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We see the 19th century staples still popular in the 1900s. We see balls, blocks, board games, piggy banks, puzzels, and tops for both genders. There were also playing cards, although here many Americans had religious reservation. The era of coloring books began in the 1900s. Indispensavle for children, cousins Edwin Binney and C. Harold Smith, invented Crayola Crayons (1903). They invented coloring stickusing paraffin wax and nontoxic pigments. They ware safe, sturdy and inexpensive. They began with 30 colors, but have produced over 200. We see air rifles (BB-guns), buggles, drums, pull toys, marbles, pop-guns and other toy guns, sports equiopment, toy soldiers, and toy trains for the boys. The Wright Brithers flw the first heavier than air craft (1903). There must have been some toy air planes, but as far as we can tell they were not all that common. Few children had actually seen an air plane in the 1900s. There were toy animals for circus and zoo play for boys and girls. There were dolls and baby carriages for the girls. We don't know of an new toys for girsl, but there were all kinds of different dolls aoperaring. Horses continued to be the most popular toy animal because they provided much of the power need on farms and in the city as well as for armies. It is the reason that engines are still measured in horsepower. We see stuffed animals and rag dolls in the 19th century. But the first Teddy Bear appeared (1903). Steiff named it after President Theodore Roosevelt famously saved a bear cub. Two major developments were changing society at the time. And of course there was an impact on children's toys, mostly boys' oys. First of all, cities were being electrified. This began in the late-19th century, but by the turn-of-the 20th century, real progress was being made. Inevitably toys appeared running on electricity. And the most imprtant were electrric trains. Toy trains appeared almost as soon as actual trains (mid-19th century). Second, another important develooment was the automobile. It as at first a play thing for the rich and not very important. This is why horses continued to be so important in the 1900s. But Henry Ford came out with the Model-T Ford (1908). This was a car avrage people could aford and in the process changed the world. As a result, toy cars and trucks would become an impolrtant boy's toy for the rest of the century. here were many specialized vehicles, fire trucks were especially popular. Bikes were still alittle dangerous for children and relatively expnsice. We see trikes for children in the 1890s. Theyy became more prevalent in the 1900s, but were mostly only available for children from well-established family.
Toy animals are always popular with children. Many were dine as pi;; yous. Therre weereakso stuffed vanimals. It was in the 1900s that the teddy bear made its appearance. There were toy animals for circus and zoo play for boys and girls. Horses continued to be the most popular toy animal because they provided much of the power need on farms and in the city as well as for armies. It is the reason that engines are still measured in horsepower. We see stuffed animals and rag dolls in the 19th century. But the first Teddy Bear appeared (1903). Steiff named it after President Theodore Roosevelt famously saved a bear cub.
Coloring in the 19th century was mnostly dine with water-color sets. The era of coloring books began in the 1900s. Indispensable for children, cousins Edwin Binney and C. Harold Smith, invented Crayola Crayons (1903). They invented coloring stickusing paraffin wax and nontoxic pigments. They ware safe, sturdy and inexpensive. They began with 30 colors, but have introduced over 200.
Blocks were popular for youngrer children.
We note a range of chain drive conveyences. Bikes were still a little dangerous for children and relatively expesive. Bikes were still alittle dangerous for children and relatively expnsive. They were seen as more of personal transport for adults. There weere bicyclke shops everywhere. Noatably, the Wright btrothers were bicycle mechanics. Ford's Model-t would cahnge the image of the bicucle, at blast in America, but the impact was mostly in the 1910s decade. We see trikes for children in the 1890s. They became more prevalent in the 1900s, but were mostly only available for children from well-established family.
Dolls were the primarily toy for girls. Baby carriages weere needed to move them about.
Doll houses were not really for dolls. There were minature houses open at the back that girls coulkd decorate to their heart's conent with minatire furniture. We don't know of any new toys for girsl, but there were all kinds of different dolls apperaring.
We see toy guns, both metall postols and pop-guns. And there werea also air rifles (BB-guns). Guns were popular in the 1900s, but a new technoiology would greratlyh expand the importance. Motion pictures were binvented at the vturn-of-the 20th century, but it was in the 1900s that people first saw a movie and an industry was launched. Children were fascinated and the Western had the biggest impact on boys--fueling the desire to have a toy gun. The major impaft woiuld be in the 1910s, but it all began in the 1900s.
The nisical ibstruments fir play had a martiala,sdopect, primarily drums and buggles.
There were also playing cards, although here many Americans had religious reservations.
Marbles were really popular with boys. Jacks were more popular with girls.
Jig-saw puzzels became very popular becausev fill-color lithography could make realy interesting scemnrs to put together. together.
Balls were by far the most common and popular with boys and hirls. Other sporys equipment was more for boys. Baseball bats and gloves weere the most popullar.
There were tops for both genders.
Toy solsierts were a favorite for many bisa. The better bones were done in tin and nicely painted., mostly imprted from Europe.
Vehicles have fasvinated children, especuially boys since the dawn of civilization. Untill the 19th century, this mean mostly horse-drawn comveences such as the stagecoach and buggy. Then technology began to take over. A new conveyhence appeared--the tranin, most imprtantly the stean the steam powered locomotive. Toy trains appeared almost as soon as actual trains (mid-19th century). Trains offered everything a boy could want. Trains were large, powerful, amd noisy. It was by far one of a boy's the most prised toys. A few toy trains were self opowred, both weind upo and electric. Most were not. There were also boats and ships, but they were not as common. A few city boys has sailboats that they could test out in park ponds. But than in the 1900s boys' traiin were forever chnaged. American cities at the time was rapidly electrifying. This began in the late-19th century, but by the turn-of-the 20th century, real progress was being made. Inevitably toys appeared running on electricity. And the first and most important were electrric trains. Lionel was founded (1900). It was not the first company to buoild electric trains, but they became the most important. Most toy trains were not self powered in the 1900s, but by the end of the decade, electrain train sets were near the top of the list of what boys wanted. And than in this one decade two new technologies appeared out of nowhere: the air plane and and automobile. These two major developments would funamentally change 20th century society. And of course there was an impact on children's toys, mostly boys' toys. The Wright Brothers flew the first heavier than air craft (1903). There must have been some toy air planes, but as far as we can tell, toy planes were not all that common--at least for the time. Few children had actually seen an air plane in the 1900s. Next, Henry Ford unleashed the Model-T Tin Lizzy on America (1908). Before Ford, the automobile was a play thing for the rich and not very important, both to thesocity and chilkdren. This is why horses continued to be so important in the 1900s. The Model-T Ford was a car average people could aford and in the process changed the world. As a result, toy cars and trucks would become an impolrtant boy's toy for the rest of the century. There were many specialized vehicles, fire trucks were especially popular. America would would never be the same. We also do not see many cars in the 1900s, but they would be a mainstay beginning in the 1910s. Actually, this is a helpful in dating images. If toy planes and cars are in an image, it probably not the 1900s, but the 1900s decade is when these toy standards began. The dominant transportation in the 1900s decade was the train.
There were piggy banks to save up coins, mostly pennies which in 1900 could actually nuyn something. They were Indian heads until 1902 when the Lincoln oenny was introduced (1909).
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