The Nostalgic Toys That People Are Snatching Up At The Thrift Store

You know them. You love them. You begged your parents to buy the latest plastic house advertised in the shiny pages of the catalogue. That's right, they're Calico Critters, and they're being snatched up in thrift stores across the country right now as the hashtag #calicocritters blows up in the TikTok toy community.

If you're between the ages of 20 and 35, you probably remember playing with these little flocked squirrels and bunnies as a kid. The brand, Calico Critters in the U.S. and Sylvanian Families abroad, started in Japan in 1985 as a way to promote wholesome, classic handmade toys. Animals are sold in families like otters and foxes, with an underlying theme of "giving, friendship and happiness" according to the brand. This theme and the animals' miniature cottagecore style are exactly what drew adults on TikTok to dig up their own toy collections and set about thrifting more for a moment of nostalgia. While there are plenty of things you should never buy at a thrift store, Calico Critters are a safe bet for years of joy.

While new sets of Calico Critters like the Fruity Babies and Skytop Fairy Castle are still being sold at places like Barnes & Noble, Walmart, Target, Amazon, and the Calico Critters website, older versions of the quaint little animals are more likely to be found secondhand in stores like Goodwill, The Salvation Army, or your local thrift store. Make sure to scour all sections of the store, though, because Calico Critters can be found in the home decor section, as well as the toys. Knowing common thrifting terms can also be useful to help you become a pro at hunting for your favorite animal friends.

In thrift stores, toys are often found in plastic bags with a mixed variety of brands and doll types, with or without clothes. The average is approximately $5.00 per bag (about 10 to 15 dolls), which may be all Calico Critters or one Calico Critter among other kinds of small dolls, depending on your store and the stock. You may also find older play sets like the Calico Critters lighthouse set from 2016 or various clothing items that you can modify for your existing collection of animal friends. The most common Calico Critters people seem to be thrifting are rabbits, pandas, koalas, and squirrels. Just like you always want to take the extra step when washing clothes from the thrift store, you'll want to gently clean your Calico Critter haul as well. Either spot-clean with a cloth or swirl them in a solution of dish soap and water to make them good as new.