VOICE OVER: Ryan Wild WRITTEN BY: Thomas Muzekari
Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for kids toys that were taken off the market due to health and safety risks to the kids they're marketed to.
#30: Fidget Spinners
A toy that gives you something to do when there’s nothing to do is the name of the game, right? Well, kids, just because you’re bored during class doesn’t mean you should be doing something other than paying attention. Fidget spinners—due to their small, transportable, and addictive nature—became a distraction as the handheld gadgets soared in popularity in 2017… So much so that many schools banned them from classrooms. What had been originally considered a tool to help kids concentrate had become a potential inhibitor to academic progress. The fidget spinner story also teaches us all a lesson: Boredom is okay sometimes, and you don’t always have to be doing something.
#29: Barbie & Tanner
The world of the iconic Barbie faced a bit of an issue in 2007 with the Barbie and Tanner toy sets. These sets were based on life as a dog owner, which of course meant that they had to include a pooper scooper. Unfortunately, a small magnet inside that pooper scooper posed a threat for young children. It could come off and be swallowed or aspirated. Yeah, not good. It was certainly not a fantastic situation, and this crap needed to be dealt with. The solution was to get these sets off the market.
#28: Flubber
An object that’s gooey plus stretchy plus bouncy equals fun, right? That seems like a plausible equation—one that came into play with the release of Flubber during the 1960s. The flexible kids toy was inspired by the movie “The Absent-Minded Professor” and produced by the Hassenfield Brothers, now known as Hasbro. They teamed up with Disney for a promotion ahead of the film’s sequel, “Son of Flubber.” But it didn’t take long for the Flubber product to have issues. Reports and complaints about sore throats and rashes forced the chemical concoction toys to be taken off the shelves. Did you really think you could rival Silly Putty? Silly Goose.
#27: Polly Pocket Playsets
Multiple editions of Mattel’s Polly Pocket playsets in the mid-2000s had magnet issues. There were hundreds of reports of magnets coming loose from the figurines and accessories in the set. And, worse, there were a few reports of children who suffered serious choking injuries that required surgery. It wasn’t all fun and games anymore. The danger of multiple magnets becoming attached to each other after being swallowed was no joke. It meant potentially fatal consequences, and that the few million Polly Pocket playsets with this magnet issue had to be recalled.
#26: My Friend Cayla
They’re watching us! They can hear us!... These sentiments about surveillance and privacy concerns have circulated with the advancement of technology. How much of our computer and cell phone habits are actually private has become a legitimate question. And there’s more to it than that. If you ask the German government about the doll known as “My Friend Cayla,” they would tell kids Cayla isn’t who they thought she was. This kid's companion with communicative and voice-recognition capabilities was deemed an espionage device—and they were banned in Germany as a result. That’s right, kids. Your secret might not be safe with Cayla after all. This is all kinds of… well… creepy.
#25: Kinder Surprise
A chocolate egg with a toy inside! Sounds like a kid’s dream, right? There’s an issue, though. The Kinder Surprise—made by the Italian company Ferrero—goes against a US law that prohibits the sale of candy that contains an inedible toy inside. As a result, they were banned from being imported into the US. The argument behind this ban is choking and aspiration hazards. Particularly, if a young child isn’t aware that a toy is inside the chocolate egg, it could be dangerous. We get the idea of the surprise toy within a piece of chocolate—but let’s be real. Many kids will be happy with just a piece of chocolate by itself—and with just a toy by itself. They don’t need the 2-in-1 combo!
#24: Splash Off Water Rockets
This has risky kids' science experiment written all over it. Kids, make sure you’re wearing your safety goggles. Or, better yet, for the Splash Off Water Rockets, don’t use them at all. These things were ready for liftoff in the toy market in 1997. But the water pressure caused by filling a Splash Off Water Rocket led to danger of it breaking apart into pieces. 37 reports of hand, shoulder, and forehead injuries were the result—as was the product’s ultimate crash-landing in the toy market. Safety goggles weren’t even enough, actually! You might need full body armor to be truly safe from Splash Off Water Rockets!
#23: Super Bang Blast Balls
Have you ever had a toy that you loved because of its sound? The lure of the Super Bang Blast Balls was just that: sound. They were built to sound similar to a cap gun. And the instructions to create that cracking sound is simple: strike one Blast Ball against the other in your hand. But just think about the name again. Don’t Super Bang Blast Balls just sound dangerous? The contact of these balls of fury can cause sparks to ignite. They could—and did—cause minor burns to hands and fingers. So, sorry to the kids who were having a blast with the Super Bang Blast Balls, but it was time to let them go.
#22: Slap Bracelets
If the word slap is in the name, take it for what it’s called. Slap bracelets were meant to slap around the wrist and add an extra layer to a kid’s style. During the early 1990s, they were a fashion trend for students. They came in different colors and patterns. But if slapped on aggressively, and out of nowhere, it could kind of hurt. Cheap and worn-out versions especially posed injury risks. Once injured wrist reports started piling up, numerous schools banned slap bracelets, helping bring the fad to a halt.
#21: Thingmaker
Also known as Creepy Crawlers, this toy allowed kids to create multiple little critters made out of a liquid chemical substance. The problem with the Thingmaker, though, was the heat of the moulds. A kid’s toy with temperatures reaching close to 400 degrees Fahrenheit didn’t sit well with the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission. So, the Thingmaker was discontinued in 1973, about 9 years after its release. It did make a comeback, though, with a second iteration that was safer. However, as the story often goes, the sequel didn’t have the same success.
#20: Toothpick Crossbows
In the mid-2010s, a toothpick crossbow craze was sweeping Chinese schools. As their name suggests, these were mini crossbows that were meant to shoot toothpicks at various objects (usually friends). But, as you can imagine, shooting sharp pieces of wood into your friends’ faces can be quite dangerous. Not only that, but there were alleged reports of children using the crossbow to fire the likes of nails and needles. Parents raised concerns, and the law swiftly answered by banning the sale of toothpick crossbows across the country. Many major retailers were ordered to take the toy off their shelves, and raids were carried out by law enforcement to ensure that retailers were complying with the ban.
#19: Rollerblade Barbie
We don’t know what Mattel was thinking with Rollerblade Barbie. This doll was obviously meant to rollerblade around the room, and to do so, the manufacturer equipped her feet with rolling contraptions that acted like cigarette lighters. They were even designed to kick up sparks! Of course, there were reports of injuries. In Jackson, Mississippi, a young girl accidentally set her brother on fire after playing with a combination of hair spray and Rollerblade Barbie. Luckily, the child wasn’t seriously injured. Mattel realized that they had a serious problem and a potential lawsuit on their hands, so they quickly ceased production on Rollerblade Barbie. That was probably a good idea.
#18: Mini Hammocks
Manufacturers realized that hammocks weren’t really made for children, yet children love to hang in them. So, they had the idea to make mini hammocks suited exclusively for tiny bodies. There was just one problem. And we mean one major problem. Hammocks contain what are called “spreader bars,” and these bars keep hammocks from folding in on themselves. These mini hammocks did not have spreader bars, so they were prone to entangling and strangling children. Unfortunately, many children and teenagers died in tragic hammock-related accidents, and one child reportedly suffered brain damage. These specific mini hammocks were eventually recalled, with more than three million being taken off the country’s shelves.
#17: Hannah Montana Pop Star Card Game
“Hannah Montana” was all the rage in the mid-2000s, having debuted in March of 2006. All sorts of merchandise was made up to capitalize on its success, including a playing card game. Sounds innocent - except that cards contained a dangerously high amount of lead! In 2007, thousands of children’s toys were tested for lead - specifically lead paint. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends no more than 40 parts per million, and 600 ppm is the federally-mandated level for a mandatory recall. It was found that the Hannah Montana cards contained levels of 3,056 ppm - about five times higher than the recall limit. Suffice to say, you can no longer find these cards anywhere.
#16: Slingshots
While not exclusively made for children, slingshots have long been used by them. For some, it’s an introductory weapon. For others, it’s a relatively harmless toy used to shoot chestnuts at soda cans or whatever. Of course, there is a huge risk factor inherent with slingshots. As a result, arm-braced slingshots are banned in many jurisdictions. For example, the state of New York has banned slingshots under “criminal possession of a weapon in the fourth degree.” Also grouped with slingshots are the likes of electric dart guns, switchblade knives, and brass knuckles. Possession of an arm-braced slingshot is a class A misdemeanor and can land the owner in prison for a year.
#15: Fisher-Price Power Wheels
In the late ‘90s, Fisher-Price manufactured various models of ride-on cars and trucks for children. They were called Power Wheels, and they allowed little ones to get a taste of the road long before they could obtain a driver’s license. However, these Power Wheels cars were horribly designed, to say the least. Some of them failed to stop, causing children to plow into walls and get hurt. But even worse were the faulty electrical components. There were hundreds of reports of these toy cars overheating and catching fire, and they caused upwards of $300,000 in property damage. Power Wheels were eventually recalled, and just a few years later, Fisher-Price faced a $1.1 million fine from the Consumer Product Safety Commission.
#14: Aqua-Leisure Baby Floats
Pool floatation devices are certainly nothing new. Unfortunately, young children and open water don’t often make for the safest combination. In the late 2000s, manufacturer Aqua-Leisure issued a voluntary recall over their defective baby floats. The seats were prone to tearing, causing babies and young children to fall through the floatation device and into the water. More than 30 such incidents were officially reported, but thankfully, no one was seriously injured or killed. Aqua-Leisure eventually notified the Consumer Product Safety Commission, but at that point more than 20 reports had already been issued. As a result, the CPSC slapped the company with a civil penalty of $650,000.
#13: Hoverboards
These self-balancing scooters were all the rage in the mid-2010s. Unfortunately, they also generated quite a degree of controversy - not only for being “fake” hoverboards, but because they were incredibly dangerous. Not only were inexperienced users falling off and hurting themselves, but the batteries were notoriously awful and prone to bursting into flame. These scooters were blamed for dozens of residential fires and deaths, and as a result, they have been banned in numerous places across the world. Many public spaces have prohibited the use of hoverboards, and places like New York City, the Netherlands, and Hong Kong have banned their use outright. Various imports have also been banned by the US International Trade Commission for infringing on copyright laws.
#12: CSI Fingerprint Kit
This is one particularly tragic case that can have enormous repercussions in a couple of decades. In the mid-2000s, a specific “CSI” tool kit allowed children to dust for fingerprints. Unfortunately, the powder that was used in the test kit contained a very dangerous type of asbestos called tremolite. In fact, it’s believed that even a one-time exposure to this type of asbestos can cause lung disease later in life. The Department of Consumer Protection ordered the manufacturer to recall the product, but who knows how many children had already been affected. Manufacturer Planet Toys, Inc. eventually went bankrupt, and a class-action lawsuit was launched seeking damages.
#11: Gilbert Glass Blowing Set
It doesn’t take a genius to work out that children and glass blowing do not mix. Why anyone thought this would be a good idea is beyond us. Glass blowing is an incredibly dangerous trade, requiring the maker to work with literal molten glass. As in, glass that appears bright orange because it’s 2,000 degrees. This is dangerous for the pros, never mind children who have no idea what they’re doing. This Gilbert glass blowing set encouraged children to try the practice for themselves. We don’t even want to think about the consequences. Unsurprisingly, this “toy” was eventually pulled and is now regarded as nothing more than an insane experiment.
#10: Sky Dancers
Who would have thought something so cute would get yanked off the shelf. Released in 1994, these skinny plastic dolls came with foam wings and a little base to set her in. When you pulled the string on the back, the wings would spin like a helicopter and the doll would fly into the air. Incredibly popular at the time, the toys were given a recall due to the unpredictable nature of how they flew. Repeated eye injuries, broken teeth, blindness, and even severe cuts were all caused by the out of control, spinning dolls.
#9: Atomic Lab Kits
Sold in the 1950s, the Gilbert U-238 Atomic Energy Lab gave kids the radioactive material needed to unleash nuclear and chemical reactions. From the lens of a 21st-century parent, you’d question how anyone ever thought this was a good idea. Included in the set were compounds that emitted beta and gamma rays, both of which are radioactive. Pitched as being completely safe as long as you followed instructions carefully, which we all know kids do so well. Thankfully, the $50 price tag was far too high to make it attractive in those days, forcing it off store shelves before it even sold 5,000 kits.
#8: Clackers
For the 1960s, the concept was fairly simple. Take two balls and attach them to a string and children can swing them around. When they collide, they make a big “clacking” sound, which the kids will adore. It was all fine and dandy until the balls started exploding. With enough force applied, the collision would cause the balls to shatter, sending shards of glass or plastic in any direction. Reports of facial and other injuries caused the toy to be pulled from the market before resurfacing again in the 1990s. More modern materials prevented the exploding balls from hurting anyone further.
#7: Buckyballs
You can market it to older kids all you want. That’s not going to stop the younger ones from playing with them. Buckyballs were a set of small, powerful magnets that would stick together to form various shapes. Each magnet was about 5mm wide: just small enough for a young kid to swallow. Countless reports of children ingesting the magnets caused a recall on the toy in 2012, forcing the company to issue $375,000 worth of refunds. That didn’t however stop Buckyballs founder Craig Zucker from trying again. Speks are essentially the same toy with a new name and logo.
#6: Yo-Yo Water Balls
Have you ever played with a paddle ball? You know, that rubber ball attached to a string with a paddle? Now imagine your hand is the paddle, the string is a bungee cord, and the ball contains a non-descript fluid. That’s the concept behind the Yo-Yo Ball. It sounded innocent enough but many issues have arisen from it. There was of course the potential choking hazard it posed if the cord was wrapped around you in the wrong way. The material it was made of was also highly flammable. If pulled too far, the snap-back could be quite painful, and the liquid in the ball was toxic. Everything about this bouncing ball said it needed to come off shelves.
#5: Kite Tubes
When you’re done watching this video, search YouTube for “Kite Tube fail” and you’ll see exactly why this kind of “toy” has no business on store shelves. It’s essentially a modified inner-tube designed to catch air while being dragged behind a boat. Once airborne, neither the boat driver or the passengers had any control over how the tube would react to the air current. In many cases, it would flip or turn suddenly, forcefully ejecting its passengers into the air. Broken bones, punctured lungs, and damaged eardrums were all injuries sustained as a result of the violent crash back into the water. The “kite” was quickly recalled, and flying boat tubes were made illegal.
#4: Snacktime Cabbage Patch Kid
No one would ever argue that Cabbage Patch Kids were a huge wave in the toy industry. But not every new doll was a success. Released in 1996, the Snacktime Kid was intended to allow children to feed their doll any number of plastic treats. Innocent at first, kids quickly discovered the mouth wouldn’t stop until whatever it ate was fully immersed in their little friend. Combine that with an over-powered motor, kids were getting their fingers and hair stuck in the dolls, with no way to stop them from eating. By 1997, Mattel gave up on the Hungry Hungry Hippo-like doll, and offered refunds to parents who had purchased the product.
#3: Austin Magic Pistol
Say what you want about toy guns, but they have been a staple of the toy industry for as long as guns have been around. But for a brief time in the late 1940s, this “magic” pistol was no ordinary play firearm. Using a combination of calcium carbide and water, the gun would propel ping-pong-sized balls from the barrel for distances well over 70 feet. The biggest problem with this toy was the fact that it gave children access to a literal explosive compound that could go off with as little as a couple of drops of sweat. Combine that with the splash of sparks that often erupted from the weapon, everything about this toy spelled “dangerous.”
#2: Aqua Dots
Similar in some ways to today’s Perler Beads, Aqua Dots, also known as Bindeez, are small beads that can be used to create creative designs on small pegboards. Like other swallow-hazard toys, younger children would accidentally ingest the beads. That wasn't however what triggered the ban and subsequent massive recall. The beads were made of Butanediol, which when ingested, converts to a sedative known as GHB, or gamma-Hydroxybutyric acid. Incidents of children swallowing, and suffering adverse effects were widely reported. Concerns were also addressed about the beads being used as a recreational drug. The ingredients were eventually replaced with safer ones, allowing the toy to be brought back to store shelves.
#1: Lawn Darts
And you thought getting hit with a regular dart was bad. Lawn darts were a staple of outdoor games for many years. Shaped like their smaller counterpart, the metal pointed ends were quite heavy. Propelled by hand into the air in an arch to hit a circle target, the darts would have been harmless if they had only hit the grass. Thousands of injuries from lacerations, concussions, and even death were reportedly tied to the unsafe usage of this outdoor field game. They were banned in the US in 1988 and then in Canada in 1989. Less dangerous substitutes have since been released, all with no metal tips.
What kids toy brings back the most memories for you? Let us know in the comments!
