6. Kenner Panel and Girder Building Sets
Where it was sold: Hobby stores and Sears
Organization: Kenner
Initial cost: $5.99* Create your own universe with the cutting-edge construction toy that transformed living rooms into cities—Kenner’s Girder and Panel Building Sets! These sets, which were introduced in the 1960s, let aspiring architects create and construct their own buildings, ranging from suburban houses to skyscrapers.
The Girder and Panel Building Sets belong to Michael A. Banks and are available on Facebook.
With a little creativity and realistic girders and panels, children could design intricate structures that represented the rapid urbanization of the era. This toy was all about having big dreams and knowing the fundamentals of design. Kenner’s sets demonstrated that each youngster could build their own metropolis with a few basic parts.