The LEGO company is famous for its small plastic bricks. They can be used to build just about anything! Kids build and play with LEGO sets. Even many adults collect them. But LEGO didn't always make this popular construction toy.
In 1916 a woodworker named Ole Kirk Christiansen started a small business in Denmark. Ole's business made household items like ironing boards and ladders.
By 1932 Ole's son Godtfred was working with him. Godtfred was 12 years old. Ole started making blocks and other wooden toys that year. These sold better than his ironing boards!
With the success of his toys, Ole stopped making household items. The company began making more toys. Some of them were made of plastic, like models of cars and trucks. This was very daring. Many people thought plastic toys would never be popular. Most toys in those days were made of wood or metal.
Ole named his company LEGO. The name came from a Danish phrase that means "play well." But that's not the only meaning. Ole and Godtfred would later find out that LEGO means "I put together" in Latin.
By the 1950s Godtfred was all grown up. He also had more responsibility at the company. One of his ideas was for interlocking building blocks. In 1958 he invented the now-famous LEGO brick design. It's the same design in use today! The plastic bricks were so popular that LEGO stopped making wooden toys.
Unfortunately Ole died that same year. So Godtfred took over the company. He helped it to grow. In 1969 LEGO created a series of larger bricks for young children. In 1978 LEGO created their famous people figures. LEGO has made over four billion of these smiling yellow figures.
LEGO also introduced themed sets like castles and spaceships. Pirate sets came out in 1989. And more themed sets have been created since then.
Over the years, the LEGO company has grown a lot. Besides LEGO toys, there are movies, books, and theme parks. LEGO bricks are tiny toys—but they sure are hugely popular!