1950s · toys
Ant Farm
Two panes of glass with sand between them where you watched ants dig tunnels. You mailed away for the ants and waited, hoping they arrived alive.
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Image: Wikimedia Commons
◆ Did you have this?
👍 I had this💔 I wanted this- Era
- 50s
- Released
- 1956
- Category
- toys
Before you buy
- For an original edition, compare the model name, packaging, and release details with the seller’s photos.
- Check the condition, included accessories, delivery cost, and return terms on the listing before ordering.
From the archive
Watch the commercial
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The pitch
Watch live ants build a city! Uncle Milton's Ant Farm — a fascinating world of nature right on your desk.
Why people remember it
- Mailing the coupon and waiting weeks for the ants to arrive in a tube.
- Watching the tunnels appear overnight, like a living city in your room.
- The disaster when someone knocked it over or left it in the sun.
Did you know?
- Over 20 million Ant Farms have been sold since 1956.
- The ants shipped are typically Western Harvester ants, chosen for their tunneling ability.
- Milton Levine got the idea while watching ants at a Fourth of July picnic.
How people search for it
“ants in glass case”, “watch ants dig toy”, “ant observation farm”
Questions people ask
- Who invented the ant farm?
- Milton Levine invented it in 1956 after watching ants at a picnic. He co-founded Uncle Milton Industries, which sold over 20 million ant farms.
- Do they still sell ant farms?
- Yes. Uncle Milton's Ant Farm is still produced by Transogram/Toys R Us successors. You can still mail-order live ants.
