If you were a child of the ’80s, you probably remember the original Teddy Ruxpin ad. If you don’t, let me break it down: Kid stands in front of his class for show and tell, holding aloft his Teddy Ruxpin doll. Kid tells classmates how Teddy tells him stories and takes him on adventures to the world of Grundo. Classmates look at kid as if he’s slapped on an acid-laced Cracker Jack tattoo. But wait. Teddy comes to life, leaving the classmates in their own Worlds of Wonder, while the smug rich kid, who always has every toy before everyone else, smirks knowingly. You can probably tell by that last sentence that our house did not have a Teddy Ruxpin. But we’re not bitter. Not anymore, anyway, thanks to Back Pack Toys, which is bringing Teddy to 2,000 Target stores in September. And what timing. With his first-time playmates hitting their mid 20s, Teddy’s arrived just in time to appeal to them as first-time parents. (If 25 seems too young to be a mom, you probably live in New York, L.A. or one of those other blue-state cities that encourage self-obsession. It’s the average age of first-time moms in the U.S., according to the CDC. Arkansas moms are the youngest, popping ’em out at age 22 on average.) And why not? The Cabbage Patch Kids, Care Bears, My Little Pony and even Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles are enjoying newfound popularity, as is Strawberry Shortcake. Let’s see if we can say the same about the polarizing Bratz dolls in 10 years.

—Posted by Deanna Zammit