TOYS FROM THE VAULT

What were Barbies made for? The origin of 11 timeless toys

Image: Super Snapper

Who comes up with toys? From dolls and teddy bears to kites and frisbees, these beloved classics have origin stories filled with creativity, serendipity, and often family games. Over the decades, these toys have influenced several generations of children. How did they come to be? Let’s uncover the tales behind 11 timeless toys that left indelible marks on childhoods all around the world.

Image: LMoonlight

It wasn’t a plaything, at first. The famous modeling putty was created in 1933 by American soap manufacturer Kutol Products for cleaning coal residue from wallpaper. When houses stopped being heated by coal and soot was no longer a housekeeping problem, the company neared bankruptcy.

It was then that the McVicker family, creators of the compound, became aware that a kindergarten teacher was using their coal-cleaning putty to make art projects with the children. Inspired, the McVickers brainstormed names for the new toy. They considered "Rainbow Modeling Compound" and "Play-Doh," ultimately choosing the latter. They launched it in 1956 and became an international success in a matter of 5 years.

Image: Sandy Millar

You might think that teddy bears have been around for centuries, but that’s not the case. The Steiff company, founded in Germany in the 1880s, was the first to popularize plush toys in their country and across Europe. It wasn’t until 1902, however, that these toys became famous in the U.S.

This happened because, simultaneously, toymaker Morris Michtom had patented and released the design of a plushy bear figure. He based the design on a cartoon depicting President Theodore Roosevelt refusing to shoot a small, cute bear. Inspired by this incident, Michtom named the new plush toy "Teddy Bears." His and Steiff’s versions of the toy became widespread in the world. Some years later, in England, author A.A. Milne bought a fuzzy bear for his son and, in 1921, published a series of books inspired by it, called Winnie-the-Pooh.

Image: Teo Zac

Large heads, big smiles, and no noses. Did you know that the iconic design of Playmobil’s face was inspired by children’s drawings? In the early 1970s, Hans Beck, a German toymaker, revolutionized the industry with the invention of these small plastic humans. At the request of the owner of the Geobra Brandstätter company, Beck set out to design a toy that would be simple yet engaging, fitting perfectly in a child’s hand.

Beck developed the small figures, which, during the 1973 oil crisis, became a much cheaper and more viable product than larger plastic toys like hula hoops. Launched in 1974, Playmobil was an instant hit, and the brand went on to release accessories like automobiles, cranes, and boats that became just as classic as the main figures.

Image: ta98mori

Lego bricks have to be one of the smartest inventions in the toy world. They were introduced in 1949 by the Danish company Lego Group, today the largest manufacturer in the industry. The company was founded by Ole Kirk Christiansen, a carpenter who started making wooden toys in 1932 under a name inspired by the Danish phrase leg godt, which translates to "play well."

In 1949, the first version of the famous interlocking plastic bricks was released. This version was based on similar existing wooden blocks on the market. Over the years, seeing the inventive potential of these construction toys, the company developed a variety of brick types. Lego bricks soon became a symbol of creativity and free play to the point where they are no longer considered just toys for children but are popular among adults as well.

Image: Michał Parzuchowski

As simple and brilliant as it is, the first game of Jenga wasn’t played until one family invented it in the 1970s. For 13 years after that, it remained a family tradition. Its creator, Leslie Scott, and her family had once purchased a set of wooden blocks from a sawmill in Takoradi, Ghana. Playing with them, they had come up with an exciting game that followed the rules that we now know as Jenga.

Scott explained that its name is derived from the Swahili word kujenga, which means "to build." She officially introduced Jenga to the world at the London Toy Fair in 1983, and it quickly became a global favorite.

Image: Sandra Gabriel

It is estimated that two Barbies are sold every second. The world’s most famous doll was introduced in 1959 and remains one of the strongest brands in the toy industry. The concept was created by Ruth Handler, who, along with her husband Elliot, co-founded Mattel in 1945.

Ruth had noticed that their daughter, Barbara, would play with paper dolls and assign them various adult female roles. At the time, most dolls simply represented babies or infants. Combining this vision with the image of a Bild Lilli doll that Ruth had purchased in Europe, the Handlers created the Barbie doll. It became Mattel’s signature product, and the company is today one of the world’s largest toy manufacturers.

Image: Shubham Sharan

One evening after a Thanksgiving dinner in 1937, Fred Morrison and his fiancee Lucile started taking turns tossing a popcorn can lid at one another—a form of play that humans have engaged in for ages. That’s why it didn’t strike Morrison as an excellent toy idea, until one day when continuing the game of tossing a cheap pan back and forth on some beach, Fred and Lucile were approached by someone interested in buying the flying object. That was when Fred's lightbulb went off.

Marketing them as "Flyin-Saucers" to ride the wave of interest in unidentified flying objects that surged in the 1940s, Morrison and his partners started selling pan-shaped plastic discs. They eventually sold the rights to Wham-O, the company that changed the product’s name to "Frisbee."

Image: Agnieszka Ziomek

Kites originated in China over 2,000 years ago, but their original uses long preceded their role in park playtime as we know it today. The earliest kites were made of materials like silk and bamboo and were used for various practical purposes, including military communication, measuring distances, performing religious rituals, and testing the wind.

It wasn't until the late 19th and early 20th centuries that kites became widely recognized as recreational toys for both children and adults.

Image: Los Muertos Crew

Of the list, these are certainly the oldest. Hoop-shaped objects have been around since 500 BC and were often used recreationally by both kids and adults. In the mid-20th century, though, bamboo hoops became extremely popular in Australia, where children would use them in playgrounds and around the streets.

In 1957, the company Wham-O (the same one that patented the "Frisbee") became aware of its success in that country. They began manufacturing the hoops in a plastic material and selling them in the U.S. as the "Hula Hoop." They did not invent the name, which had been in use since the 18th century, but they trademarked it, and it became one of their legendary products.

Image: Klim Musalimov

Etch-A-Sketch, the famous drawing toy, was born by accident. French inventor André Cassagnes, an electrical technician, was writing with a pen on a translucent material when he realized that traces could easily be produced and erased. Based on this, he created a device he named L'Ecran Magique, or "the magic screen." The first version used aluminum powder and glass to create a toy that could be drawn on with a simple stylus, and then shaken clean to start anew.

Later on, the Ohio Art Company saw the idea at a toy fair in 1959, recognized its potential, and rebranded it as the "Etch A Sketch." For many decades, even with the advancement of digital technology, this analog toy remained a timeless classic.

Image: Adam Valstar

Slinky, the beloved coil toy, was invented by naval engineer Richard James in 1943. He had been working on a project to stabilize equipment on ships when he accidentally knocked one of the springs off a shelf. He watched the spring "walk" instead of falling. That funny image gave him an idea.

Together with his wife Betty, James refined the concept and introduced it as "Slinky" through department stores. They created a toy that was as charming as it was simple, and completely affordable, initially selling for $1. The toy could walk downstairs, stretch, and bounce back, which hooked children and adults. Its timeless appeal has even earned Slinky a place in the National Toy Hall of Fame, and even an eponymous character in the Toy Story franchise.

Hidden quirks

Offbeat Anatomy: 15 body oddities you may not know about

With its labyrinthine systems and intricate mechanisms, the human body is full of surprises, hidden quirks, and mysteries. Take blushing, for example, did you know that only humans are capable of such a thing? And what about earwax? We all know our body produces it to prevent bacteria from getting in, but did you know it is a type of sweat?

Until now, you may have thought you had a good handle on your body, but you probably have a few things to learn about it. Read on to find out fifteen weird facts about the human body and its endless wonders.

Have you ever wondered why you're a tad taller in the morning? That’s right, it’s not just your imagination playing tricks on you! Just as our weight is not the same throughout the day, neither is our height.

That is because, during the night, when we sleep horizontally, the soft cartilage between our bones gets a chance to decompress. The temporary relief from gravity leads to a slight increase in height by morning. But enjoy it while you can because it’s all downhill from here!

As the day progresses and we stand upright and carry out our daily activities, gravity compresses our spine back, causing our discs to flatten, and ultimately leading to a minimum loss of height.

Our noses are not only adept at sniffing out scents but also possess an astonishing memory. To put it simply: our noses are just like a built-in scent database in the middle of our faces.

How does that work? The nose is armed with up to 400 scent receptors, which means that we can identify millions of different odors, from recently baked chocolate cookies to the stinky odor of sweaty gym socks!

Now, this is mind-blowing: the average human nose can distinguish and remember up to 50,000 different smells. On a less friendly note, it still hasn’t quite mastered the ability to forget about the unfortunate smells of life!

Did you know that the core of your spinal discs is primarily composed of water? That’s right, the little discs between our vertebrae are like sponges. The water makes them plumpy and healthy. This means that, as long as our body is properly hydrated, our discs will be able to absorb shock and protect our spine like a pro.

As a natural consequence, when we don’t drink enough water or keep hydrated, these discs start to feel the squeeze. With no water to plump them up, they lose their main function and our spine bones are prone to rub against each other. And that’s when the back pain comes rushing.

If there weren’t enough reasons already, here is just another one to keep up with your water intake.

It’s a known fact that our left and right sides are not exactly the same. And this rule also applies to our internal organs. So it doesn’t come as a surprise that the left lung is approximately ten percent smaller than the right lung.

This has quite a simple and logical explanation to it: for starters, our heart is not perfectly placed in the center of our chest. Considering it is slightly tilted to the left, the left lung is smaller in order to give the heart some space, making it smaller than the right.

Moreover, because the liver sits high on the right side of our body, the right lung is wider but a tad shorter than the left.

Crying is the first thing a baby does. The minute they are welcomed into the world, they put their lungs to work. But have you ever noticed they don’t shed any tears? As you can imagine, this is not because they are holding back, it is because they physically can’t!

Tear ducts, the ones responsible for this, are still developing in newborns like many other body parts. It is not until they have reached full maturity that babies will be able to let the tears fall, regardless of how loud they can get.

This process can take up to a month, and in some cases, even longer. So, if you see a crying baby with dry eyes, don’t worry! They are just waiting for the tear ducts to catch up!

The most elaborate cobweb has absolutely nothing on our circulatory system! The intricate network of blood vessels within the human body is truly astounding. Here’s a fact: at the absolute maximum, a large human body can contain up to 60,000 miles.

In case you can’t quite picture that, think of this: that’s enough to wrap around the Earth’s equator more than two times over! All of that complexity is neatly packed right inside us.

Think of all those blood vessels weaving their way through our body, carrying oxygen and nutrients to every last corner of it. It leaves you thinking, right?

Believe it or not, growth is not just reserved for childhood. While overall growth ceases in adulthood, certain body parts continue to exhibit growth throughout life. The nose and ears, for instance, have a mind of their own when it comes to this and they tend to grow larger with age.

Now, here is the trick about this oddity: it is not actual growth, it is all work of the relentless force of gravity!

Our ears and noses are mostly made of cartilage, which is highly flexible. As we age, even though it may seem as if they never cease growing, it is just gravity causing that cartilage to sag and stretch out making them look bigger.

Since earwax is highly considered disgusting by society, it is no surprise we know close to nothing about it. Contrary to popular belief, earwax is not simply a collection of dirt and debris and it is definitely not wax, that’s for sure!

Earwax is, in fact, a type of sweat. Our ear canal has two types of glands, the ceruminous and the sebaceous glands. The former is a sweat gland and it is the one responsible for producing this waxy substance. Therefore, the name.

Now, earwax, embarrassing as it may be, serves to lubricate and protect the delicate skin lining the ear canal, preventing dryness and irritation. So, rather than removing it, embrace it!

Just like fingerprints, each person's tongue boasts a unique and distinct pattern. So, there are no two fingerprints that are the same, and neither are two tongues.

These tongue prints, formed by a combination of papillae and taste buds, contribute to individuality and our identity. And get this, tongue prints are often used in forensic investigations for identification purposes.

And that is not all! As it turns out, color and shape are also unique features of each individual making the tongue a key tool for identification. And let’s not forget the rainbow of flavors we can taste thanks to it!

You may be quite skeptical about this, but human teeth are remarkable and stronger than you think!

Human teeth are incredibly durable, and their strength is comparable to that of shark teeth. Scientific studies show that when comparing the micro-structure of both, our teeth are no weaker than that of sharks. And it all comes down to one single element: enamel.

This discovery is attributed to the dense enamel covering the tooth's surface, which serves as a protective barrier against wear and tear.

Mind you, equally strong doesn’t mean equally sharp! You might not be able to slice through prey, but you will most certainly win the battle over a crispy apple.

We are all very much aware that blood has a vital role in maintaining our body at top performance. It is in charge of physiological balance and transporting essential nutrients and oxygen to tissues throughout the body.

One can also easily imagine that we have a fair amount of it circulating inside our bodies. But what you probably didn’t know is that it constitutes approximately eight percent of the average adult's body weight.

The number is not set in stone, depending on factors like age and size, this percentage can naturally vary. For example, blood takes up to ten percent of a baby’s body weight.

You may not notice it, but you typically only breathe through one nostril at a time. You have nothing to fear, this is completely normal and it is due to a congestion pattern that switches every couple of hours. During this cycle, one nostril becomes congested making it a bit harder for air to flow through it while the other becomes decongested.

This alternating pattern of nasal airflow, known as the nasal cycle, ensures optimal filtration, humidification, and warming of inhaled air, promoting efficient respiratory function. Noses are not just a scent database, they are also our air conditioning system.

Now that you read about it, you may be blinking on purpose, aren’t you? However, most of the time, blinking is an involuntary reflex of the cornea, that is, we don’t even notice we do it. Now, this is the quirky fact about it: blinking occurs around 20 times per minute, which actually equates to over ten million blinks per year!

This reflex is not just a habit, it is essential to keep our eyes healthy. Blinking serves to moisturize and protect the ocular surface, preventing dryness and debris accumulation.

Moreover, blinking is a defense mechanism. When things get too close to the eye, this instinctive action protects our eyes from potential damage.

Contrary to popular belief, the brain never clocks out, not even when we go to bed. It is quite the opposite, our brain is often more active during sleep than when we are awake. And this is key to our overall health and well-being!

During REM (rapid eye movement) sleep, the stage usually associated with vivid dreams and high cognitive function, the brain becomes notably active. It initiates the neural activity that triggers key cognitive processes such as memory consolidation and emotional regulation.

Unlike us, our brain never goes to sleep and we should thank it for feeling refreshed and ready to tackle the day ahead.

When we feel embarrassed or ashamed, our mind is not the only one at play, our bodies are quick to catch up with some significant transformations. We sweat, we move around in discomfort and we blush!

Blushing is the result of the dilation of the blood vessels and a physiological response to certain feelings. Now, what you probably didn’t know is that, despite its involuntary nature, humans are the only species known to do this.

This uniquely human response is triggered by emotions such as embarrassment, shame, or excitement, highlighting the intricate interplay between the mind and body. Remarkable, isn’t it?