Classic 1970s Ride-On Toys
Lisa Steuer McArdle
· 3 min read
It’s always fun to look back on popular toys during different time periods—particularly if you were a kid during that era and like reminiscing about the good old days. There’s also a big market for toy collectors who like to own a piece of nostalgia.
Riding toys have always been pretty popular with kids, especially since the 1970s. In fact, there are plenty of 1970s ride-on toys that are still being bought and sold today. Some are also extremely rare and might even be worth something if you find one in decent condition in the back of your garage.
Here’s a walk down memory lane with some of the most iconic 1970s ride-on toys that have a place in
toy history
. 
Some of the rarest 1970s ride-on toys: Animals
Little Tikes duck riding toy. This is reportedly a rare find today, although it seems you can find some used versions when you search the internet. This cute four-wheeled toy in the shape of a duck surely brings back good memories of the 1970s. It was recently available on
eBay
for $69.Little Tikes Ollie Banana. It’s going to take a lot of digging for this one, but it does occasionally pop up on eBay. Kids that had this toy in the 1970s probably haven’t been able to forget its big round eyes and real yarn hair that made this toy particularly unique.
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Coolest ride-on cars
MORE: How Does Hot Wheels Turn a Real Car Into a Toy?
Eldon Hot Foot Dragster 23 Ford T-bucket Ride On Car. This one seems to be available on some vintage toy websites. But since it’s battery-operated, many listings seem to say that either the battery is dead or it doesn’t work. Either way, it’s a really cool-looking ride-on toy, even by today’s standards.
Kids of the 1970s will remember the flame on the side of the vehicle with “Hot Foot” written on it. The power switch was on the right foot, and the small wheel in the back was good for popping wheelies. There’s no current eBay listing for the toy, but one is available from
Time Warp Toys
for $250.Vintage Tonka Bucket T Roadster Metalflake. This one looks just as cool as the Hot Foot Foot Dragster but seems like it’s easier to find, at least in used condition. It was recently available on
eBay
for $19.99.Iconic ride-on bikes that are still around today
The Playskool tyke bike. There’s something so charming about the simplicity of the classic toys. This
bike
was made of wood, plastic, and metal, with chromed handlebars and an oval seat, according to Foter
. You can purchase modern versions today, but if you want to purchase the original, you can check out eBay
.Big Wheel Tricycle. A list about riding toys isn’t complete without mentioning a Big Wheel bike.
The 1970 Big Wheel is also significant because it was truly a game-changer—before the low-slung, all-plastic Big Wheel, kids were used to riding around traditional metal tricycles, according to
Car and Driver
. 1970s kids probably remember the red, yellow, and blue color scheme and the rear-hand brake that could send the trike spinning.Good luck finding an original 1970 Big Wheel—but the good news is you can still find new versions of the toy today.
