25 Gifts Kids Unwrapped in the ’50s, ’60s & ’70s

Launched in 1964, G.I. Joe brought military storytelling into the toy world long before “action figure” became standard vocabulary. Kids recreated battles, invented missions, and swapped gear as if running a tiny army. The figures were detailed, the accessories endless, and the adventures limited only by imagination. By the ’70s, G.I. Joe had become a staple gift — rugged, dramatic, and endlessly playable.