Early Blocks (19th Century & Earlier):
* Building Bricks: These were simply simple, rectangular blocks made from wood, clay, or stone. They existed for centuries and were used by children for play and by adults for building.
* "Kindergarten Gifts": These were a set of wooden blocks designed by Friedrich Froebel, a German educator, in the 19th century. They were meant to be educational and encouraged creativity.
* Erector Sets: These were introduced in 1913 and used metal parts and nuts and bolts for construction. They were more advanced than traditional building blocks.
Early 20th Century:
* "Kiddie Kare" Blocks (1916): These were hollow, plastic blocks designed for toddlers.
* "Self-Locking Building Bricks" (1937): These were the first blocks with a "stud-and-tube" system, which allowed them to connect. However, they were not as widely popular as LEGO.
Other Notable Block Toys:
* "Kiddicraft" Blocks: These were colorful, interlocking blocks introduced in the 1930s. They were popular in the UK.
* "Lincoln Logs" (1918): These were wooden logs that could be connected to build structures.
* "Tinkertoy" (1914): These were wooden sticks with holes that could be connected using spools.
LEGO's invention of the "stud-and-tube" system in the 1950s revolutionized the toy block industry. Their design and versatility made them incredibly popular and paved the way for the toy's global success.