Most Inventive Home Grown Toy Geniuses of All Time

In this time of economic hardship, it is important to encourage people who have nothing but their home garage and their personal skills to rely on.

In that spirit, Linda Christas College Engineering is suggesting a list of the toy geniuses who have produced the most innovative toys for public consumption without the help of corporate Research and Development budgets.

Many toys have been invented by accident, like crayons. And, there are toys that were invented by happenstance, like the frisbee (from pie tins).

This list rewards INDIVIDUAL engineering ability first and foremost.

That is, we looked at what the individual produced in a garage that competed or surpassed what large companies produced in terms of the idea itself, and then in terms of engineering excellence.

To restate the first idea, in this time of economic hardship, it is the purpose of this list to show that working in one's own home or garage, and using only the resources there, one can work oneself into a comfortable financial situation. It is a way to encourage the common man to use his or her genius and not to feel that only the corporate world has a chance in today's marketplace.

This list was suggested by the engineering department of Linda Christas College. For information as to where to find these inventions on the internet, please contact Dr. Ann Voisin at avoisin@lindachristas.org.

Approving this list would be considered a public service of The Top Tens.
The Top Ten
1 Ben Bernard

I think ben bernard invented BRICKSPEAK. If so, and I'm pretty sure that's right, I agree with this rating. What the guy did in his garage by all reports was sensational. I'm kind of an audiophile myself, and have heard a BRICKSPEAK Lego toy speaker, and they sound as good to me as Totem Acoustics products.

2 Ole Kirk Christiansen

Lego as an offshoot of his wooden toy company. Ole is placed in fourth position because this toy was the invention of many minds rather than the result of one person's creativity.

He helped create my favorite toy EVER!

Without him, there would be no LEGO :(

3 Jospeh Binney
4 Richard Knerr
5 Noah McVicker and Joseph McVicker
6 Morris Michtom

Store owner who saw a story about Theodore Roosevelt and decided a bear in the President's honor would be a good idea. He had no idea how good his idea would turn out to be.

7 Charles Pajeau
8 Elihu Frisbie
9 Richard James
10 Ruth Handler
BAdd New Item