Construction toys have been significant tools in the growth of children both before and after the Erector sets. Above all else, construction toys in general let a child expand their imaginations and gives them the tools to express themselves. It is no wonder why in every pre-school in America you are sure to find building blocks. A child feels a sense of accomplishment and pride when they build something from scratch. Construction toys have been around us for a long time. While Erector sets and similar copies were for a time in the 1920's to the 1950's extremely popular they have not been the only construction toy to capture a child's heart. I will focus on two of the more popular construction toys that hit America both right before and right after the Erector set did.
In the early 1920's Lincoln Logs burst on to American scene. Lincoln Logs were round wood logs that interlocked to form log cabins. These cabins were similar to the one Abraham Lincoln might have lived in. Interestingly enough the first marketer of Lincoln Logs was John Lloyd Wright Jr., son of the famous architect4. As the years have past Lincoln Logs have become more elaborate but the original round Lincoln Log is still the most popular. Lincoln Logs are not as complicated as most Erector sets are and as a result Lincoln Logs are geared to children roughly between 4-8 while Erector sets are geared to ages 7-13 roughly.
In the early 1950's LEGO's arrived in America and are still as popular today as they were then. LEGO's are colored plastic bricks that connect to form anything you want. LEGO's were originally invented in Denmark in 1932 by Ole Kirk Christiansen but have since become an international institution9. Unlike Erector sets and Lincoln Logs with LEGO's a child and many times adults can create any possible creation. I am sure there are very few people who have not played with LEGO's at some point in their lives. I have actually been to the Denmark museum where I saw some of the most elaborate creations that I almost did not believe they were real. With LEGO's a person can create anything from people and houses to, in the case of the museum, an entire city block. I can be reasonably sure that LEGO's, Lincoln Logs, and Erectors will not be the last construction toy to become a staple in a child's room.
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