If you're teaching the young minds of tomorrow, you're probably well up to date with the latest trends and fads that come and go in the blink of an eye. Kids can have a tendency to be fickle (we've all been there) and no matter what is cool one day, it can quickly lose its appeal. 

So whether it's the latest social media phenomenon or form of transport (looking your way, hoverboards!), teachers will probably give a little knowing smirk at how their pupils fall in and out of love with the latest cool, must-have items. But how well do you remember your own school days? 

For anyone who started school in the 90s, it's easy to forget that we had the same tendency to follow a trend. How many of these do you remember? 

Aliens/Alien babies

Probably best to get this one out of the way early doors. These jelly aliens, which came in their own special pod, were the bane of our lives in the late 90s. No one can source where the rumour started that if you put two of them back to back they would have a baby, but whoever did invent that whisper must be proud; trying to make it happen consumed (and ultimately wasted) everyone's time for weeks. 

Fingerboards

It was the new millennium, Tony Hawk's Skateboarding was all the rage and pop-punk was on everyone's Walkman. Just one problem...no one could emulate our American cousins by showing any prowess on a skateboard. Never mind, though, here comes the fingerboard! Yup, literally a skateboard that you push around with your fingers. Pointless? Sure, but don't try telling that to school kids in 2001. And hey, at least we had less of a chance of playground injury.

Pogs

What were they and where did the trend come from? No one really knows, but for a few late 90s years, Pogs were the absolute must-have of the British playground, whether playing for fun or 'keeps'. No break in 1998 was complete without the chance to show off your brand new slammer. 

Tamagotchi 

Sure, we might have gone to school in the days before internet was widespread, and certainly before the old dial-up tone had been eradicated, but in the days before the iPad was as much a fashion accessory as a useful tool, the Tamagotchi was the must have, and the bane of every teacher's day. This pet in a pocket was as high-tech as it got back then, and they taught us how to be responsible. At least until we got bored. 

MSN Messenger

Speaking of the internet, in the days before Twitter made it easy, we were all reduced to spending our evenings conversing on MSN Messenger. Group chats 15 deep and cautious flirting made this part of every evening after school. And don't forget the fear in case one of your parents wanted to use the phone. 

Poppers trousers

When it came to non-uniform days at school, there was nothing more important than being up to date with the latest fashion trends, and nothing was cooler than Kappa or Adidas tracksuit bottoms that came complete with studs the length of each leg. Impractical? Sure, but they definitely looked good. 

Scented pens

We're sure there's nothing a teacher enjoyed more in the early 2000s than having to grade exam after exam that came out vaguely smelling of apple, orange or whatever other fruit you managed to get your hands on. Scented pens were the must-have stationery item of the early part of the century. 

Tippex

Another item you had to have in your pencil case was Tippex, but not for erasing the mistakes left behind by your scented pens. Oh, no! This was essentially a little pot of paint used to write Blink 182, Manchester United or the name of whoever else you might idolise on your school bag. It was important to nail your colours to the mast. 

Yo-yos

Retro is cool these days. And retro was cool in the 90s as well, apparently. For a brief period, the classic children's toy the yo-yo made its return to the playground, triumphantly too. Much like with skateboards, few people could do much over and above making it go, but that didn't mean you wanted one any less!

Football stickers

These have made a bit of a comeback in recent times, but in the 90s and early 2000s, one of the highlights of any break or lunch time was getting to trade stickers with your friends. Everyone had their own pile of swaps, and it's where most of us learned the extent of our negotiating skills in trying to get that last half of an Aston Villa team photo that would complete the latest album.