Fisher-Price® Little People - Large School Bus Restage (2024)

FAQs

Why did Fisher-Price change their Little People? ›

Most people believe that these figures were developed as a replacement for the original Little People due to the increasing concerns and pressures from parents and consumer-advocacy groups for safer toy designs.

These toys consisted of many round figures made of wood or plastic, along with many different sets and pieces. There were over 120 different classic Little People sets made.

Fisher-Price first offered its Little People in a 1959 Safety School Bus pull toy. Made of wood and lithographed paper, the figures helped small children imagine big adventures.

Toys should be large enough — at least 1¼ inches (3 centimeters) in diameter and 2¼ inches (6 centimeters) in length — so that they can't be swallowed or lodged in the windpipe. A small-parts tester, or choke tube, can determine if a toy is too small.

The toys are designed to inspire the imagination of children who create their own little world of a jungle or a circus complete with "Little People" and animals. Although the original "Little People" have no legs or arms, the animals were designed to look more real.

The Fisher-Price Little People came off of a bus.

(The driver, however, stayed put.) It inspired the company to create an entire line of sets with the mobile, chunky-headed figures, although diversity took a little while to arrive: The first black Little People figure wasn't introduced until the 1970s.

Fisher-Price made the first Little People out of wood, but the figures have been molded out of plastic since the 1960s. The shape of Little People has changed over time too. The first figures were mostly cylindrical and grew wider as issues of toy safety arose in the 1980s.

The terms "person of short stature," "little person," and "dwarf" are commonly used in the United States to refer to a person with a medical condition called "dwarfism." Although preferred terms vary by person and community, according to the Little People of America website, many people who experience dwarfism prefer ...

When your child has outgrown their Barbie®, Fisher-Price®, Matchbox® or MEGA® toys, don't throw them away; return them to us! Take these three simple steps: Visit Mattel.com/PlayBack to start your return and fill out the brief form. Print a free prepaid shipping label.

Original Little People

Little People started in 1950 with the "Looky Fire Truck" and three round-headed fire men (attached permanently to the toy). Following the success of this toy, in 1952 and 1953 Fisher-Price developed the "Super-Jet" and "Racing Rowboat".

What is the oldest baby toy? ›

Naturally, we find objects that we associate with babies. “We have found a toy, which we estimate to date back 4,000 years, as being the oldest toy in the world. It is a [ceramic] rattle [with] pebbles inside.

Fisher-Price has been a wholly owned subsidiary of Mattel since 1993.

The letter represents the month, and the number represents the last digit of the year that the toy was made. Therefore, if you have a #996 Airport airplane and it has "D4" on the bottom, then that airplane was made in April 1974.

The Hazard of Choking

Small toy parts, balloons, and toys with detachable components can become lodged in a child's airway, posing a life-threatening risk. Four of the 11 toy deaths in 2022 were due to choking on small balls; one was due to choking on a balloon.

Look for stuffed toys that are well made.

Make sure all the parts are on tight and seams and edges are secure. It should also be machine washable. Take off any loose ribbons or strings to avoid strangulation. Avoid toys that have small bean-like pellets or stuffing that can cause choking or suffocation if swallowed.

When she tested a vintage Fisher-Price Parking Garage, the yellow plastic contained 1,538 ppm lead, and the white plastic had 422 ppm lead. Even Fisher-Price Little People from the 1970's tested as high as 1,466 ppm lead!