Hello everyone – Winnie Griggs here. As you can guess from the subject line, today is National Rubber Ducky Day. I always love it when I check my National Observance Day Calendar and find something fun like this. Especially when it falls on my blog day . Because now I get to indulge my curiosity about the whys and wherefores and chalk it all up to legitimate research. 🙂
A Brief History of the Rubber Ducky
Back in the mid-1800s, when manufacturers first discovered how to mold vulcanized rubber, the earliest “rubber ducks” weren’t really ducks at all—they were more like chew toys. They didn’t float, and their designs were pretty simple. But as rubber toys became more popular, people started experimenting with new shapes and ideas.
The earliest patent for a rubber duck toy was issued In 1928 to Landon Smart Lawrence. His design weighted the floatable toy so that when it tipped over, it quickly returned to an upright position.
Fast forward to the 1940s, when sculptor Peter Ganine created and patented a floating toy duck. His design was more naturalistic, resembling an actual duck rather than the stylized, cartoonish version we’re used to today. Ganine’s ducks became quite popular, with over 50 million sold.
The transition to the iconic yellow rubber duck with a bright orange bill that we recognize today occurred around the same period. By the 1940s, rubber ducks had developed into this familiar form, becoming a staple in households and bath time routines.
Of course, the real turning point for rubber duck fame came in 1970, when Ernie from Sesame Street sang the now-iconic “Rubber Duckie” song. If you’ve ever seen Ernie and his beloved duck, you know how catchy it is. That song made rubber ducks a cultural icon and sent sales soaring. (you can listen to it HERE)
And today Rubber duckies are more than just bath toys. They’ve become collectibles, art pieces, and even globetrotters (but more on that in the trivia section!). Whether they’re in classic yellow or dressed as superheroes, rubber duckies continue to bring joy to people of all ages.
Why Ducks?
One thing I wondered about was why rubber ducks, of all animals, became the quintessential bath toy? While I couldn’t find a definitive answer, there was some speculation that gave several possible reasons for the choice:
- A Natural Connection to Water
Ducks are water-loving creatures, often seen gliding across ponds or lakes. This strong association with water makes them an intuitive and playful choice for bath time compared to land-based animals. - Simple and Recognizable Shape
With their rounded bodies, flat beaks, and webbed feet, ducks have a shape that’s easy to mold into a toy. Their form is also simple enough for children to recognize and engage with, making them a perfect candidate for a fun and playful design. - Bright and Cheerful Appeal
The bright yellow color of traditional rubber ducks exudes warmth and happiness—qualities that resonate strongly with children and parents alike. Plus, ducks are naturally endearing, and their friendly image adds to their universal charm. - Practical Design for Manufacturing
When early rubber toys were being created, ducks likely stood out as a practical option. Their simple shape was easy to sculpt and mass-produce, especially as floating toys became more popular in the mid-20th century.
Whatever the reason, the cheerful rubber duck has obviously stood the test of time, becoming an enduring symbol of bath time fun and childhood nostalgia.
Today rubber duckies are beloved worldwide, with countless variations, from superhero ducks to historical figure ducks!
Quacky Fun Facts and Stats About Rubber Duckies
Here’s a list of trivia and statistics to celebrate this playful day:
- A chart-topper: Ernie’s “Rubber Duckie” song from Sesame Street was so popular it reached #16 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in 1970. You can listen to it HERE
- Rubber ducks have traveled the world! In 1992, 28,000 rubber ducks accidentally fell off a cargo ship in the Pacific Ocean. They’ve since been tracked by oceanographers to study ocean currents, traveling as far as Alaska, Scotland and even Australia.
- Royal Approval: In 2001, it was rumored that Queen Elizabeth II had a rubber duck in her bathroom that wore an inflatable crown. This quirky detail reportedly caused rubber duck sales in the UK to soar by 80% for a short period.
- Hall of Fame: In 2013 the rubber ducky was inducted into the Toy Hall of Fame.
- Giant Duck Tours: The world’s largest rubber duck, known as “Mama Duck,” stands at 61 feet tall and weighs 15 tons. This colossal duck was created in 2014 and has toured various locations, bringing joy to spectators across the globe.
- Largest collection: The world’s largest collection of rubber ducks belongs to Charlotte Lee from the United States, with over 9,000 unique ducks as of 2023.
- Global love: Over 1 million rubber ducks are sold annually, making them one of the most popular toys of all time.
- Record-breaking duck race: Rubber ducky races are held around the world. Usually thousands of numbered ducks are dumped into a waterway and the first rubber ducky to cross the designated finish line is declared the winner. The Great British Duck Race once released a whopping 200,000 rubber ducks into the River Thames to raise money for charity.
- Celebrity ducks: Some companies create limited-edition ducks modeled after celebrities, fictional characters, and even U.S. presidents. More generically, they are sometimes created wearing costumes are uniforms.
- Cruise Ship Hide-and-Seek: A delightful trend has emerged where cruise ship passengers hide rubber ducks for others to find. This game has fostered a sense of community and added an element of fun to voyages. You can read more about this fun activity and how it got started HERE
- Not Really Rubber: Despite their name, modern day rubber duckies aren’t really made from rubber, instead they’re made from a soft plastic.
So there you have the results of my research. Did any of this information surprise you? Do you have any personal anecdotes about rubber duckies you’d like to share? Leave a comment to be entered in a drawing to win a copy of one of my books along with a bonus of a little rubber duck reading companion!
Winnie Griggs is the author of Historical (and occasionally Contemporary) romances that focus on Small Towns, Big Hearts, Amazing Grace. She is also a list maker, a lover of dragonflies and holds an advanced degree in the art of procrastination.
Three of Winnie’s books have been nominated for the Romantic Times Reviewers Choice Award, and one of those nominations resulted in a win.
Winnie loves to hear from readers. You can connect with her on facebook at www.facebook.com/WinnieGriggs.Author or email her at winnie@winniegriggs.com.
My youngest daughter still has all her rubber ducky. She used them with her daughter.
What a fun tradition and legacy to pass on!
Cool facts. I have a rubber ducky that’s reading a book.
People who drive jeeps leave rubber duckies on each other’s vehicles.
Neat! I have a friend who drives a Jeep, I’ll have to ask him if he exchanges rubber duckies with other Jeep drivers
Maybe not all, but people who drive jeeps will leave a rubber duck in another jeep when they see one. My cousin received a pink one about a month or two ago. It was his first.
I wonder how that got started? I’ll have to do a little research…
I can’t imagine having 9000 rubber duckies. Jeep owners leave each other rubber duckies
I imagine that collector needs an entire room dedicated to just housing the collection 🙂
I could not imagine having that many duckies. I have seen people driving around with their dashes full of ducks.
Me either! I certainly hope they’re the smaller rubber duckies
Hey Winnie! That was interesting today! We have a Forth of July Duck Race in the small town of Branford. Branford sits on the Suwannee River. They sell tickets and number the ducks. The let them out at the ramp and they float down to the bridge where they pick up the winner. When I worked at Branford High School my husband always asked did I buy a duck ticket! We went a few times. They have food booths, crafts, children activities at the park. Then fireworks at night. Years ago as a teenager, my brothers and I would ride down in the boat to see the fireworks at the bridge. And my parents would do the same with my children. I don’t think they had the duck race then though. Thanks for the rubber duck article!
Many blessings!
Such fun memories! Thanks for sharing them with us today
When our first grandangel was born, I started collecting ducks.
Our son had just enlisted in the Marines. Every time I saw a Marine or military support group selling them, I bought them.
We had over 15 at one time. As our other grandangels were bought, they’d play with these. They would name the ducks, play in the tubs, and we’d giggle I’ll my stomach ached.
I have several around here, probably seven or eight, that my grandsons like to play with too.
My son has a collection of rubber ducks. Every time I find a new one I get it for him. He’s in his 40s.
How fun!
All of the grands have had rubber ducks and a local huge fundraiser releases numbered ducks on a large river to see which one wins
Rubber duck races sound like so much fun.
I can tell you a story about ducks. My great niece was at my house one day with my sister and when she left I started finding little ducks all over the house. They were plastic ducks about half inch in size. They were stuck everywhere. We were on a duck hunt for weeks. Then I find out they had done my sister the same way and still do her that way today. So now if my niece is around you better watch out or you will be on a duck hunt, you might find them on a window seal on in a cabinet or anywhere a duck can set. She does drive a jeep so maybe that is where the duck hunt idea comes from.
Have fun. Your niece certainly sounds mischievous!
My son was born in 1969 and when he was around a year old, he would watch Sesame Street while I was nearby doing the ironing or something. The first time Ernie sang the rubber ducky song, my son was fascinated! He ended up singing along whenever it came on the radio after that, so it really was a learning experience for him! And I want to say thanks….now that song is stuck in my head!
My kids liked it too. I played it for my grandson not too long ago and he loved it, asking me to play it over and over!
I have a small jar of mini ducks on my desk that I was given as a gift, different colored mini duck, they are so cute!
What a fun gift to receive. I can just imagine how cute that looks on your desk
Even though they’re not rubber, the duckies at the county fairs where children pick one with a number on the bottom and win a prize is what I think of when I hear “rubber duckies.
Oh your post brought back such great memories for me. There was an amusement park near where I grew up and we had that same game
oh but this is wonderful. thanks so much for sharing all of your research. Earnies song made a hit with our two children. they sang it all the time and drove my poor husband a bit crazy. LOL I love rubber duckies. I didnt know they were plastic, but makes since.
LOL! I can certainly sympathize with your husband 🙂
Thank you!
You’re welcome
Thank you so much for this history on rubber duckies. It was so interesting.
You’re quite welcome. I’m so glad you enjoyed it.
What a great post! Thanks. I have about 100 duckies. I am not sure of the exact count because my grandsons borrow them and bring them back and sometimes add some of their own. When I was teaching, I had a big duckie who wore safety goggles.
Sounds like you’re a true collector! And it seems you’ve instilled this in your love in grandkids as well
How interesting!! I know that Jeep owners love to find rubber ducks on their Jeeps!! I don’t know how that started, but I know people love it when they find one on their Jeep, as they’re put there by other Jeeps owners, from what I understand. I know had at least one growing up, and I bought some for my nieces and nephews, too.
Others have mentioned this about Jeep owners being collectors. It seems well-known so I’m not sure why I haven’t heard about this before. I’ll certainly have to do some research into it
Helen, Georgia has an annual event during their Oktoberfest celebration called the Great Helen Duck Race where rubber ducks are raced through the Chattahoochee river. 🙂
How fun! Have you had a chance to watch?
No, I’ve never been able to go, but it sounds like it would be fun to watch!
One year my sister and I were in a singing class, and the recital song was “Rubber Duckie”. Everyone had to wear a yellow top with jeans, and bring along a rubber ducky! We’d never heard that song before and thought it was cute! We even had a nifty kazoo solo! Lol! 🙂 My brother teased us recently about singing about a “rubber ducky”, but it was fun, and we still have our rubber ducks. 🙂
What a great memory! And how fun that you held on to your rubber ducky. Thanks for sharing You’re a rubber ducky memory with us today.
Lots of fun information. Also, Jeep owners give rubber ducks to other Jeep owners. My daughter drives a Jeep and will find a rubber duck sitting on the hood when she comes out of stores or restuarants. She then displays them across her dash. She also gives them to other Jeep divers. The whole dash of her Jeep is full of rubber ducks of all kinds. Not sure why but this is only done among Jeep drivers. They also have their own signature wave used to greet other Jeep drivers. LOL
One of my best friends is a Jeep driver so I know that they’re very loyal to the brand.
I loved this article. I had no idea about much of what was said but have heard about the race. Thank you so much for sharing with us.
You’re quite welcome. Glad you enjoyed the post
Such interesting info… thanks for sharing… I have one little rubber ducky.
I have six or seven myself but they’ve recently been claimed by my grandsons 🙂
Your question ‘Did any of this information surprise you?’ My response ‘Yes and very interesting too’.
Glad you enjoy the post! Thanks for responding
Jeep owners like to exchange rubber duckies too. My friend has a bunch of them on her dash. When my youngest daughter turned a year old, we had ducks as the theme for her party. I used a blue tablecloth and bought a whole bunch of rubber duckies to “swim” on the table.
Oh how fun! I imagine all the attendees loved it 🙂
I didn’t have to click on Ernie singing Rubber Duckie just your mention of it turned it on in my head and now it’s stuck there :). I had never heard of Jeep owners exchanging rubber ducks. The TriCities, Washington, has a rubber duck race fund raiser every fall. One of the service clubs sponsors it and they dump the ducks in the Columbia River near one of the parks.
That song does turn into an earworm doesn’t it 🙂
Most of those facts are new to me. I did know that the duckies are plastic not rubber.
Glad I could teach you a few things 🙂
Thanks for dropping in to leave a response
In October of last year I went to the Parents and Family Day at my granddaughter’s school, the University of Oregon in Eugene. Of course we all know their mascot is a duck. And my goodness there are rubber duckies all over that town. At our hotel when we went to get coffee in the lobby the container of creamers had a little yellow duckie in it. When I got on the hotel elevator…of course I always look up… there was a little yellow duckie up on a ledge near the ceiling. I went into a bathroom stall at the airport and sitting on the toilet paper dispenser was a little duckie. I mean, they are avid fans of rubber duckies in Eugene. They’re everywhere!
LOL! That sounds like a fun experience
a
fair near where I grew up had the same game.
🙂
This was a fun post to read, but now Ernie’s Rubber Duck song is stuck in my head. ?
LOL, aren’t earworms fun?
I never knew that there was a National Rubber Duck Day!
When my granddaughter was one, she carried tiny rubber ducks with her everywhere! My son had to buy many of the tiny things because they got left everywhere she went. lol For her second birthday, yes she was still playing with them, she must have gotten stock in them because I think she got like 75 or so! Shortly after that, she stopped carrying them around. Now at 3, I don’t see them anymore.
Oh what a shame she gave them up! But I bet the interest will return at some point
I remember Bert and Ernie from Sesame Street singing the rubber duckie song. I never had a rubber duck. Thank you so much for sharing. God bless you.
You’re quite welcome
interesting info
Thanks!
I have always loved Rubber Duckies and when my 2 now adult grown children with little families of their own were very young I made sure that they each had one and when my 3 grandchildren were very young, I got them each their own. I really love the Rubber Ducky sonf that Bert and Ernie would sing. Yes, this is awesome information.
Sounds like you’re a real died in the wool ducky fan 🙂
Interesting facts and I remember the Sesame Street song as my kids used to watch it when they were little. I see a lot of people with duckies in their car on the dash board.
Glad the post brought back some fun memories for you
I never had a rubber ducky still don’t either:(
So sorry to hear that. They’re cheerful looking things, you can’t help but smile when you see one
Thanks for a really interesting post. I don’t recall ever having a rubber duck as a kid.
It’s never too late 🙂
My younger siblings may’ve had a rubber duckie or two but I don’t recall them. A painful memory of my brothers’ toys is stepping on plastic army men when only wearing socks (ouch!).
Ouch for sure! Rubber duckies are much kinder on the feet 🙂
Winnie, Thanks so much for such a fun post. I will now have Ernie sining Rubber Ducky in my head until I go to bed, and I didn’t even have to listen to it. I did not know about the cruise ship Duck Scavenger Hunts. We don’t cruise that often, but will definitely be looking for them the next time we do. We do have a rubber ducky in our house. One table was handing them out at a veterans’ event we were working/attending. It has a camouflage uniform and helmet on. Over the years, we have had a few rubber duckies, but since even our grandchildren have aged out of playing with them in the tub, we haven’t had any for a while. I will be looking for one that is a heavy duty, dog chew toy for our grand dog.
Sorry for the earworm 🙂
Let me know if you find any on your next cruise
Our family loves the various little ducks. When our boys were younger, the always went for the sport ducks. Now our granddaughters collect princess ducks. Whenever we see a new design, we send pictures in our family text. The ducks always have a way of bringing a smile.
They aresuch cheerful little things aren’t they 🙂
I have three white plastic ducks in my classroom at school. Someone left them there, so I now claim themas my mascots and have named them Huey, Dewey and Luey after Donald Ducks nephews.
Oh how cool that you received them anonymously. And I love that you named them after Donald Duck’s mischievous nephews.