# Those big inflated balls w/ the handle that kids in the 70's bounced on - Name? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 27, 2001, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/those-big-inflated-balls-w-the-handle-that-kids-in-the-70s-bounced-on-name/78413 "2001-08-27T21:47:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Sultan\_Kinkari](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7bcc69/32.png) [@Sultan\_Kinkari](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sultan_Kinkari)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2001, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/those-big-inflated-balls-w-the-handle-that-kids-in-the-70s-bounced-on-name/78413/1 "2001-08-27T21:47:55Z")
??? ---
**Author:** ![Three\_Dog\_Night](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b5ac83/32.png) [@Three\_Dog\_Night](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Three_Dog_Night)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2001, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/those-big-inflated-balls-w-the-handle-that-kids-in-the-70s-bounced-on-name/78413/2 "2001-08-27T21:49:26Z")
I’m not sure, but they are still available. ---
**Author:** ![Halfpint](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/f0a364/32.png) [@Halfpint](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Halfpint)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2001, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/those-big-inflated-balls-w-the-handle-that-kids-in-the-70s-bounced-on-name/78413/3 "2001-08-27T21:52:56Z")
Space hoppers? Those big orange creatures with two ‘horns’ as handles and a weird face on them? ---
**Author:** ![delphica](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e9a140/32.png) [@delphica](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/delphica)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2001, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/those-big-inflated-balls-w-the-handle-that-kids-in-the-70s-bounced-on-name/78413/4 "2001-08-27T21:53:18Z")
We called them Hippity-Hops when we were kids. I don’t know if that’s a brand name, or a generic regionalism. ---
**Author:** ![bertieman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ee59a6/32.png) [@bertieman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bertieman)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2001, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/those-big-inflated-balls-w-the-handle-that-kids-in-the-70s-bounced-on-name/78413/5 "2001-08-27T21:56:32Z")
[http://www.firebox.com/cat.php?id=retro](http://www.firebox.com/cat.php?id=retro) They call 'em Space Hoppers here. Always knew them as that as a kid. Bertman ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2001, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/those-big-inflated-balls-w-the-handle-that-kids-in-the-70s-bounced-on-name/78413/6 "2001-08-27T22:04:17Z")
I agree with **delphica**. They were called Hippity Hops when I was a kid. ---
**Author:** ![Sofa\_King](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/58956e/32.png) [@Sofa\_King](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sofa_King)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2001, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/those-big-inflated-balls-w-the-handle-that-kids-in-the-70s-bounced-on-name/78413/7 "2001-08-27T22:06:23Z")
[Hoppity Hop](http://www.yesterdayland.com/popopedia/shows/toys/ty1133.php). Not shown is the most common version, brick red like the ones we used to play dodge-ball with a simple rubber ring for the handle. ---
**Author:** ![dwtno](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/858c86/32.png) [@dwtno](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dwtno)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2001, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/those-big-inflated-balls-w-the-handle-that-kids-in-the-70s-bounced-on-name/78413/8 "2001-08-27T23:08:03Z")
Oh, they’re definitely called “Hippity Hops.” They were, and still are, made by Matell. In fact, check out [hippity-hop.com](http://hippity-hop.com) [http://www.hippity-hop.com/editorial/](http://www.hippity-hop.com/editorial/). They’ve been delivered a cease and desist by Matell for using the name. The last time I saw a Hippity Hop, we were painting it black and hanging it from a chain to use as a wrecking ball on a the set of a television show we were producing. Cheap prop! ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2001, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/those-big-inflated-balls-w-the-handle-that-kids-in-the-70s-bounced-on-name/78413/9 "2001-08-27T23:09:31Z")
Hoppity Hop for the ball only, and Hoppity Horse with the horse head. ---
**Author:** ![bettypat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/d6d6ee/32.png) [@bettypat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bettypat)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2001, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/those-big-inflated-balls-w-the-handle-that-kids-in-the-70s-bounced-on-name/78413/10 "2001-08-27T23:35:39Z")
We just call them the “bouncy balls” then kick them out of the way hoping that they will roll into the road and get run over…boy are they in the way!!! ---
**Author:** ![Osip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/4491bb/32.png) [@Osip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Osip)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2001, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/those-big-inflated-balls-w-the-handle-that-kids-in-the-70s-bounced-on-name/78413/11 "2001-08-27T23:41:16Z")
When I was little I had one I called it a Hippity Hop. It was a memorable toy since I had one kicked out from under me on the play ground and I broke my collar bone ! Osip ---
**Author:** ![racinchikki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/eada6e/32.png) [@racinchikki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/racinchikki)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2001, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/those-big-inflated-balls-w-the-handle-that-kids-in-the-70s-bounced-on-name/78413/12 "2001-08-27T23:43:29Z")
I had a Hippity Hop. So did my sister. One was orangey-red and the other was blue - I forget which was which; mine was the smaller and I think it was blue. We had a yellow one, too, at one point. This was in the mid to late 80s, for reference. ---
**Author:** ![pkbites](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pkbites/32/204_2.png) [@pkbites](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pkbites)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2001, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/those-big-inflated-balls-w-the-handle-that-kids-in-the-70s-bounced-on-name/78413/13 "2001-08-28T00:28:54Z")
I don’t know who first made them, but I had one in the mid-late 60’s. An absolute blast!🙂 One of my favorite toys of my entire childhood! I do know this: The ones me and my sibilings had said **Hopity Hop** on the back, in small letters. ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2001, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/those-big-inflated-balls-w-the-handle-that-kids-in-the-70s-bounced-on-name/78413/14 "2001-08-28T00:37:48Z")
Mine was a red Hippity-Hop, with a plain ring. Done in by a broken "stubby’ beer-bottle. D’ya think you could get an adult-sized one these days? 'Cause I know I’d buy one. Just the thing after a day’s work. PS: You could get _blue ones_??! I never knew. (And I’m not sayin’ nuthin’.) ---
**Author:** ![pkbites](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pkbites/32/204_2.png) [@pkbites](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pkbites)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2001, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/those-big-inflated-balls-w-the-handle-that-kids-in-the-70s-bounced-on-name/78413/15 "2001-08-28T00:44:21Z")
> [@](#): > > _Originally posted by Larry Mudd \* > \*\* > D’ya think you could get an adult-sized one these days? 'Cause I know I’d buy one. Just the thing after a day’s work._\* I’d run someone over on my way to the store to buy one if they made them for adults.😃 Someone out there in toyland is missing a huge market! ---
**Author:** ![mmmiiikkkeee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/edb3f5/32.png) [@mmmiiikkkeee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mmmiiikkkeee)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2001, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/those-big-inflated-balls-w-the-handle-that-kids-in-the-70s-bounced-on-name/78413/16 "2001-08-28T00:53:08Z")
I liked the bit on the Tonight Show a while ago where Jay mentioned that Pamela Anderson had her implants removed… and that she took 'em home and the kids were playing with them; then they showed a bit of footage with two kids bouncing on hippity-hops:D! ---
**Author:** ![pkbites](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pkbites/32/204_2.png) [@pkbites](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pkbites)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2001, 3:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/those-big-inflated-balls-w-the-handle-that-kids-in-the-70s-bounced-on-name/78413/17 "2001-08-28T03:16:33Z")
Oops.😃 That last post was suppose to have a wbsite on it: [http://www.robinsweb.com/interesting/I\_S\_O.html](http://www.robinsweb.com/interesting/I_S_O.html) This site clearly shows a **Hopity Hop** with the name **Hopity Hop** on it. Where are you guys getting the name “hippity hop”? ---
**Author:** ![pkbites](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pkbites/32/204_2.png) [@pkbites](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pkbites)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2001, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/those-big-inflated-balls-w-the-handle-that-kids-in-the-70s-bounced-on-name/78413/18 "2001-08-28T03:17:41Z")
Sigh!:rolleyes". That’s supposed to be “Hoppity hop” with 2 p’s. ---
**Author:** ![elelle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f0a364/32.png) [@elelle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elelle)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2001, 4:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/those-big-inflated-balls-w-the-handle-that-kids-in-the-70s-bounced-on-name/78413/19 "2001-08-28T04:43:40Z")
I remember it distinctly as Hoppity-Hop. I also remember that if you got your trajectory right, you could make a mighty fine impression upside your pesky little brother. ---
**Author:** ![galt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/35a633/32.png) [@galt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/galt)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2001, 6:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/those-big-inflated-balls-w-the-handle-that-kids-in-the-70s-bounced-on-name/78413/20 "2001-08-28T06:48:20Z")
I also recall it as Hoppity Hop (because the corresponding product would otherwise be “Hippety Horse”, which doesn’t make much sense). I had a red Hoppity Horse, but I remember that Hoppity Hop was definitely better for high performance hopping, because the horse’s handles were just rubber sticks that stuck out the sides of the horse head, so when you pulled upwards on them, they bent. The ring was much sturdier. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/those-big-inflated-balls-w-the-handle-that-kids-in-the-70s-bounced-on-name/78413.md?page=2)