbyte/Getty Images
What's this knee-high fashion item called?
Go-go boots
Corded TV remote
Love beads
Barrel of Monkeys
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Ever wondered which came first, the go-go boot or the go-go dancer? Well, as every baby boomer knows, the shoes (which came out in the 1960s) were actually named after the dancers who made them so popular.

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Typewriter Ribbon
YouTube
Can you identify this old-school bit of tech?
Easy-Bake Oven
Skate key
Typewriter ribbon
Rickie Tickie Stickies
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Typewriter ribbon, also called ink ribbon, has become more or less obsolete. In the heyday of typewriters, however, the ribbon was known to be an indispensable part of every typewriter’s functioning, as it contained the ink.

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Which '80s Toy Are You
YouTube
Which baby boomer toy (turned recent movie) is seen here?
Pogo stick
Troll dolls
Chalkware
Fotomat booth
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Troll dolls first came on the scene in 1959. Their scary-but-cute features won over the hearts of kids, and they have remained popular since then, including inspiring a 2016 film called, "Trolls."

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Poloroid camera
Photo by Tara Denny/Moment/Getty Images
Can you name this iconic analog item?
Polaroid camera
Die-cast soldiers
Coatdress
Payphone
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Thanks to our current obsession with vintage objects, Polaroids, and other instant cameras, are still around today. They may have been largely replaced by the far superior digital camera, but when they were first introduced in 1948, Polaroid cameras were a technological marvel!

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Mimeograph machine
Wiki Commons by Printhusiast
Think you can name this nostalgic office necessity?
The Game of Cootie
Glass milk bottles
Mimeograph machine
Banana seat bicycle
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Long before the photocopier, there were mimeograph machines (called simply “mimeo” for short.) The mimeograph was affordable enough for small businesses to take care of their duplicating needs on their own.

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Chatty Cathy doll
dolldazzler via Youtube
What entertaining doll did little kids of the boomer generation want?
Rock ‘Em Sock ‘Em Robots
Chatty Cathy
Typewriter ribbon
45 RPM record adapter
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Toy manufacturer, Mattel, released Chatty Cathy in 1960, and she was an instant hit. Although her mouth didn’t move, she “spoke” 11 different phrases. All you had to do was pull on the ring in her back!

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corded t.v. remote controller
Wiki Commons by Gazebo
Do you remember the name of this home-technology device?
Kitten heel pumps
Bouffant hairdo
Corded TV remote
Tang
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Having to get up to change channels or adjust the volume was one of TV’s biggest drawbacks, and the TV remote became the natural solution. In the early days, however, the TV remote wasn’t so “remote," since it was wired to the TV. Of course, cordless remotes were not far behind!

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Chalkware
John Spence via Youtube
Pick the correct name for this decorative item:
Chalkware
Wall phone
Linoleum flooring
Transistor radio
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Nowadays, a rare chalkware figurine could be worth thousands of dollars. Back in their heyday (the 1940s to 1960s,) these affordable plaster of Paris figurines adorned many homes. Their popularity only began to wane (like so many other classic items) with the advent of plastics.

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rotary dial phone
querbeet/E+/Getty Images
What do you call this communication device?
Rotary dial telephone
Polaroid camera
Tang
TV dinners
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

To current generations, rotary dial telephones may seem like relics from a long-gone age, but to baby boomers, they were standard fare. Rotary dial telephones utilized a technology called pulse dialing which has since been replaced by keypads and touch-tone dialing.

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Easy Bake Oven
Retro Reviews via Youtube
Which baby boomer culinary object is shown in this picture?
Green Stamps
Wall-mounted bottle opener
Easy-Bake Oven
Transistor radio
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Easy-Bake Oven was first released by Kenner (now part of Hasbro) in 1963. It looked like a conventional oven, but its heat source was actually two 100 watt bulbs! Children still play with these, because honestly, what kid doesn't like cake?

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Correction fluid
By David Plater UK/Moment/Getty Images
What's this office supply called?
Troll dolls
TV dinners
Chalkware
Liquid Paper
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

When it was introduced in the 1950s, correction paper seemed like a real godsend. You could leave your typewriter eraser tucked away in the back of your desk drawer and reach for this easier (albeit messier) alternative, instead.

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transistor radio
SpeakerFreak95 via Youtube
Know what this personal entertainment system was called?
Green Stamps
Mimeograph machine
View-Master
Transistor radio
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The transistor radios of yesteryear were very much like the cellphones of today: colorful, stylish and affordable enough for everybody to have one. Teens got to have their music on the go with these lightweight, compact marvels.

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Pet Rock
Stainless Syth via Youtube
Can you name this unnecessary object beloved by boomers?
Bell-bottoms
Mood ring
Wall-mounted bottle opener
Pet Rock
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

When they came out in 1975, Pet Rocks took off in a really big way, if only for a short time. Pet Rocks were a simple idea: a rock in a box lined with straw, complete with breathing holes and a (tongue-in-cheek) instruction manual.

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Record Cabinet
YouTube
Can you remember what this classic household furnishing is called?
Super Ball
Bouffant hairdo
Record cabinet
Bell-bottoms
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Ranging from fairly simple to pretty formidable, record cabinets were a necessary piece of home furnishing in the age of vinyl records. They housed your turntable and were a great way to protect your music collection when you weren’t grooving to some of your favorites.

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Diecast toy soldiers
WSKG Public Media via Youtube
Know what these mini metal toys are called?
Pet Rock
Die-cast soldiers
Troll dolls
Coatdress
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Children today are used to these little army men being made out of plastic. When they first came on the scene, however, these popular toy box additions were made from durable die-cast metal.

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Church key opener
Wiki Commons by Caltrop
Pick the correct name for this baby boomer party necessity:
Wall-mounted bottle opener
Church key
Shag carpet
Silly Putty
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The church key had nothing to do with Sunday morning services. Its triangular, pointed end was used to punch holes in cans, such as those containing your favorite beer. Its rounded end was for lifting and pulling caps from glass bottles.

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Silly Putty
SankeyMagic via Youtube
Name this item beloved accidental invention:
Silly Putty
Liquid Paper
Chalkware
Skate key
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Silly Putty “The Real Solid Liquid” has been around since the 1950s. It was even on the Apollo 8 mission which orbited the Moon. There, the Silly Putty was used for a very practical reason: to keep tools from floating all over the cabin!

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Cooties
Pawn Stars via Youtube
Remember the name of this childhood game?
Typewriter ribbon
Linoleum flooring
Kitten heel pumps
The Game of Cootie
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Game of Cootie let you build your own cute (plastic) infectious bug; no wonder it was so popular! Cooties may not have been real, but the fun kids had playing the game ever since its launch in 1949 sure was!

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pogo stick
Jessica Nelson/Moment/Getty Images
Can you name this iconic toy?
Typewriter ribbon
Green Stamps
Easy-Bake Oven
Pogo stick
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

In every generation (baby boomers or not,) kids just love bouncing around. That’s what made the pogo stick such a brilliant idea and why it became so hugely popular in the 1970s. The version that we know was patented in the late 1950s, but the original pogo stick was actually patented in 1920.

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Mary Jane shoes
Kellie Parry Photography/Moment Open/Getty Images
What was a boomer closet staple?
Mary Jane Shoes
Silly Putty
Love beads
Carbon paper
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Just as with kitten heel pumps, Mary Jane shoes were popular among both women and girls. While Mary Janes were must-haves for little girls earlier in the century, by the 1960s they became a more grown-up affair and were worn with work or casual attire, as well as more formal looks.

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Ice box retro
thedetroitersales via Youtube
Which baby boomer kitchen necessity is this?
Chatty Cathy
Banana seat bicycle
Pogo Stick
Icebox
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The icebox, and the iceman who delivered the block of ice used in it, are all but obsolete today. Iceboxes were, however, found in most home kitchens before refrigerators became common household appliances.

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wall phone
Jason Todd/Photographer's Choice RF/Getty Images
Can you identify this vintage bit of tech?
Rock ‘Em Sock ‘Em Robots
Barrel of Monkeys
Wall phone
Corded TV remote
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

In the age of mobile telephones, it might be hard for some people to imagine having only one phone in your home that was fixed to the wall. Just as wall-mounted TVs are the norm today, wall-mounted phones were simply commonplace in baby boomer abodes.

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fotomat booth
Wiki Commons by Not on display
Which drive-thru service is this?
Shag carpet
Church key
Fotomat booth
Rickie Tickie Stickies
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Fotomat booths were located in almost every shopping center parking lot. They were a fast, convenient and affordable way to have your camera film developed. You simply dropped of the film (no need to get out of your car!) and picked up your pictures the next day.

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carbon paper
Wiki Commons by Holger.Ellgaard
What is this copying tool called?
Typewriter
Carbon paper
Rickie Tickie Stickies
Super Ball
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Before the introduction of carbonless paper for making duplicates, carbon paper was the go-to solution. Although originally made of coated paper, later versions of carbon paper were actually a kind of plastic film, not paper.

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ROCK'EM SOCK'EM ROBOTS
Deion's Playtime via Youtube
Can you name this classic game?
Shag carpet
Troll dolls
Rock ‘Em Sock ‘Em Robots
No-draft window
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Louis Marx and Company (a toy company) released the very first Rock ‘Em Sock ‘Em Robots in 1964. Red Rocker and Blue Bomber (the robots’ names) provided an excellent way to work out your differences; Just duke it out until somebody’s head got knocked off!

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You Got:
/48
Eva-Katalin/E+/Getty Images