Iconic Fisher-Price Toys From the ’70s and ’80s We Loved

If you grew up in the ’70s and ’80s, there’s a good chance that you had at least one Fisher-Price toy sitting on the living room floor, waiting to trip your dad. But these weren’t just toys. Fisher-Price had a knack for shrinking the world down to kid size.

“Mooo!”: The Sounds and Magic of Fisher-Price Toys

A ringing doorbell on the Play Family House, an incredibly realistic “mooo” from the toy barn doors, or the oddly loud bell on the parking garage elevator, these sounds all played an important part in the soundtrack of our childhoods.

READ MORE: 5 Fisher-Price Playsets That Every Kid Wanted >>

Part of what made Fisher-Price toys so special (and one of the reasons they still come back as nostalgic top-sellers and reissues) is how they turned everyday life into big adventures, not too different from what your mom and dad and grandparents might have been having inside and outside the home.

Everyday Adventures Made Epic

The Play Family Camper made the backyard feel like a cross-country trip, while the A-Frame House was a lakeside adventure that folded up into a neat carry-all — and probably why you are such a fan of mid-century design. And it’s worth noting that none of these toys seem to cater to boys or girls — they were for boys and girls.

READ MORE: 3 Fisher-Price Adventure People Sets We All Wanted >>

Particularly in the 1970s, toy companies pushed superheroes and flashy laser battles, but Fisher-Price went in a different direction and offered up Adventure People, who embraced the adventures of normal life, allowing kids to pretend they were everything from farmers to park rangers, or even on-the-scene TV news journalists.