Figure 1.-- We do not see many toy cars in the 1900s, the autombile was not very cimmon, bsically a play hing for the Rich. This chnged with Henry Ford's Model-T (1908). Almolst instaneouly, toy cars and trucks becane a boy's staple. Not only toys, but we also begin to seen peddle cars. This photigraph was taken in October 1913. .

We see the 19th century staples till 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. 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 needed on farms and in the city as well as for armies. It is the reason that engines are still measured in horsepower. 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. Second, another important develooment was the automobile. It as at first a play thing for the rich and not very important. Henry Fird changed that. We see basically the same toys in the 1910sythat were populsatr in yhe 1900s. An imnprtant new addition was toy cars. We see very few toy cars in the 1900s. We see all sorts of them in the 1910s. They did not take long to become a majpr toy item after Henry Ford came out with with the Model T (1908). And wse do not just see cars, we see toy trucks as well as well as pedal cars of all sorts. Radio Flyer was the first little red waggon (1917). And more and more kids had trikes and bikes. We are not sure about the impact of World War I on toys in America. The War certainly impacted children's play. Here we see a family Christmas image (figure 1). The boys have a trike, hobby horse, and drum. The girl has a baby carriage and doll. Notice the sled on the porch. Trikes and bikes were becoming much more common during the prosperous Roaring Twenties.

The 1900s

We see the 19th century staples till 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. 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 needed 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. There were many specialized vehicles, fire trucks were especially popular. Bikes were still alittle dangerous for children and relatively expensive. We see trikes for children in the 1890s. They became more prevalent in the 1900s, but were mostly only avilable tor children from well-established families. The movies began to beome an important part of American life. Hollywood energeds as the center of film production. Children commionly went to th movies saturday afternoon. Westerns fron the beginning were popular, especially with boys. Inevitablly the boys wanted cowboy regalia, including cowboy hats and toy guns.

The 1910s

We see basically the same toys in the 1910sythat were populsatr in the 1900s. An imnprtant new addition was toy cars. We see very few toy cars in the 1900s. We see all sorts of them in the 1910s. They did not take long to become a majpr toy iyem after Henry Fors came out with with the model T (1908). And wse do not just see cars, we see toy trucks as well as well as pedal cars of all sorts. Radio Flyer was ther first little red waggon (1917). And more and more kids had trikes and bikes. This include bith biys and girls, but were most poplar for boys. Construction sets wee a nmajor innovatioin. Erector Sets invented by Alfred Carlton Gilbert appeared for school age boys (1913). Gilbert got the idea for his kits while watching a construction site in New York City. It was the boys who wanted them--the sets girders made of stamped sheet steel. Erector sets were was the only construction set that contained a working electrical motor. Lincoln Logs for younger boys were created John Lloyd Wright (1916). This invplved interlocking beams looking like logs. Charles H. Pajeau designed another construction toy--Tinkertoy. A set containg wooden sticks and wooden spools with holes drilled in them for the sticks. We do not know of any particularly important new toy for the girls. The focus continued to be on domestic pursuits. Dolls were the major item along with doll houses and baby carriages. Raggedy Ann made her appearance (1915), was created by American author Johnny Gruelle. He wrote short stories about the doll. His doll was a rag doll with red yarn hair and a triangle nose. There were many more expesive types made in buisque and even porcelin. The Ouija board appeared in the 1910s. The movies began to beome an important part of American life. Hollywood energeds as the center of film production. Children commionly went to the movies saturday afternoon. Westerns fron the beginning were popular, especially with boys. Ienvitally the boys wanted cowboy regalia, incuding cowboy hats and toy guns. Caps guns were invntged (1860s), but were not all that common until well into the 20th century. We are not sure how much of the cowboy armament became available in the 1910s, but it ceratinly was by the 1920s. I would not be until lzter that caps guns became a boys's staple. We are not sure about the impact of World War I on toys in America. The War certainly impacted children's play. We see many images of boys playing War. This was just the boys, the girls rarely joined in the game. The Unired States did not enter the War for 3 years (1917). We do begin to see toy air planes.

The 1920s

Time Magazine created its All-TIME 100 Greatest Toys list (1920s). We see a family Christmas image on the previous page. The boys have a trike, hobby horse, and drum. The girl has a baby carriage and doll. Notice the sled on the porch. Trikes and bikes were becoming much more common during the prosperous Roaring Twenties.

Created: 11:36 PM 7/2/2019
Last updated: 10:44 PM 12/5/2021