Care Package

In November, Care Bears, created here in Cleveland by American Greetings, were among a dozen finalists for the National Toy Hall of Fame. The nominees were like a greatest hits of summer days, game nights and make-believe: Fisher-Price Little People, Nerf balls, the swing, Dungeons & Dragons, Uno, Transformers and Rock ‘Em Sock ‘Em Robots among them. 

To be considered, the toys must have lasted across generations, influenced the way toys are designed or played with and fostered learning or creativity through play. 

As a child of the ‘70s and early ‘80s, these weren’t just toys to me. They were tiny worlds to be explored, sparks for the imagination, connections to other kids and reasons to run, jump and play. 

At the risk of sounding like an old Grumpy Bear, I am convinced some of that attachment is more than nostalgia — it’s based on how we played, not just the things we played with back then. 

The number of buzzer-beating baskets I scored against imaginary defenders on the tattered Nerf hoop in my room would make LeBron James jealous. And the Dungeons & Dragons realms my friends and I conjured with our hand-painted figurines, 20-sided dice and tales of wizards, castles and fire-breathing beasts were more vivid than anything created in an 8-bit video game. (Though we liked those too.) 

Studies have continually shown how imaginative play helps young children’s cognitive and social development. So it only seems natural that these toys are also deeply ingrained in who we are and the big kids we’ve become. The storylines and adventures were ours to create, not preprogrammed and contained to a screen.  

My wife was 12 when Care Bears were the smash hit of Christmas 1983. Her family’s Irish heritage meant it was probably a foregone conclusion that Good Luck Bear, with its green fur and four leaf-clovered belly, would be her favorite. But just about every kid — and every parent — could see themselves in their brightly stitched personalities. 

When it was time, she got our kids their own Tenderheart, Friend and Cheer bears. Although they’ve been long stowed in the attic, pictures of them still make her giggle: “Oh yeah, look how cute.” It’s as if she’s 12 years old again. 

It’s doubtful our kids will have the same feelings about them 30 years from now as she does, but Share Bear would still be proud.