The Toy Legend Who Lit Up Our Childhood Has Passed at 99

Published November 26, 2025

If you ever spent your childhood blinding your siblings with a Lite-Brite or aggressively punching a tiny robot in the face, you have Burt Meyer to thank.

The iconic toy inventor — the brain behind Lite-Brite, Rock ’Em Sock ’Em Robots and even Mouse Trap — has died at the age of 99, leaving behind a glittery, button-smashing legacy that shaped entire playrooms.

Back in the postwar boom of the 1960s, when plastic toys were taking over, and kids stopped playing with literal sticks and dreams, Meyer was busy changing the game (and our patience levels).

The Accidental Glow-Up of Lite-Brite

The idea for Lite-Brite sparked when Meyer and fellow toy genius Marvin Glass were strolling through Manhattan and spotted a window sparkling with coloured lights. Instead of just thinking, “Pretty,” Meyer thought, “What if kids could stab this repeatedly with tiny pegs?”

And voilà — the Lite-Brite was born. A glowing board where kids created pixel art before pixels were cool. It became such a hit that it landed on Time Magazine’s list of greatest toys and even made it into the Strong National Museum of Play’s hall of fame. Yes, that’s a real place, and yes, it’s magical.

Robots That Taught Us Controlled Violence

Then came Rock ’Em Sock ’Em Robots — the ultimate way to safely release childhood rage. Two plastic boxers. Two joysticks. One very dramatic spring-loaded head pop. Whoever knocked their opponent’s block off first? Instant playground legend.

The toy’s impact was so massive that it even made an appearance in Toy Story 2, and Mattel has since teased a live-action movie because, apparently, we all still crave robot-on-robot chaos.