Fisher–Price introduced the ‘Little People’ range of toys for young children in 1950. It patented the name Little People only in 1985 as the toys and the name had become very popular among people. As of now, the Little People range of products includes toys, animation, cartoons, books and different games centred on the main characters, Michael, Eddie, Maggie, Sarah Lynn and Sonya Lee.
In its first year Little People toys introduced the Looky Fire Truck followed by the Super Jet and the Racing Rowboat. Snorky the Fire Engine appeared in 1960 along with the Nifty Station Wagon that had the first ‘Play Family’ of two adults and a child. These Little People toy sets were instant hits among children and Fisher-Price soon launched other Little Family toy sets.
With changing demands and safety concerns for children, Fisher–Price had to change the body structure and composition of the Little People toys from time to time. Initially, the Little People figurines had cylindrical bodies made from plastic or wood. Female figures had additional long eyelashes and oval eyes. Subsequently, the body shape of the Little People toys changed to a more curved figure for females and the males had the same tubular base with a bigger upper tubular body.
By the 1970s, Little People toys were available in plastic bodies and a host of attachments like houses and settings like airports, schools and hospitals. Fisher-Price introduced some Little People toys and characters inspired by famous people like Gordon and Mr. Hooper.
Two decades later, Little People toys became more colourful and attractively designed with movable parts to appeal to tiny tots. Fisher-Price increased the size of Little People toys and now, collectors call these bigger toys, ‘Little People Chunky’.
A few years later, Little People toys appeared with faces that were more expressive and had more well-defined features. Little People toys acquired a mop of hair and distinctive clothes. These Little People toys were a little smaller than the Chunky toys, similar to the original Little People toy sizes of the 1950s.
By the turn of the century, Little People toy sets came in a variety of settings such as the Little People School Bus with toy people, a train, vehicles related to building activities and more. Changing with the times, Little People toys now have lifelike movements and also make human sounds.
Fisher-Price has also come out with DVDs of ‘claymation’ and cartoons featuring Little People. Each character has its own particular voice and mannerisms giving it an individual personality. The entire series of Little People toys and DVDs now also have a theme song that kids can sing.
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