The first toy released by Eames Office in 1951 was simply, a box. Originating from the shipping carton the ESU came in, the colorful Herman Miller-branded box encouraged children to build an imaginative world through the limitless possibilities presented by a simple form. Following the box was, The Toy, produced by Tigrett Enterprises in 1951. The Toy consisted of wooden dowels and colorful fabric panels, with which one could build enclosed geometric forms—only a slight step above the simplicity of the box. Much like their furniture designs, clarity, ease and optimism characterized the Eameses early toys.

Throughout the 1950s, The Eames Office would release a slew of delightful and forward-thinking toys, premised on the integrity of construction and materials and the deep belief in humans' (and especially, children's) natural inclination toward creativity.