8 household items only children from the 1980s will remember

Before texting or WhatsApp, everyone had to actually talk on the phone – even if calling your friends was much more of a mission. Though the spinning of the rotary dial was tedious – never mind if you accidentally misdialed – the satisfying click-whirr was a reward for your effort that you just don’t get with the latest iPhone.

Before they were an old-school aesthetic loved by trendy teens, vinyl players were the ultimate centrepiece of any 80s living room. Music came to life the second you placed the needle on the record – occasionally interrupted by the inevitable pops and crackles that indicated your beloved MJ record needed a bit of a clean.

Despite not being the first-ever portable listening experience, the walk Walkman was a huge commercial success, and popularized the concept of truly personal, on-the-go stereo music with headphones. Slide in your tape, press play, and suddenly a bus ride turned into your own personal concert venue – though we’re grateful for the choice Spotify gives us, there’s something nostalgic about lugging that hefty device around.

This one was a hit with the previous decade too, and it’s not hard to see why – snapping a photo and watching it develop in your hands seemed like literal magic. These devices prompted a fair few squabbles over who would get to take the picture home – unless you were willing to pose again – but their charm is immortalised in the sleek Polaroid cameras of today.

From finding out someone didn’t rewind the tape to desperately trying to find the sweet spot with the tracking dial, movie nights were somewhat more difficult in the age of VHS tapes – though nothing will compare to owning a big box of tapes and showing off when your friends came round.

Forget the gentle chimes and pop melodies available on our phones today. Analog alarm clocks were more akin to fire alarms, jolting us out of sleep and blazingly reminding us we were somehow already late for school or work.

Though it might not have been a welcome addition for parents, all the cool kids had a boombox tucked away (as best you could, given their size) in their rooms, ready for Prince to soundtrack their study sessions – until being yelled at to “turn it down!” You’d likely get more appreciation for your JVC at a friend’s house.

Before digital photography, snapping shots was a high-stakes mission. With limited space on your film roll, every snap mattered – and there certainly was no option to take 200 tries to get the perfect one. You just popped in a flash cube, snapped the photo, and later watched your memory develop in all its grainy glory.

For those mornings when getting out of bed was a challenge, this handy little device offered up your morning cuppa without having to leave bed. Though they peaked in the previous decades, these alarm/kettle hybrids remained on the bedside tables of many devout users throughout the 80s – and even food delivery apps can’t match the convenience of a bedside brew.

Transcending kids’ toys and becoming the ultimate status symbol – and bane of many parents’ existence – Cabbage Patch Kids caused widespread mayhem in the 80s as everyone fought to score decade’s most sought-after dolls. Each one came with its own adoption certificate, making them feel like a truly special purchase (if you managed to get your hands on one).

Before Nintendo dominated the console world, the Sega Master System were the epicenters of gaming innovation. Blasting aliens on Space Invaders or racing through pixelated tracks was the ultimate reward for completing all your chores – especially if you had a pair of their 3D glasses.

Though computers began to make their mark on households by the end of the 80s, the unmistakable “click-clack” of an electric typewriter used to dominate the decade’s living rooms and office spaces. If you were given permission to write an assignment on the typewriter, you felt endlessly fancy – until you made a mistake.