Mr. Potato Head is a popular toy. He has been around for more than 50 years. He’s changed a lot over time.

1949 A potato is born. George Lerner is a toy maker. He has the idea for a new toy. The toy is Mr. Potato Head. He makes Potato Head parts. Kids can stick the parts into a potato to make a face.

Lerner takes his idea to toy companies. But they aren’t interested. So Lerner tries a cereal company. The company likes his idea. It puts Potato Head parts in its cereal boxes. The toy is a hit!

1952 Hasbro begins to sell Mr. Potato Head. Hasbro is a big toy company. It begins to make and sell Mr. Potato Head. It only sells the parts. The Potato Head parts include a body and legs. The potatoes are not included. Hasbro also makes the firstever toy (TV?) commercial. It is for Mr. Potato Head.

1953 Mrs. Potato Head is born. Mr. Potato Head is a hit! Hasbro makes Mrs. Potato Head. Now Mr. Potato Head has a wife.

1950s A growing family of potato heads. Hasbro introduces Potato Head children. There is Brother Spud and Sister Yam. (This is so crazy)

1964 Plastic potato now included. Hasbro begins to include a plastic potato with the parts. There are two reasons for this. The first is safety. Young children are choking on the small parts. The second reason is that moms are complaining. They are finding rotten potatoes under their children’s beds! Yuck!

1975 The potato head family grows in size but loses its legs. Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head grow. Literally. Hasbro doubles the size of the plastic potatoes. It also doubles the size of the parts. It stops making legs. The company does this to make the toys safer. Now the Potato Heads are legless, but not footless.

1995 A star is born! Mr. Potato Head becomes a movie star. He stars in the movie Toy Story. He also appears in the sequels to the movie: Toy Story 2 and Toy Story 3.