Devil Sticks
Photo credit: Photo: Artiestjen89, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
A centuries-old juggling prop — a tapered center stick twirled between two hand sticks — exploded as a US schoolyard and festival craze in the 1990s. Vendors at mall kiosks sold neon-taped and rubber-tipped versions to kids who spent recess mastering the mesmerizing spin alongside hacky sacks and classic yo-yos.
Devil sticks (or Chinese sticks) are an ancient prop, but their ascent to mainstream playground dominance happened in the 1990s. The neon-tape versions and rubber-tipped tricks versions became standard inventory at mall kiosks, street fairs, and toy stores, marketed to the same audiences buying hacky sacks, yo-yos, and slap bracelets. The appeal was simple: it looked cool once you mastered it, it was cheap ($5–$15), and mastery required practice that kids could show off.
The 90s skill-toy renaissance peaked around the mid-90s, when juggling circuses, street performers, and festival culture all celebrated prop mastery. Devil sticks were a fixture at skateparks, raves, and summer fairs, and for a few years they were as ubiquitous as pog collections or friendship bracelets. Like most 90s trends, the mainstream craze faded by decade's end, though the prop remains alive in circus arts and performer communities.
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