Some of the most "collected" Mr. Potato Head items are the 1980s Potato Head Kids. These cute three piece toys look like small, young Mr. Potato Heads. They were introduced as cartoon characters on the 1986 Saturday morning show My Little Pony and Friends.

    Playskool released 12 of the characters as toys around 1986. They were sold on cards and came with two  sets of removable “character specific” hats and shoes. These massive numbers of accessories can causes much confusion when trying to identify them. Because their parts can be interchanged with each other, unless these toys are found in the package, it can be very difficult to identify which is which! Luckily, each part has a unique 6 digit number that can be used to assemble the correct parts with the correct kid. (PH Kid Parts ID List)

    To add to the confusion, more characters were later added, and then they were bagged and given away as fast food premiums! You could get them with McDonald’s Happy Meals in 1987, and again in early 1992. They were also available from Wendy’s Hamburgers in 1988, Avon in 1993, and Walmart Kid's Meals in 1993.

    Inspired by the cartoon adventures, several larger accessories were sold separately in store in 1986. The most popular were the Potato Head Kids clubhouse, their red school house, and several vehicles! In addition to a go-cart from the playhouse, there was a police car that came with Duke the policeman, a fire engine that was sold with Sparky the fireman, and an ambulance that came with  Sophie the nurse. Similiar to the 1985 Potato Head Car, each vehicle had a removable face and accessory pieces.

    Most of the Potato Head Kids are fairly common on the secondary market, although a few are difficult to find. The houses and cars are much more elusive, and complete versions are prized by collectors! Also, because they were given away at restaurants, they have achieved cross collectible status. You'll not only compete with Mr. Potato Head collectors for these toys, but with fast food collectors as well!

There are basically 3 different Potato Head Kids cards. They are (left to right) card with schoolhouse on front,
card with clubhouse on front, and card with no building of front. Each represents a different series of characters.
The fourth card pictured is one from the Netherlands.  Most card backs show 12 kids, but the earliest cards only pictured
6 kids Playskool, ca. 1986
 
 

Lumpy                                              Queenie
 

 
Rabbit Nubbins    Mousey                                Cavalier (tassle color variation)
 

 
    Potato Puff                                                  Cheffy
 

Saucey                                           Buster
 

Big Chip                                    Krispy
 

 
Smarty Pants                                          Potato Dumpling (color variation)

Big Horn Ram                                    Spud
 

 
Tulip  (painted flower & unpainted flower)                                Slick
 

 
Slugger                                          Sir Scallop
 

Sabrina                                          Trek (hat color variation)
 

 
Dimples  (hat color variation)                                     Topsie
 

Spike                                                          Capt’n Kid
 

Whiz Kid
 
 

Fireman Sparky and his Potato Head Kids Fire Truck-Playskool, ca. 1986
 

Policeman Duke and his Potato Head Kids Police Car-Playskool, ca. 1986
 
 

Nurse Sophie and her  Potato Head Kids Ambulance-Playskool, ca. 1986

   The rarest of the Potato Head Kids is Peeler.  He was available only as a mail order item. He was supposedly the big city cousin of Spud.  On a trip to meet his cousin, his skates got stuck in the fields. So his Aunt and Uncle Potato Head gave him some magic shoes and a winged hat to aid in his journey! Below is the insert and mail order form for Peeler. It was included with the carded Potato Head Kids.