My Top 50 Toys of All Time

VH1 is producing a countdown show on the Top 100 Toys of All Time. From their master list of 100--I have selected 50 that made a difference in my life. There are many notably absent from this list, but that posting is perhaps for another day...

All-Time, All-Timers
Bicycle - Who could argue with a kid's first wheels? Freedom, baby!
Fisher Price Little People - I spent more hours than I care to admit in this little world.
Hot Wheels Cars - My 10-year-old Friday nights were sleep-overs at my best friends house, playing Hot Wheels and watching "The Dukes of Hazzard."
LEGO - From generation to generation, nobody does it better.
Mattel Classic Football - I can still hear the sounds of electronic tackling in my head.
Nerf - Whatever they touch, turns to sport.
Risk - What's a little world-domination between friends?
Sleds - When your nostril hairs are frozen, you might as well blitz yourself into a tree...
Slip 'n Slide - The greatest neighborhood block-parties I've ever had
Video game systems: Atari, Intellivision, Playstation, Sega, Xbox
Water Guns - classic, old-school summer fun
Wiffle Ball and Bat - simply wonderful

Favorite Classics
Colorforms, Frisbee, Lincoln Logs, Models, Monopoly, Pictionary, Play Doh, Slinky, and Trivial Pursuit

Innovators
Chutes & Ladders, Clue, Connect Four, Dominoes, G.I. Joe, Green plastic army men, Little Golden Books (Nothing beats The Poky Little Puppy), Madlibs, Memory (the game that's good for you!), Monchichi (never played with the toy--but I loved the commercials and that stupid song...), MouseTrap (the first board game I ever owned), Mr. Mouth, Operation, Remote Control Cars, Roller Skates (rinks, blades, fun on wheels), Rubik's Cube, Silly Putty, Simon, Six Million Dollar Man Doll, Smurfs (La-la-la-la-la-la...), Snoopy Snow Cone Machine ("you mean you can make your own at home now?"), Spirograph, Star Wars action figures, Strawberry Shortcake (intoxicating aromas), Stretch Armstrong (loved his rubber guts), Tinker Toys, Tonka Trucks, Uno, Viewmaster