Little Tikes: What kind of toy company is this?

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Always something to do for the holidays or rainy day?

Play Choice now has the ultimate activity book collection, with over 60 pages of fun coloring pages and educational puzzles.

Little Tikes is an American toy brand founded in 1970 by Thomas G. Murdough. The company was acquired by Newell Rubbermaid in 1999 and produces a wide variety of children's products, including vehicles, playhouses, basketball sets, activity gyms and furniture.

They have manufacturing facilities in Ohio, California and international locations in Europe and Asia.

In this article you can read all about the history of Little Tikes and how they became one of the most famous toy brands in the world.

Little Tikes logo

From toddler to toddler activity book collection

Educational games and coloring pages for 3 to 6 years

Your toddler and preschooler will love this e-book, along with the accompanying printables. He or she can play with it at every stage of development, together with mom and dad.

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Our favorite Little Tikes toys

The brand has made a whole bunch, but these are our favorite toys:

Best playground equipment for your toddler

Little TikesExpedition Climber – Climbing frame

With this climbing frame your child will be able to develop his or her physical motor skills and have fun adventures.

8.9
Toy score
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Best plastic sandbox

Little TikesSandpit Turtle

The sandpit is shaped like a turtle. Because of its nice design and green color, the sandpit fits nicely in the backyard as an extra playground.

8.7
Toy score
Product image

What is Little Tikes good at?

We have already written a lot about Little Tikes and they are mainly featured in outdoor toy articles such as these best sandboxes for the garden en this article about the best playground equipment.

About Little Tikes Company

How many employees did Little Tikes have in the 1970s?

In the 1970s Little Tikes had about 50 employees.

What was the name of the company Little Tikes became part of?

Little Tikes became part of Newell Rubbermaid Inc. in 1999.

How many sales did Little Tikes have in 1983?

In 1983, Little Tikes had sales of $50 million.

Where was Little Tikes' first national television advertising campaign?

The Little Tikes first national television advertising campaign was in 1992 and aired in the USA.

Little Tikes Company was founded in the late 60's by Thomas G. Murdough, who was interested in the toy industry. He saw that the toy industry was in a period of intense transformation, with smaller companies and distributors being swallowed up by large manufacturers. Murdough disagreed with the increasingly poor quality of toys and the fact that toy manufacturers only focused on making things cheaper toys. He saw the need for plastic toys that could be produced cheaply and started Little Tikes.

Murdough stuck to a personal approach to toy marketing, limiting product distribution to independent toy stores and supermarkets to avoid deep discounting. He focused on sustainability and safety of toys for toddlers and preschoolers and avoided the use of television advertising. Instead, he relied on word of mouth and excellent customer service.

Origin of Little Tikes

When was Little Tikes founded?

Little Tikes was founded in the late 60s.

Who was Thomas G. Murdough's employer?

Thomas G. Murdough worked at Wilson Sporting Goods before founding Little Tikes.

What was the name of Wilson Sporting Goods' subsidiary?

Wilson Sporting Goods' subsidiary was called Wonder Products.

Where was the Little Tikes Company located in America?

The Little Tikes Company was based in Aurora, Ohio. A real one toy brand from the United States.

Murdough decided to break this trend and left his marketing job at Wilson to start his own company. He saw the need for cheap plastic toys and began manufacturing large plastic outdoor play equipment, toy chests and children's furniture using the cheapest manufacturing processes and raw materials for plastic toy production. The company started with a small number of employees and grew into one of the best-known toy brands in the world.

How Murdough's personal approach led to success: 70s and 80s

What production technique did Little Tikes pioneer?

Little Tikes pioneered the use of the rotational molding process to make plastic products, mainly for large products such as agricultural tanks and chemical containers. This process made it possible to produce larger and more durable products than traditional blow molding, which was widespread in the toy industry. It enabled Little Tikes to produce a wide variety of shapes and colors, giving them more versatility in their manufacturing process.

What made the rotational molding process possible?

The rotational molding process made it possible to produce larger and more durable products than traditional blow molding, allowing Little Tikes to produce a wide variety of shapes and colors. This provided more versatility in their production process and allowed them to produce a wide range toys to produce.

Where did the company move its activities in the mid-70s?

In the mid-70s, Little Tikes moved their operations to a larger facility in Macedonia, Ohio, as they were growing rapidly and needed more space for their production.

What was the name of the Little Tikes best-selling toy car?

The Little Tikes best-selling toy car was the Cozy Coupe, a red and yellow foot-operated car with an enclosed cab that gave children a sense of security as they explored the world.

The purchase of Rubbermaid: 1984

What percent did Little Tikes sales increase in 1982? What was the total sales increase in 1983?

In 1982, Little Tikes sales increased 20%. The following year, in 1983, total sales increased by an astonishing 100%.

How much money did Rubbermaid pay for Little Tikes in 1984?

In 1984, Rubbermaid bought Little Tikes for $50 million.

After purchasing Rubbermaid, Little Tikes had access to new capital and a brand new manufacturing facility in Hudson, Ohio. This allowed the company to intensively expand in their product line and distribution. They added a spring-summer line of outdoor toys, including climbing and sliding sets and plastic sports equipment. The company also began to move away from their exclusive reliance on rotational molding and began small injection molding toys to produce in their facilities.

Little Tikes continued their approach to marketing, focusing on customer satisfaction, teamwork, innovation, marketing and continuous improvement. The company continued to resist television advertising aimed at children and focused on catalog mailings and growth through word of mouth. This led to growth in Little Tikes sales at a rate well above the average growth rate for the toy industry. In the late 80s, Little Tikes was responsible for 25% of Rubbermaid's profits and was considered one of the most successful companies in the Rubbermaid stable.

Departure of Murdough: 1989

Who was the president of Little Tikes in 1989?

In 1989, Thomas G. Murdough was the president of Little Tikes. He founded the company in 1970 and led it until his departure in 1989.

How many manufacturing facilities were built in the US in the 90s?

In the 90s, Little Tikes opened additional production facilities in the USA to increase production efficiency and keep up with the growing demand for their products. It is not known exactly how many facilities were built, but the company expanded its production capacity to meet demand.

After Murdough's departure in 1989, Little Tikes began charting a new course under the leadership of Gary Baughman. The company experimented with broader advertising campaigns and focused on increasing production efficiency. In the 90s, Little Tikes expanded its production capacity and opened additional facilities in the USA to meet growing demand. The company also began producing large commercial playground equipment for child care centers and community plazas, which became a major growth market for the company.

The future of Little Tikes

What is Little Tikes planning in terms of developing toys for parents and children to play together?

Little Tikes plans to do more toys to develop something that parents and children can play with together. The brand believes that play is an important way for parents and children to spend quality time together and create memories. By means of toys to develop something suitable for both children and parents, Little Tikes hopes to make this experience even better.

What else is the toy manufacturer working on to build into its products?

In addition to developing toys that parents and children can play with together, Little Tikes is also working on incorporating electronics into its products. The company understands that children grow up in a world where technology plays an important role and wants to ensure that toys remains relevant. By integrating electronics into its products, Little Tikes hopes to continue to fascinate children and maintain their interest in playing.

To make its products even better, Little Tikes also collaborates with other companies. For example, the company has collaborated with Buckeye Built to toys to develop that is sustainable and of high quality. Little Tikes has also collaborated with Sherwin Williams to develop new paint colors for its products. By collaborating with other companies, Little Tikes can make its products even better and offer its customers the best possible gaming experience.

Conclusion

It is one of the oldest toy brands in the world and one of the most popular. Little Tikes is a plastic toy brand toys designed for children by Thomas G. Murdough and founded in the late 60s.

Always something to do for the holidays or rainy day?

Play Choice now has the ultimate activity book collection, with over 60 pages of fun coloring pages and educational puzzles.

Joost Nusselder, the founder of Speelkeuze.nl is a content marketer, father and loves trying out new toys. As a child he came into contact with everything related to games when his mother started the Tinnen Soldaat in Ede. Now he and his team create helpful blog articles to help loyal readers with fun play ideas.