15 Classic Toys That Started as Military Tech
Many of the playthings that have brought joy to generations of children have surprising origins in military research and technology. Behind the colorful packaging and playful marketing lies a fascinating history of innovation born from necessity during wartime.
These toys exemplify how technology designed for battlefield purposes found its way into our homes and playrooms, transforming from tools of war into sources of entertainment and creativity. Here is a list of 15 classic toys with surprising military backgrounds that showcase how defense technology has shaped our recreational landscape.
Silly Putty
This stretchy, bouncy substance that delighted generations of children was created during World War II when the U.S. government asked scientists to develop a synthetic rubber substitute due to natural rubber shortages. Engineer James Wright accidentally created this strange substance at General Electric’s New Haven laboratory in 1943 while attempting to make rubber for military vehicle tires and boots.
Though it failed as military material, its unique properties caught the attention of toymakers, who repackaged it as the iconic egg-shaped plaything in 1950.
Jeep Pedal Cars
The miniature pedal-powered vehicles that children drove around driveways and sidewalks were directly inspired by the military Willys Jeep that became famous during World War II. The original Jeep was designed as a light reconnaissance vehicle for the U.S. Army, becoming so popular and recognizable that toy manufacturers quickly created kid-sized pedal-powered versions.
These scaled-down military vehicles helped children imagine themselves as part of the war effort, with manufacturers promoting them as “Junior Military Equipment” in the 1940s.
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Play-Doh
This colorful modeling compound was originally created as a wallpaper cleaner for removing soot from walls in coal-heated homes. During World War II, the military used similar compounds to clean military equipment and facilities that had accumulated soot and grime from constant operation.
When heating systems modernized and the need for wallpaper cleaner diminished, the product was repurposed as a children’s modeling clay in the mid-1950s after the manufacturer discovered that schoolteachers were using it for art projects.
Etch A Sketch
The mechanical drawing toy with two white knobs was developed by French electrical technician André Cassagnes, who worked in a factory that made electrical equipment for military aircraft instruments. He discovered the principle behind Etch A Sketch while installing a light switch plate and noticed how his pencil marks transferred to the plate’s protective decal.
The technology behind this discovery—electrostatically charged particles that cling to surfaces—was originally developed for military radar displays and aircraft instruments before becoming a beloved toy in 1960.
Super Soaker
This powerful water gun was invented by NASA engineer Lonnie Johnson while working on an environmental cooling system for a spacecraft that used water instead of Freon. Johnson was actually developing heat pump technology for a military project related to spacecraft when he accidentally shot a stream of water across his bathroom.
The pressurized water system he created shared principles with hydraulic systems used in military aircraft and vehicles, leading to the 1990 release of what would become the bestselling toy of the early 1990s.
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Slinky
This simple yet mesmerizing coiled spring toy was accidentally created by naval engineer Richard James in 1943. While developing sensitive spring devices to keep ship equipment stable at sea during World War II, James knocked a tension spring off his desk and watched it “walk” down instead of falling.
The metal’s properties that made it useful for stabilizing naval instruments during rough seas also made it perfect for its iconic stair-walking ability, leading to its commercial release in 1945.
Barrel of Monkeys
This simple game featuring plastic monkeys that link together was inspired by naval chain systems used for anchoring and towing ships. The interlocking mechanism that allows each monkey to support the weight of others below it uses the same basic engineering principles found in military-grade load-bearing chains.
The toy’s inventor, Leonard Marks, was reportedly inspired after seeing similar linking mechanisms during his military service, translating industrial design into a clever play pattern that has remained unchanged since 1965.
Barbie Fashion Dolls
While the doll itself wasn’t military technology, Barbie’s body was made possible by innovations in plastic manufacturing developed during World War II. The military needed lightweight, durable plastics for everything from aircraft components to field equipment.
These manufacturing techniques and materials, particularly injection-molded vinyl plastic, were repurposed after the war for consumer goods. When Barbie launched in 1959, she utilized these military-developed plastic manufacturing methods that allowed for the mass production of articulated dolls with complex shapes.
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Walkie-Talkies
Children’s two-way radio toys are direct descendants of the portable two-way radio transceivers developed for infantry use during World War II. The military SCR-536 “handie-talkie” allowed soldiers to communicate on the battlefield, revolutionizing infantry tactics.
After the war, this technology was simplified and made more affordable, leading to toy versions that became hugely popular in the 1950s and 60s, allowing children to play at military communications while using genuine radio technology derived from battlefield equipment.
Remote Control Cars
The radio-controlled vehicles that have delighted generations of children evolved directly from remote-controlled target drones and vehicles developed for military training and operations. During World War II, the military created radio-controlled aircraft for target practice and reconnaissance.
This technology was later miniaturized and adapted for the consumer market in the 1960s, with toy manufacturers creating scaled-down versions using the same fundamental radio control principles originally designed for battlefield use.
Digital Pets
The electronic pets that became a craze in the 1990s utilized LCD screen technology initially developed for military applications. The small, energy-efficient displays were first created for portable military equipment like radios, field computers, and targeting systems.
The microprocessors and simple artificial intelligence programming in toys like Tamagotchi shared conceptual roots with basic autonomous systems being developed for military applications, though dramatically simplified for children’s entertainment.
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G.I. Joe Action Figures
Perhaps the most obvious military-to-toy transition, these articulated action figures were directly modeled after military personnel and equipment. What’s less known is that the 12-inch jointed body design utilized advances in plastic molding technology developed during the Korean War for military applications.
The term “action figure” was created specifically for G.I. Joe to differentiate these military-inspired toys from dolls when they launched in 1964, with many accessories being miniaturized versions of actual military gear.
View-Master
This stereoscopic 3D viewer was initially developed as a training aid for military personnel. The technology was used during World War II to help soldiers identify enemy aircraft, ships, and weapons by viewing realistic 3D images.
Military trainers found that stereoscopic images improved recognition and retention compared to flat photographs. After the war, the technology was repurposed for entertainment, becoming a popular toy in the 1950s and introducing generations of children to immersive 3D imaging long before virtual reality.
Laser Tag
This popular active play system emerged directly from military training technology. The original concept used the same infrared targeting principles developed for military combat simulation and training exercises.
The U.S. military created the Multiple Integrated Laser Engagement System (MILES) in the 1970s to realistically simulate combat for training without using live ammunition. This technology was adapted for recreational use in the 1980s, with the first commercial laser tag system, Photon, opening in Dallas in 1984 before home versions became wildly popular toys.
Lincoln Logs
These interlocking wooden building sets were created by John Lloyd Wright, son of the famous architect Frank Lloyd Wright. The younger Wright was inspired by the interlocking beam construction he observed while watching his father design the earthquake-resistant Imperial Hotel in Tokyo.
However, this construction method had previously been used extensively in military applications, particularly for building quickly assembled, sturdy structures like bunkers and temporary bridges. The notched logs that could be rapidly assembled into stable structures translated perfectly from battlefield fortifications to childhood fort-building.
From Battlefield to Playroom
The journey from military innovation to children’s entertainment reveals how technology flows between different sectors of society. Defense research has always pushed the boundaries of materials science, electronics, and manufacturing—often creating solutions that find unexpected applications far from their original purpose.
What makes these toys special isn’t just their play value, but how they represent the surprising ways that military necessity has shaped our everyday lives. These crossover innovations remind us that play and creativity can emerge from the most serious endeavors. The next time you encounter one of these classic toys, you’ll recognize the fascinating dual legacy they carry—designed for conflict but reimagined for joy.
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