Cabbage Patch Kids facts for kids

Cabbage Patch Kids are famous cloth dolls with plastic heads. They were first made by Coleco Industries in 1982. These dolls were inspired by "Little People" soft sculptures created by artist Xavier Roberts. The name "Cabbage Patch Kids" was chosen by Roger L. Schlaifer when he got the rights to sell them worldwide in 1982.

These dolls quickly became super popular. They broke toy sales records for three years in a row. Cabbage Patch Kids were one of the most loved children's products in the 1980s. They are still one of the longest-running doll brands in the United States. You could also find Cabbage Patch Kids clothes, bedding, baby items, music albums, and board games.

How Cabbage Patch Kids Were Made

The Start of the Dolls

Xavier Roberts, an art student, found dolls called "Doll Babies" made by Martha Nelson. These dolls came with birth certificates and adoption papers. Roberts, with help from artist Debbie Moorehead, made his own hand-stitched dolls called "The Little People." He changed the look of Nelson's dolls enough to get a copyright. He told people they could "adopt" his dolls for a fee, rather than just buy them.

The Little People dolls were first sold at art shows. Later, they were sold at Babyland General Hospital. This was an old medical clinic that Roberts and his friends turned into a toy store in Cleveland, Georgia.

From Little People to Cabbage Patch Kids

In 1981, Roger L. Schlaifer, a designer from Atlanta, wanted to license The Little People dolls. Since another company, Fisher-Price, already owned the name "Little People," the dolls' name was changed to "Cabbage Patch Kids." Schlaifer wanted to create the biggest children's brand ever.

To help explain the dolls, Schlaifer and his wife wrote the Legend of the Cabbage Patch Kids. In this story, magical bee-like creatures called BunnyBees pollinate cabbages with special crystals. This is how Cabbage Patch Kids are born. The story also features a young Xavier Roberts. He discovers the Cabbage Patch Kids and tries to save them from a villain named Lavender McDade. He does this by finding loving families to adopt them.

Coleco's Role in Success

In 1982, Coleco's design team, led by Judy Albert, created new Cabbage Patch Kids dolls. These dolls had plastic heads, cuter faces, and softer bodies. They were also more affordable, costing about $18 to $28. These dolls, with packaging designed by Schlaifer, were made in Coleco's factories in China.

Coleco shipped a record 3.2 million dolls. By 1984, sales of the dolls and other Cabbage Patch products reached $2 billion in North America, Europe, Japan, Australia, and New Zealand. Coleco's sales continued to be strong until 1986. The company eventually went out of business in 1988.

Cabbage Patch Kids logo

The Dolls' Huge Popularity

Between 1983 and 1986, Cabbage Patch Kids were incredibly popular Christmas toys. Parents sometimes even struggled to get the dolls for their children because demand was so high. Over the years, Coleco made different versions of the original dolls.

Other Companies Take Over

After Coleco, other companies took turns making Cabbage Patch Kids dolls.

• Hasbro Years: Hasbro took over in 1988. They made dolls with fun features, like some that played kazoos. Popular lines included "Birthday Kids" and "Splash 'n' Tan Kids." Hasbro also made a 10th-anniversary doll.
• Mattel Years: In 1994, Mattel started making the dolls. Mattel's dolls were often made of vinyl, making them more durable. Many of their dolls had special features, like swimming or eating. In 1997, Mattel recalled some "Snacktime Kids" dolls because they sometimes chewed on children's hair or fingers. For the 15th anniversary, Mattel made special 16-inch dolls that looked like the original Coleco dolls.
• Toys "R" Us Kids: In 2001, Toys "R" Us sold 20-inch and 18-inch Cabbage Patch Kids dolls. These were made to celebrate the 20th anniversary.
• Play Along Toys: Play Along took over in 2004. They released a 25th-anniversary collection using some of the original doll designs. They even partnered with Carvel to sell dolls with ice cream cones.
• Jakks Pacific: JAKKS Pacific became the main toy maker in 2011. They introduced a "Fashionality" line and a "Celebration edition" for the 30th birthday of the dolls in 2013.
• Wicked Cool Toys: Wicked Cool Toys has been making Cabbage Patch Kids since 2015. They released "Little Sprouts," which are tiny collectible dolls, and "Adoptimals," which are 8-inch pets that a Cabbage Patch Kid can adopt.

The Cabbage Patch Kids Brand

The Cabbage Patch Kids brand grew into a huge success. Roger L. Schlaifer's company helped manage the licensing for many products. This included children's diapers, low-sugar cereal, clothes, bedding, books, and pools. In 1984 alone, these products made over $2 billion in sales. The dolls have become a lasting part of the toy industry.

Special Cabbage Patch Kids

Porcelain Cabbage Patch Kids

These special dolls were made from porcelain. They had a soft fabric body but rigid porcelain legs, arms, and head. They were limited edition dolls.

Talking Cabbage Patch Kids

Coleco also released "Talking Cabbage Patch Kids." These dolls had a voice chip and sensors. They could tell when they were being held or moved. They even had a special cup that made them seem to drink. The most amazing thing was that they could talk to each other! If two talking dolls were near, they would start simple conversations or even sing together.

Babyland General Hospital

Babyland General Hospital is known as the "birthplace" of the Little People dolls. It is located in Cleveland, Georgia. Xavier Roberts turned an old doctor's clinic into a store and "doll hospital." Employees dress up as doctors and nurses and pretend to care for the dolls as if they were real babies. Babyland General moved to a new building in 2010. It has been named one of the top 10 toylands by the Travel Channel.

Cabbage Patch Kids in Movies and TV

The Cabbage Patch Kids' First Christmas

The Cabbage Patch Kids' First Christmas was an animated TV special. It first aired on ABC on December 7, 1984. It was the most-watched show in its time slot.

Other animated specials followed, including stop-motion shows like Cabbage Patch Kids: The New Kid (1995), Cabbage Patch Kids: The Club House (1996), Cabbage Patch Kids: The Screen Test (1997), Cabbage Patch Kids: Saturday Night (1998), and Cabbage Patch Kids: Vernon's Christmas (1999).

Important Moments in Cabbage Patch Kids History

• 1977: Xavier Roberts learns about Martha Nelson Thomas's "Doll Babies."
• 1978: Roberts creates "Little People Originals" and starts his company.
• 1981: The dolls gain attention in magazines like Newsweek.
• 1982: Roger Schlaifer suggests changing the name to Cabbage Patch Kids.
• 1982, March 1: An agreement is signed to license Little People as Cabbage Patch Kids.
• 1982, August 9: Coleco Industries signs an agreement to make the dolls and other toys.
• 1983: Cabbage Patch Kids are a huge hit at the International Toy Fair. People rush to stores to buy them.
• 1983, December: A Cabbage Patch Kid is on the cover of Newsweek magazine.
• 1984: Sales of Cabbage Patch Kids products reach $2 billion. A Cabbage Patch Kids music album goes Platinum.
• 1985: The Cabbage Patch Kids' First Christmas TV special is a top-rated show.
• 1986: The first talking Cabbage Patch Kids are released.
• 1988: Coleco Industries goes out of business, and Hasbro Industries takes over making the dolls.
• 1992: Cabbage Patch Kids become the official mascot of the 1992 U.S. Olympic team.
• 1996: The Cabbage Patch Snacktime Kids are released.
• 1999: The dolls are featured on a U.S. postage stamp representing the 1980s.
• 2008: Cabbage Patch Kids dolls are made to look like U.S. Presidential and Vice Presidential Candidates, including Barack Obama, John McCain, Joe Biden, and Sarah Palin.
• 2023: Cabbage Patch Kids are added to The Strong National Museum of Play's Toy Hall of Fame.

See also

In Spanish: Cabbage Patch Kids para niños

• Garbage Pail Kids
• The Garbage Pail Kids Movie
• Garbage Pail Kids (TV series)