The Russians had successfully put the first man in space. Not to lose out on any prime real estate opportunities, the Americans raced to put the first man on the Moon. Arthur C Clarke was filling heads with science fiction and Star Trek had everyone dreaming of the possibilities of 'beaming up'. David Bowie had the nation worrying about Major Tom drifting through space, and Parker had given the world biros which could write in zero gravity.

Was it any wonder then, that during the late 1960s to early 1970s the population of Earth was almost constantly looking skywards, including the children - who desperately wanted to be a part of the whole 'space' phenomenon.

In 1971, the children's dreams came true in the form of a large orange rubber ball with pointy ears and a friendly face. Yes! The Space Hopper¹ had landed. Marketed variously as Space Hopper, Moon Hopper, Kangaroo Ball, Skippy Ball, Hippity-Hop, or just plain Hop Ball - the original patent belonged to an Italian, Aquilino Cosani, who made a small fortune when his little fad went worldwide².

It's Christmaaaaaas!

The Space Hopper promptly went to Number One on millions of children's Santa Lists, and when it arrived from the jolly fat man on Christmas Day it was pristine and orange. It was also flat because Santa hadn't thought to bring a foot-pump. Luckily fathers or older brothers managed to rustle up a bicycle pump and do the necessary.

Once inflated, a Space Hopper was completely round and had two antennae, or possibly ears, which provided handles for controlling the beast. It had black painted, rather perky, features resembling a dog, a bear or possibly a space alien, where its face should have been. It was approximately 60 centimetres at its middle - and it was glorious.

The possibilities of a Space Hopper seemed endless. Advertisements on new colour televisions for the 1970s showed children sat astride the Space Hopper, and leaping maybe three feet forward in one bounce. With practise the giddy height of perhaps two feet could be reached. You could achieve forward motion while bouncing, or you could bounce on the spot. Space Hoppers were the essential toy for any space-age kid³:

I had one! My friends had one! I may still have a scar on my knee as a result of using one!
- an h2g2 Researcher

It's Boxing Day

Well, like so many childhood dreams the Space Hopper did not quite live up to its publicity. Yes, it was possible to sit and bounce on a Space Hopper, and if you used your legs to jump from the squat position you could maybe jump two feet into the air, but no bounce was provided by the ball between your legs. The jump depended entirely on the strength of your leg muscles, and propelling forwards was also only achieved with the use of your own muscle power. The best result that could be attained from 'jumping' on a Space Hopper was often just a soft landing - provided you had the balance of a tight-rope walker, and that you didn't come down too hard and have your 'steed' suddenly burst around your thighs and buttocks...

Disappointing as this was, children across the land persisted in their efforts to beat records with Space Hopper bounces. By Boxing Day this practise was no longer allowed indoors though, usually due to the near misses with the new colour television, the Christmas tree or the open fire. Come Boxing Day lunchtime, bouncing was an exclusively outdoor activity. The gardens and streets of the neighbourhood were soon alive with Space Hoppers and, shortly afterwards, crying children.

This was all taking place in the days before 'Health & Safety' was invented and Space Hoppers, like any wild beast, were prone to throw their riders. Injuries varied depending on the stunt attempted, but anything from grazed knees, massive head bumps, and bloodied noses to broken bones were acceptable wounds for riders to come away from a fall with. The insecure child would perhaps wonder if Santa did, in fact, love them.

Happy New Year!

Having had the joy of a Space Hopper for about a week, the ball began to show some signs of wear. The new shiny rubber had turned grey and pitted at that bounce spot, where it inevitably dragged the ground rather than bounced off it. That once perky little face was beginning to chip, so a dead eye stare now replaced that alien smile. Oh, the Space Hopper would stay for the summer at least, but it had lost a lot of its appeal and all of its magic, and anyhow it was probably best not to bounce with a broken wrist.

Where Are They Now?

Well, they've evolved quite a bit and at the dawn of the 21st Century, when Space Travel seems a little passé, they are known as Pogo Moon Hoppers. Some Space Hoppers can be found disguised as gym balls to meet adult training needs, and the original designs are still out there - priced from £10 to £30, with Space Hopper race tracks available too...for 'safer' play.