Where do the Popular Legos Toys Come From?

Legos toys are one of the most popular pastimes for kids and grownups alike today, but how many of us know how these building bricks got their start? The history begins in 1932, when master carpenter Ole Kirk Christiansen sets up a company in Denmark to manufacture a variety of household goods like ironing boards and stepladders along with wooden toys. Christiansen named his company Lego, which stands for the Danish words "LEg" and "GOdt", which means "play well".

Fifteen years later, Christiansen discovered the benefits of using plastic to craft his toys, and he invested in the first injection molding machine in his country of Denmark. By 1949, Christiansen had developed what is now known as the Lego brick, although they were originally called Automatic Binding Bricks. The original Legos toys were only sold in Denmark, and did not come to the United States until 1962 as sets of loose bricks.

The following year, Christiansen's company began making the Legos toys using Acrilonitrile Butadine Styrene, or ABS. The finish on this material is very hard and scratch-resistant, and allows the bricks to connect together more efficiently. Today, the bricks are still manufactured in Denmark, but there are also production plants in the Czech Republic and Mexico. These plants are carefully monitored to ensure that the quality of toy that is produced is consistently top of the line, to uphold Lego's reputation for quality.

With more than 2400 types of bricks available, the Legos toys continue to be a popular choice of play for kids around the world. The headquarters of the company is still based in Denmark and is now considered to be the fifth largest toy manufacturer in the world based on annual sales. Lego toys have continued to inspire and delight kids of all ages throughout generations, and will undoubtedly continue to do so for many more.