“The Play’s The Thing”
When Shakespeare wrote that line, he was talking about stage plays, but he could easily have been talking about the games and toys of childhood. Play is a fundamental part of growing up, and these incredible toys, the best-sellers of all time, have been a huge part of many children’s lives through the decades.
1910s - Radio Flyer Wagon
Created by: Antonio Pasin
Marketed by: Radio Flyer
Number sold: Over 100 million
Polaroidbilly, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
1910s - Radio Flyer Wagon
This distinctive red wagon has been a perennial best-seller for over a century! Created in Chicago by Italian immigrant Antonio Pasin, the Radio Flyer wagon combines the fun of carrying things around in a wagon with a useful mode of transport for parents whose kids have decided they’re tired and done with walking!
Chris F, Pexels1920s - Yo-Yo
Created by: Unknown
Marketed by: Yo-Yo Manufacturing Co
Number sold: Unknown
1920s - Yo-Yo
The yo-yo has been around for, quite literally, thousands of years. It has functioned as both a toy and weapon (!) but was first patented as a plaything in 1928 by Donald F Duncan. And despite it being a mainstay of childhood play, there are also numerous adults who enjoy the yo-yo, and an international World Yo-Yo Contest.
1950s - Barbie
Created by: Ruth Handler
Marketed by: Mattel
Number sold: Over 1 billion
Nelson Tiffany, CC BY 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
1950s - Barbie
One of the most iconic Western toys of all time, Barbie’s popularity continues into the 21st century. The successful film starring Margot Robbie garnered popular and critical acclaim, and the introduction of new, more realistic body types for the dolls ensures their popularity will continue.
Unknown Author., CC BY 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
1950s - Mr Potato Head
Created by: George Lerner
Marketed by: Hasbro
Number sold: Over 100 million
National Institutes of Health, Wikimedia Commons
1950s - Mr Potato Head
Beginning as a series of accessories that would be used on real potatoes, the plastic potato we all know and love came around about a decade after the pieces were put on the market. Hasbro removed the “Mr” from the brand’s name recently to appeal to all gender presentations.
1950s - Hula Hoops
Created by: Unknown
Marketed by: Wham-O
Number sold: 25 million in the first four months
George Garrigues, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
1950s - Hula Hoops
Archaeological evidence suggests that hoop toys have been used by people since about 500 BC! The modern hula hoop became a fad in the 50s, thanks to Wham-O, and had a resurgence in the 80s as an accessory for aerobic health regimes.
Timothy Paul Smith, Wikimedia Commons
1950s - LEGO
Created by: Ole Christiansen
Marketed by: LEGO Company
Number sold: Over 320 billion blocks
Father of Rathfelder, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
1950s - LEGO
The iconic building block LEGO started as a wooden toy company until the idea of infinitely compatible bricks revolutionized play. Decades later, the company produces specialized pieces and licensed sets, but the original brick is still a mainstay of each and every toy.
Benjamin D. Esham, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
1960s - Etch-A-Sketch
Created by: Andres Cassagnes
Marketed by: Ohio Art Company
Number sold: Over 175 million
Ieatflower, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
1960s - Etch-A-Sketch
The versatile Etch-A-Sketch drawing toy came from an unlikely place: a factory light switch plate. Andres Cassagnes accidentally transferred a pencil marking to a translucent decal, and he realized he’d found an interesting and innovative way to encourage children to explore art.
Ieatflower, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
1960s - Easy-Bake Oven
Created by: Unknown
Marketed by: Kenner, then Hasbro
Number sold: Over 5 million in the first decade
Bradross63, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
1960s - Easy-Bake Oven
The Easy-Bake Oven, powered by a light bulb, introduced generations of children to the real joy of baking: getting to eat what you’ve made. Baking guru Betty Crocker helped spur the tiny oven’s popularity by offering small versions of her recipes for use with the toy.
Rdmsf, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
1960s - GI Joe
Created by: Stan Weston
Marketed by: Hasbro
Number sold: Over 75% of Hasbro’s sales in the first year
1960s - GI Joe
A versatile army toy when first introduced, GI Joe was an 11.5-inch tall doll—but not a doll because boys don’t play with dolls! Once the 1980s hit, the line was scaled down to 3.75-inch action figures and had a hit cartoon to go along with the ever-expanding line.
1960s - Hot Wheels
Created by: Elliot Handler
Marketed by: Mattel
Number sold: More than 4 billion
Stefan-Xp, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
1960s - Hot Wheels
The classic die-cast car, Hot Wheels cars feature 11,000 variations of over 800 models of vehicles. The toy line also spawned a healthy collectors market, with Mattel estimating that the average collector has around 1,550 cars in their collections
1970s - Nerf Football
Created by: Reyn Guyer and Fred Cox
Marketed by: Hasbro
Number sold: A height of 8 million a year by 1979
1970s - Nerf Football
An innovation that allowed sports-hungry kids to play football indoors when it was rainy outside, and kept them from destroying their parents’ decor. Nerf has gone on to create a huge variety of “safe” foam toys, but the football was there at the beginning and continues to be a best seller.
Lenscap Photography, Shutterstock
1970s - Star Wars Action Figures
Created by: Unknown
Marketed by: Kenner
Number sold: 40 million in the first year
1970s - Star Wars Action Figures
Star Wars is an internationally-recognized brand, and it was a huge success right from the beginning. The original trilogy spawned numerous toys and products, but the iconic action figures were where it all started. Original figures from the 70s are highly sought-after collectibles now.
MaugerFundin, Wikimedia Commons
1980s - Transformers
Created by: Sho̅ji Kawamori and Kazutaka Miyatake
Marketed by: Hasbro and Takara Tomy
Number sold: Unknown
Aisyaqilumaranas, Shutterstock
1980s - Transformers
For the last 40 years, the robots in disguise have entertained and entranced children and adults alike. The first five feature films in the Transformers series have earned over $3.7 billion in profits, and both toys and films show no signs of stopping.
Aisyaqilumaranas, Shutterstock
1980s - Cabbage Patch Kids
Created by: Xavier Roberts
Marketed by: Coleco Industries
Number sold: 3 million in the first year
1980s - Cabbage Patch Kids
Treading a line between adorable and ugly, there’s no denying that these cloth dolls were the toys to have in their first few years of existence. Riots broke out in November of 1983 when the supply of Cabbage Patch dolls could not keep up with parents’ demands for the coming Christmas season.
Bernard Gotfryd, Wikimedia Commons
1990s - Tamagotchi
Created by: Aki Maita and Akihiro Yokoi
Marketed by: Bandai
Number sold: Unknown
1990s - Tamagotchi
This popular electronic pet is probably responsible for a great deal of early trauma for the children of the 90s. If you didn’t “feed” your Tamagotchi regularly, they shuffled off their electronic mortal coil! They were so popular that schools had to ban them in classrooms.
1990s - Furby
Created by: David Hampton, Caleb Chung, and Richard C. Levy
Marketed by: Tiger Electronics
Number sold: 40 million in the first three years
Veronica Winters, Shutterstock
1990s - Furby
These strange and cute little creatures were a direct outgrowth of the Tamagotchi. But now you could pet your electronic pet. Furbies would also talk to one another and react to one another. The toy also drew comparisons to the Mogwai from Gremlins and spawned a limited Gizmo version.
1990s - Tickle Me Elmo
Created by: Greg Hyman and Ron Dubren
Marketed by: Tyco Toys
Number sold: 1.2 million in the first year
1990s - Tickle Me Elmo
Another must-have toy that caused riots on its introduction. In 1996, parents were so keen to get a Tickle Me Elmo for their kid's Christmas that one unfortunate Walmart employee was trampled and hospitalized! Elmo, we think, would not approve of such behavior.
2000s - Bratz Dolls
Created by: Carter Bryant
Marketed by: MGA Entertainment
Number sold: $2 billion across the franchise
2000s - Bratz Dolls
These fashion-focused dolls are the cornerstone of a huge media franchise that includes dolls and accessories as well as films, television shows, and albums. The Bratz dolls were released as a contrast to the popular Barbie line, and were meant to reflect a more modern look and aesthetic.
2000s - Razor Scooter
Created by: Unknown
Marketed by: Micro Mobility Systems
Number sold: 5 million in the first year
丁, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
2000s - Razor Scooter
They’re cool, they’re versatile, and they help kids get exercise while having fun. The Razor scooter caught on with adults too, as it was seen as an environmentally-friendly way of getting around for commuters in cities.
Ed Yourdon, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
2010s - Frozen
Created by: Disney
Marketed by: Multiple companies
Number sold: $531 million in the first year
SyedSamarAbbas, Shutterstock2010s - Frozen
The incredibly successful Disney film Frozen, and its multiple sequels, spawned huge amounts of toys that every fan of the film wanted. “Snow Glass Elsa” was the second-best-selling toy of 2014, and the franchise has remained popular for a decade.
2020s And Beyond!
There’s no telling what will be a breakout toy. Some are released and vanish while others explode in popularity. From “Baby Shark” branded items to Paw Patrol figures, children's toys are a huge market that will continue to make massive profits for the companies lucky enough to have a hit.
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