Back before the days of CBBC, children were expected to be diverted for a suitable number of hours by simple adhesion. Note that one can both 'put them on' and 'take them off'. Revolutionary Photograph: Museum of Childhood
George Lucas's space-opera trilogy revolutionised the toy industry. A long time ago, before the joys of online shopping, mums would have to travel to shops far, far away just so their child would get bragging rights over an elusive action figure no one else at school had Photograph: Museum of Childhood
Nintendo's first handheld console hypnotised a generation of children. Were you a Tetris, Zelda or Super Mario Land kid? Photograph: Museum of Childhood
Pink or blue? An important distinction because it was the only one if you had weak eyes – everyone had to wear these. And if you broke them, you repaired them with plasters. Ah, 70s glamour Photograph: Museum of Childhood
Well remembered for dancing on top of a piano and nodding his head, Muffin the marionette horse graced telly screens for almost a decade's worth of solid entertainment Photograph: Museum of Childhood
The badge of honour – who'd be the class's morning milk monitor? Photograph: Museum of Childhood
Yet another frankly unreasonable fantasy in which random animals live together. Here, two rabbits and a frog live in a wagon driven by a friendly badger. No wonder previous generations grew up confused about ecosystems Photograph: Museum of Childhood
Which Maclaren do you remember – the vintage striped seat or the sturdy grey-and-blue job from around the turn of the millennium? Photograph: Museum of Childhood
These were what the cool kids wore. We were lucky if we had a pair of Le Shark Sportif from down t'market Photograph: Museum of Childhood
The All-Terrain Armored Transport Walker, also known as the Imperial Walker. An unstoppable intergalactic war machine. Until your brother Derek trod on it Photograph: Museum of Childhood
Caught scrawling naughty graffiti in the loo or giggling in class? The tawse was the weapon of choice for many corporal punishers till the 80s Photograph: Keith Parry/Museum of Childhood
Sindy, the doll you love to dress. Badly. Not surprising she's considering a headscarf with that barnet Photograph: Museum of Childhood
Were you a teddy boy? Bet you weren't as hardcore as the guy in the photo above. Just look how tight his drainpipes are Photograph: Museum of Childhood
Yet more animal madness, this time from Spear's. Anyone wishing to take traffic-awareness advice from a hedgehog might want to get their head checked Photograph: Museum of Childhood
To many, this highchair represents idyllic hours spent banging away with a spoon on the wooden table. To a child it's an important strategic position in the ongoing food war. A piece of potato flung from there could reach the kitchen door Photograph: Keith Parry/Museum of Childhood
A project by the Guardian's Bad science columnist Ben Goldacre to dispel the tenuous link between MMR vaccines and autism Photograph: Museum of Childhood
Feel patriotic in an eco-friendly way. Alternatively, take a poo on the flag. Both ends of the activism spectrum catered for here Photograph: Pip Barnard/Museum of Childhood
