Cabbage Patch Kids facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Cabbage Patch Kids

Type	Dolls
Company	Coleco (1982–1988) Hasbro (1988–1994) Mattel (1994–2003) Toys "R" Us (2003) Play Along (2004–2011) Jakks Pacific (2011–2014) Wicked Cool Toys (2015–present)
Country	United States
Availability	1978–present

The Cabbage Patch Kids are famous cloth dolls with plastic heads. They first came out in 1982. These dolls were inspired by special handmade dolls called "Little People," created by Xavier Roberts. The name "Cabbage Patch Kids" was chosen when Roger L. Schlaifer got the rights to sell them worldwide in 1982.

These dolls quickly became super popular. They broke sales records for three years in a row! Cabbage Patch Kids were one of the most loved toys 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, and even board games.

How Cabbage Patch Kids Began

The Doll's First Steps

Xavier Roberts, an art student, found dolls made by artist Martha Nelson. Her dolls came with a birth certificate and adoption papers. Roberts then made his own dolls, called "The Little People." He changed their look and papers a bit to get a copyright.

Roberts told people his Little People dolls were not for sale. Instead, they could be "adopted" for a fee. He first sold them at art shows. Later, he opened a special toy store called Babyland General Hospital in Cleveland, Georgia. It was an old medical clinic that he and his friends turned into a doll hospital.

The Cabbage Patch Story

In 1981, a designer named Roger L. Schlaifer wanted to help Roberts sell his dolls to more people. Since another company owned the name "Little People," the dolls were renamed "Cabbage Patch Kids." Schlaifer wanted to make them a huge brand for kids.

To explain how these special dolls came to be, Schlaifer wrote the Legend of the Cabbage Patch Kids. In this story, magical bee-like creatures called BunnyBees — fly around and pollinate cabbages with special crystals. This makes Cabbage Patch Kids babies "born" in a secret garden.

The story says a curious ten-year-old boy named Xavier Roberts found these babies. He wanted to save them from a mean villainess, Lavender McDade. So, he helped them find loving families to adopt them.

Making Dolls for Everyone

In 1982, a company called Coleco made new Cabbage Patch Kids dolls. These dolls had plastic heads and softer bodies. They looked cuter and were much cheaper than the original handmade ones. These new dolls, sold in special packaging, became a huge hit!

Coleco sold 3.2 million dolls, setting a new record. By 1984, Cabbage Patch Kids dolls and other products made over $2 billion in sales worldwide. Coleco's sales kept growing until 1986. But then, the company faced problems and went out of business in 1988.

Coleco's Popular Years

The Cabbage Patch Kids logo.

After the name change, Coleco became the main company making Cabbage Patch Kids. Many other doll companies thought the original dolls were "too ugly" to sell widely. But Coleco believed in them.

Between 1983 and 1986, these dolls were the most wanted toys for Christmas. Parents sometimes even had to fight in stores to get a doll for their child! This was called the "Cabbage Patch riots." Over the years, Coleco made different versions of the dolls.

Dolls Around the World

When Coleco made dolls for North America, they also helped other companies. These companies in places like Panama, Europe, Australia, and Japan used Coleco's designs to make dolls for their own countries.

Hasbro Takes Over

In 1988, Hasbro started making Cabbage Patch dolls after Coleco closed down. Hasbro added fun new features, like dolls that could play kazoos! Some popular dolls from this time were "Birthday Kids" and "Splash 'n' Tan Kids."

Hasbro also made a 10th-anniversary doll. This doll came in the same kind of box as the very first ones. Later, Hasbro started making smaller dolls for younger children.

Mattel's Turn

In 1994, Mattel began making the dolls. Their first Cabbage Patch dolls arrived in stores in 1995. Mattel made dolls with vinyl bodies, not just cloth. This made them more durable for playtime.

Most Mattel dolls were 14 inches or smaller. Many had special features, like dolls that could swim, eat, or brush their teeth. Some Mattel lines included "OlympiKids" for the 1996 Olympics and "Cabbage Patch Fairies."

In 1997, Mattel had to recall some "Snacktime Kids" dolls. This was because a few dolls chewed on children's hair or fingers. For the dolls' 15th anniversary, Mattel made special 16-inch dolls that looked like the very first ones.

Toys "R" Us Dolls

In 2001, Toys "R" Us started selling Cabbage Patch Kids. They offered 20-inch dolls and 18-inch baby dolls. These dolls had cloth bodies and vinyl heads. They even came in cardboard cabbage leaf seats!

These dolls were made to celebrate the 20th anniversary. They were available online and in stores. However, they were quite big and expensive, so they didn't stay at Toys "R" Us for long.

Play Along Toys

Play Along Toys then got the rights to make Cabbage Patch Kids. In 2004, they launched a 25th-anniversary collection. These dolls used some of the original designs from the very first Coleco dolls. Play Along also teamed up with Carvel ice cream. These dolls came with a Carvel ice cream cone!

Jakks Pacific Dolls

JAKKS Pacific took over from Play Along Toys in 2011. They introduced a 14-inch "Cabbage Patch Kids Fashionality" line. In 2013, Jakks Pacific released a "Celebration edition" to mark the dolls' 30th birthday.

Wicked Cool Toys Today

Since 2015, Wicked Cool Toys has been making Cabbage Patch Kids. They have added new types of dolls. These include "Little Sprouts," which are tiny collectible dolls only 1.5 inches tall. They also made "Adoptimals," which are 8-inch plush pets that a Cabbage Patch Kid can "adopt."

The Cabbage Patch Kids Brand

The Cabbage Patch Kids brand grew very quickly. Roger L. Schlaifer helped manage all the different products. Over 150 companies made Cabbage Patch Kids items. These included special diapers, low-sugar cereal, clothes, bedding, books, and thousands of other products for kids.

In 1984 alone, these products made over $2 billion in sales! The dolls have become a lasting part of the toy world. They are one of the few doll brands that have been popular for a very long time.

Special Cabbage Patch Kids

Porcelain Dolls

Some special Cabbage Patch Kids were made from porcelain. These limited edition dolls had a soft fabric body but with porcelain legs, arms, and head. They were sold by Applause gifts and later through mail order.

Talking Dolls

"Talking Cabbage Patch Kids" were some of the last new dolls made by Coleco. These dolls had a voice chip and could talk! They also had touch sensors in their hands. This meant they knew when you were holding them. For example, a doll might say "hold my hand" and then respond when you did.

They could even tell if they were on their belly, back, or upside down. A special cup with a hidden magnet made the doll "drink." The most amazing part was that two talking dolls could "talk" to each other! They would say things like, "I think there's someone else to play with here!" and then have simple conversations. They could even sing songs 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 office into a store and "doll hospital." Here, employees dress up as doctors and nurses. They pretend to care for the dolls as if they were real babies.

The hospital has areas for "birthing," a "nursery," and an "adoption" center for the Cabbage Patch Kids. In 2010, Babyland General moved to a new, bigger building. It has been named one of the top 10 toylands by the Travel Channel!

Cabbage Patch Kids on Screen

The Cabbage Patch Kids' First Christmas

The first TV special, The Cabbage Patch Kids' First Christmas, came out on ABC on December 7, 1984. It was a very popular show.

Voice Actors

• Hal Smith as Colonel Casey, Lumberjack
• Tress MacNeille as Lavender McDade, Bertha, Mrs. Clark
• Arthur Burghardt as Cabbage Jack, Gus
• Neil Ross as Beau Weasel, Fingers
• Sparky Marcus as Xavier Roberts
• Scott Menville as Otis Lee
• Josh Rodine as Dawson Glen
• David Mendenhall as Cousin Cannon Lee
• Penina Segall as Sybil Sadie
• Ebonie Smith as Rachel Marie
• Gini Holtzman as Jenny Clark
• Vaughn Tyree Jelks as Tyler Bo
• Anne Marie McEvoy as Paula Louise
• Peter Cullen as Hotel Worker, Policeman (uncredited)

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

Cabbage Patch Kids Timeline

• 1977: Xavier Roberts learns about Martha Nelson Thomas's "Doll Babies."
• 1978: Roberts creates his first "Little People Originals" dolls.
• 1981: The dolls become famous and are featured in magazines like Newsweek.
• 1982: The name changes to Cabbage Patch Kids.
• 1982, March 1: A company called Schlaifer Nance & Company gets the rights to license the dolls worldwide.
• 1982, August 9: Schlaifer Nance & Company signs a deal with Coleco Industries to make the dolls and other toys.
• 1982: Coleco Industries makes the first Cabbage Patch Kids dolls.
• 1983: Cabbage Patch Kids are shown at the International Toy Fair in New York City. By October, parents are rushing to stores to buy them.
• 1983, December: A Cabbage Patch Kid doll is on the cover of Newsweek magazine.
• 1984: Sales for Cabbage Patch Kids products reach $2 billion. A Cabbage Patch Kids music album, Cabbage Patch Dreams, sells very well. A video game, Cabbage Patch Kids: Adventures in the Park, is released.
• 1985: Cabbage Patch Kids low-sugar cereal is introduced. The animated TV special Cabbage Patch Kids' First Christmas is a top-rated show.
• 1986: The first talking Cabbage Patch Kids dolls are released.
• 1988: Coleco Industries goes out of business. Hasbro Industries takes over making the dolls.
• 1992: Cabbage Patch Kids become the official mascot for the 1992 U.S. Olympic team. Team members get their own dolls.
• 1996: The Cabbage Patch Snacktime Kids are released.
• 1999: The dolls are chosen for one of the 15 commemorative US postage stamps representing the 1980s.
• 2008: Cabbage Patch Kids dolls are made to look like the US Presidential and Vice Presidential Candidates. For example, Barack Obama and John McCain dolls are created.
• 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)