How Was This Allowed?!
Back then, the toy aisle felt like the Wild West, filled with items that could fly, explode, or accidentally give you a haircut. While these playthings provided hours of entertainment and the occasional trip to the emergency room, many have since been pulled from shelves or outright banned by the government. With that in mind, here are 20 nostalgic toys that you won't find in the toy store today.
1. The Original Lawn Darts
Also known as “Jarts,” this family-friendly game from your childhood basically consisted of chucking weighted spikes across the yard. While aiming for grassy glory, lawn darts would often hit softer targets like faces. Accidents were so common that Congress banned them outright in 1988.
2. Gilbert U-238 Atomic Energy Lab
As scary as it sounds, these radioactive kits were actually sold in the early ’50s. They included four different types of uranium ore “for your identification and study.” Each kit came with a small Geiger counter so kids could test the radioactivity level of their bedrooms. While short-lived, these radioactive kits are now valuable collector’s items.
3. Sky Dancers
Popular in the ’90s, these graceful winged dolls were hurled into the air when a ripcord at the base was pulled. Despite their elegant appearance, Sky Dancers were just tiny helicopters with sharp plastic parts flailing around. Nine million were sold before being recalled in 2000 due to eye injuries and chipped teeth.
Jesus Loves Austin on Unsplash
4. Cabbage Patch Snacktime Kids
In 1996, Mattel released a doll that could actually "eat" plastic snacks thanks to a pair of motorized metal rollers in its mouth. The problem was that the doll lacked an off button, so its steel gums kept chewing if they snagged hair or skin. Mattel ended up voluntarily recalling all dolls.
Appalachian Artworks, Inc on Wikimedia
5. Aqua Dots
Toy of the Year in 2007, Aqua Dots allowed kids to snap beads into fun shapes and patterns. A quick spray of water fused the beads, permanently locking them in place. But scientists soon discovered that the beads’ glue was made with a chemical that children could turn into a powerful sedative.
Nick Connolly at English Wikipedia on Wikimedia
6. Clackers
If you lived through the early 1970s, you definitely remember the rhythmic "thwack" of two heavy acrylic balls hitting each other at high speeds. The original Clackers were made of hard plastic that had a nasty habit of shattering into sharp shards. Because they were essentially heavy, glass-like spheres on a string, they were eventually deemed a "hazardous substance" by the government.
7. CSI Fingerprint Examination Kit
Mid-2000s kids got to live the dream with this fingerprint kit that dusted for prints just like on TV. But much like the show itself, there was something dangerous hidden beneath the powder. Lab tests later confirmed that the kit’s fingerprint powder contained asbestos.
8. Buckyballs
These were marketed as stress-relieving desk toys for adults, but kids loved them too. The problem was that if more than one of these powerful magnets was swallowed, they could lock together inside the body. The resulting damage could be catastrophic, which is why they were banned.
9. Zulu Blowguns
Back in the 1960s and ’70s, blowguns could be found in comic book ads and toy stores that allowed users to fire darts across the room with just a puff of air. These toys were eventually restricted or banned in several states because the darts were sharp enough to cause serious harm if aimed at a person.
10. Batwings
Kids of the late ’70s were able to blast away at planes using this fun toy from the classic series. Small plastic “viper” fighter jets released tiny red missiles when the trigger was squeezed. The downside was that toddlers thought they were great toys and swallowed them.
11. Easy-Bake Oven (2007 Edition)
The Easy-Bake Oven is a classic, but something about the 2007 model was problematic. Its slot-loading oven was basically shaped like a child’s fist, allowing young chefs to trap their fingers while cooking. Plus, it got extremely hot using an actual lightbulb.
12. Monster Magnetix
Similar to other magnetic toys, these building sets used small, powerful magnets embedded in the ends of plastic rods that could pop out quite easily. If these magnets were swallowed, they posed the same internal risks as Buckyballs. This led to a massive recall in 2006.
13. Kite Tubes
Designed to be pulled behind boats, kite tubes let riders fly like a kite above the water. While fun in theory, riders quickly learned they couldn’t control the tube once it left the water. After several tubes flipped over or catapulted riders out of the tube at 15 feet up, production ceased.
14. Rollerblade Barbie
In the early 1990s, Barbie got a pair of skates that actually produced real sparks when rolled across a flat surface. This was achieved using a flint-and-wheel mechanism similar to what is found in a lighter, which looked cool but was a bit of a fire hazard. There were naturally concerns about what might happen if Barbie skated over something flammable.
15. The "Swing Wing"
While it probably looked pretty cool on fish tank lids, the Swing Wing was dangerous. Users were encouraged to spin the giant wing by rapidly jerking their heads back and forth. However, spinning too hard could cause dizziness and nausea.
16. Slap Bracelets (Original Version)
These pieces of metal were essentially slapped onto wrists. The downside was that not all slap bracelets were created equally. The cheaper models used flimsy metal that would eventually work its way through the fabric.
Ser Amantio di Nicolao on Wikimedia
17. Burger King Pokémon Balls
To celebrate the first Pokémon movie in 1999, Burger King gave away plastic Poké Balls that contained a small toy inside. The two halves of the ball were just the right size to form a suction seal over a small child's nose and mouth, posing a significant suffocation risk. After a few terrifying incidents, Burger King launched one of the largest recalls in fast-food history.
18. Austin Magic
This toy weapon from the 1950s didn't use caps or rubber bands; it used "magic crystals" (calcium carbide) mixed with water to create an explosion. When the trigger was pulled, the resulting gas would ignite and fire a plastic ball across the room with a loud bang and a flash of fire. While it was definitely exciting, having a toy that essentially functioned as a small combustion engine was a bit much for most parents.
19. Moon Shoes (The Metal Kind)
Long before the plastic, bouncy versions of the ’90s, Moon Shoes were heavy metal contraptions that strapped onto feet with giant springs. These original 1950s models were essentially ankle-breaking machines that offered very little stability and a lot of sharp edges. If a fall occurred while wearing them, the metal frame was likely to cause more damage than the ground itself.
20. Birdie Beam Flashlights
These small, bird-shaped flashlights were popular in the late 1980s because they were cute and easy for toddlers to hold. However, the design included a button battery compartment that was surprisingly easy for a child to open. Because button batteries can cause devastating chemical burns if swallowed, the toy was pulled from the market.
