Fisher-Price Little People have been a beloved toy for decades–did you know they date back to 1950? My family owned a few Little People sets, my favorite being the tudor-style house with the working doorbell and garage. My grandparents had a few older sets with people made from wood. They were classic toys that were a lot of fun to play with and enabled us to use our imaginations.
At first I was a bit taken aback when I became a mom and discovered how much Little People had changed since I was a kid. I wasn’t sure if I liked the new toys or not. Now that my son is three, however, the verdict is in–Fisher-Price Little People are still high quality, durable toys that kids love. Which do I like better: the vintage style from my childhood, or the (admittedly safer) version on store shelves today? It’s tough to choose.
I think overall the craftsmanship of the vintage Little People toys is superior. The plastic is of higher quality, and the pieces (with the exception of the peg-like people) are slightly more realistic and true to scale. That said, I do remember that the stickers were prone to peeling and being ripped off, which made for a less cosmetically pleasing toy after a while. I liked that the people figures were easy to fit into the spaces designed for them on vehicles and furniture.
The newer Little People are much chunkier and less likely to end up lodged in a child’s throat (I do remember all of us kids putting our Little People in our mouths at least once, but thankfully we all made it this far alive). They have cute, friendly faces, unlike the rather bizarrely fascinating “angry boy” you could get with the older sets. The animals are much more realistic. The figures are made from a softer plastic (vinyl, I believe), not the hard plastic or wood of old. I really appreciate the attention to detail on the figures, and so does my son–he used to pretend to talk on a tiny little phone that one of his men is holding. The painting on each figure is colorful and neat. They fit a bit more snugly into vehicles, which I find a bit annoying, but at least it keeps them in place.
The buildings and other accessories that come with newer sets are hit or miss. There are some we love, like our toy barn (but oh, how I miss that mooing cow on the old version!), a fire station and the airplane. Our parking garage, with a ramp that frequently comes apart and a jerky elevator that is difficult to operate, is a complete disappointment and far inferior to the version my siblings and I played with for years.
I guess I’m okay with the fact that many of the toys use batteries, but I think it’s clever how many older Fisher-Price toys managed to make fun sounds without. Some of the newer Little People toys are destined to be classics, while others are duds.
At age three my son is playing with his Little People like never before. They line up to wait for the school bus, they put out fires and build new roads. They even come to mommy for cuddles and kisses once in a while. It gives me so much satisfaction to see him enjoying his toys and using his imagination to play pretend. So, this Christmas will be the third year that he receives Little People toys under the tree. I was fortunate to be able to attend a toy consignment sale this morning and snap up three fun sets for just $14!
The toys are such great quality that even though they’re played with, they don’t show much if any wear. A quick dip in a hot soapy bath (the larger pieces were wiped down with Clorox Anywhere spray) and they are more than suitable to serve as Christmas gifts and be played with for several more years to come.
As for me, I wouldn’t mind if Santa brought me this adorable Christmas ornament that Hallmark put out this year…
So, what do you think? Are you all about vintage or do you love the newer toys just as much?
Although I appreciate the little details and much of the same things you do about the vintage versions, I think that by changing the style and details of the newer versions it made it possible for the children to use them at a younger age. Aedan got his first little people toy for his 1st birthday and it was the wheeling car tower track. It helped him learn to stand more.steadily and is something he will enjoy for a long time. He of course was still at an age where everything went in the mouth. I am also huge on disinfecting all his toys once a month and with far less stickers on the newer toys I don’t have to sacrifice cosmetic appeal just to make sure they’re clean. Although I personally prefer the uniqueness of the now vintage versions, I think they’ve made necessary changes and more of a variety.
Wow–this post brings back the memories! I am glad to see that Little People have stuck around all these years. I do like that the people are more realistic and appealing, not to mention larger to reduce choking hazards. The vintage buildings/vehicles are nice in that they don’t have so many bells and whistles but are still fun and entertaining. Nice to see old school and the new school working together!
I used to own the little peoples doll house and the garage. I have been going crazy looking for both of them. I loved how the garage… it came in ONCE solid piece. Now a days they come in 10 pieces that don’t stay together!! I wish I still had mine. Even though they look more realistic now they are cheaper. They don’t stay together.
Yep, I agree! The garage has been really frustrating for me. It’s one of the few toys that I am going to get rid of rather than saving it for future kids.
I have saved all the little people play sets that me kids had when they were little. The people are the choking hazard type. I want to give these sets to my grand daughter. Does anyone know if the new version of the little people fit in the old sets?
The newer Little People are quite a bit larger and don’t fit in to the circular spaces. She may still enjoy the sets though without the people though.
My kids have played with both the new and vintage versions. They play MUCH longer with the vintage version. I think it has to do with the size being easier to handle in their little hands. The vintage version was also much more creative with sounds and movement. I think my children learn more the old way, rather than hitting a button. I wish Fisher Price could bring back the old version with a statement for example: For kids 3+
Jen, I realize I am responding nearly 10 years after your post, but I was going through that same dilemma at the time with my daughter, who is now 13. I did buy her a couple of newer versions from a resale shop, when she was a toddler, and then rotated them back out. She has no recollection of them. What she does remember, know and cherish are the town and merry-go-round sets I saved from my childhood. Between ages 7 and 11, we would go to antique malls and garage sales and acquired more and more sets, including a garage like the one my brother had as a child. As she is biracial, I do lament the lack of diversity among the older models. We also listened to cds and watched Little People films when she was younger, which were certainly more diverse.
Thanks so much for the touching on the topic.