The surprising history of this wacky toy
The year was 1949. An inventor named George Lerner was tinkering with ideas for a new toy.
Instead of designing another doll or action figure, Lerner had an idea. What if children could design the toy themselves?
Lerner created a bundle of plastic body parts—a nose, eyes, ears, feet, and even a mustache. He showed kids how to stick the parts into fruits or vegetables, like potatoes, to make funny faces.
Mr. Potato Head was born!
ISTOCKPHOTO/GETTY IMAGES ( 1964, POTATO PET); DANYELLE MARIE (1949); SHUTTERSTOCK.COM (PARTS); PETE JENKINS/ALAMY STOCK PHOTO (DARTH TATER); PHOTO 12/ALAMY STOCK PHOTO (TOY STORY 3)
The Toy Over Time
1949
The body parts were used on a real potato.
1964
The toy came with a plastic potato.
TODAY
The toy comes in all shapes and sizes. It even stars in films!
Popular Potatoes
At first, packets of these body parts were included in cereal boxes. Then a toy company agreed to sell the parts. It made the first-ever TV commercial for a toy, which showed kids how to push the parts into potatoes. In 1953,the company started making plastic parts for a Mrs. Potato Head too. The Potato Head family was a hit!
There was just one problem: The parts were used on food! After a few days, the fruits and vegetables would rot. Parents got tired of finding rotten food under their kids’ beds.
So in 1964, the company made a plastic body to go with the parts. What did it look like? You guessed it. A potato!
Pirates and Pets
Today you can find Mr. Potato Head in stores and Toy Story films. You’ll also find Potato Head kits that turn the toy into pirates, pets, or movie characters, like Darth Vader. What character would you like to see as a potato head?
Can't Miss Teaching Extras
Like Mr. Potato Head, many toys change over time. Read “Toys or Treasures,” a Paired Texts about how toys—like stuffed animals, LEGO® blocks, and Star Wars figurines—can become more valuable.
For another story about a toy with a fascinating history, read “The Rise of the Rubik’s Cube,” a Paired Texts about how this tricky toy became a sensation. Read the second pairing to meet Max Park, the world’s fastest speedcuber!
Thousands of dollars? For a lunchbox? That’s right! Read the Mini Read “Would You Pay $11, 865 for This Lunch Box?” to learn about a tin lunchbox, another popular kids’ item from the 1950s, that has now become a valuable prized possession.
