For decades, Little People toys were designed for kids — toddlers and preschoolers, to be exact. But over the last six years, the brand has found a new home, escaping the toy box and landing on collector shelves with the Little People Collector line from Mattel.
Little People figures are known for their chunky size, simple faces, and ability to encourage fine motor skill development in kids. With such a recognizable stature, millions of families have adored the brand since its launch in the ’60s, when it was known as Play Family.
From family figure sets to schoolhouses, vehicles, and more, the Little People brand grew the bandwidth of imaginative play with kids’ favorite properties, like Disney, DC, and even Barbie.
But there’s more fun in store. The tiny tots who once had Little People scattered around the playroom floor became nostalgic adults whose happy childhood memories fuel their purchasing power. A brand with decades of history also comes with decades worth of fans. Enter: Little People Collector, a line of Little People figures featuring adult-oriented licensing, like Stranger Things, Rick and Morty, and more. Debuting in 2019 with popular fandoms like The Beatles, KISS, and WWE, these sets dig into those hardcore fandoms to bring collectors a new way to display their pop-culture faves.
“Little People Collector was born from the idea that toys we love as children, when combined with things we have grown to love as adults, create a surprise and delight experience that invites consumers to celebrate their fandoms,” says Julia Maher, senior director of global brand marketing at Mattel.
Like other collectible toy brands, Little People has a winning formula: a recognizable form factor, licensing opportunities, and an incredibly rich history. At the time of publication, the collectibles line showcases more than 50 sets inspired by various fandoms like Supernatural, My Hero Academia, the NFL’s Baltimore Ravens, Elton John, Harry Potter, and more. Designers like Dafna Mor, director of product design at Fisher-Price, work to ensure that each set perfectly blends the Little People design and the unique qualities of each licensed brand.
“Once the IP (intellectual property) is confirmed, the team selects the key characters and develops the story or moment they want to portray. Designers then begin translating these characters into the Little People world — reimagining them with the brand’s signature style: set proportions, raised hands, elliptical eyes, and sculpted details,” Mor says. “The process flows from initial 2D sketches to 3D sculpts, followed by detailed model reviews with the licensors. Product and packaging development happen in parallel from the start, as the packaging plays a vital role in bringing the story and figures to life.”
The boxes receive pop-culture makeovers to assist in storytelling to ensure the sets look great on shelves. Like the figures themselves, each package is thoughtfully designed, which is important, considering many collectors never open it. Each box features scenery or imagery from the entertainment content, like Monica’s apartment from Friends. Plus, there are lots of hidden Easter eggs for truly dedicated fans to find, such as the Cookie Time cookie jar hiding in the background behind Ross, Rachel, Joey, Chandler, Monica, and Phoebe.
“Our packaging’s Easter eggs have become such a unique part of each set,” Mor says. “Our designers, who are fans of these properties, have fun designing each and every package and being able to infuse those fan-favorite elements.”
Fan response to the Little People Collector sets has been overwhelmingly positive. Pop-culture enthusiasts flock to Fisher-Price’s social media pages to express their excitement over new sets, share ideas and suggestions, and engage with other Little People die-hards.
On Oct. 3, 2024, aka Mean Girls Day, Mattel made a super “fetch” reveal of its Fisher-Price Little People Collector Mean Girls Set on TikTok. The post, featuring Cady and the Plastics at the Winter Talent Show, received more than 250,000 views and more than 19,000 likes. On Instagram, a reel of the Fisher-Price Little People Collector Schitt’s Creek set earned more than 35,000 likes and 700 comments. With overwhelming fan engagement, the Fisher-Price team ensures each set lives up to fans’ expectations.
“We love hearing from our fans, and we want to get every detail right to celebrate their favorite moments and properties,” Maher says. “Before we launched our most recent Golden Girls set, a celebration of the 40th anniversary, we connected with our fans through social media and shared a couple of options, and the overwhelming response was late-night cheesecake! So the team was beyond excited to bring that to life earlier this year.”
"With the ever-changing world through streaming, social media, sports, and so much more, we feel like the possibilities are endless as we continue to grow this line.”
The Little People Collector line already features a full universe of pop-culture moments, incorporating characters and scenes from TV shows, films, sports teams, music legends, and more. Its latest offerings include the Fisher-Price Little People Collector JAWS set, marking the film’s 50th anniversary, and the Fisher-Price Little People Collector Will & Grace set, which joins a trove of sitcom favorites like Seinfeld and Friends — and there’s much more on the way.
“We continue to research what’s relevant in pop culture and what’s on people’s minds,” Maher says. “With the ever-changing world through streaming, social media, sports, and so much more, we feel like the possibilities are endless as we continue to grow this line.”
Memories don’t end in childhood, and neither does love for the Little People brand. As adults move into the next chapters and stages of life, they can continue to fuel their fandoms with the familiar faces and chunky figures they grew up with. While Little People encourages imagination and wonder in toddlers and kids, Little People Collector sets remind adults that the joys of childhood can still have a place in their hearts — and on their shelves.
This article was originally featured in the Summer 2025 issue of The Pop Insider. Read more articles from this issue and subscribe to The Pop Insider here!
