Big Country’s Dangerous Toys of the Past: Were Our Kids at Risk?

It’s hard to believe, but some of the toys we grew up loving were responsible for sending countless children to the emergency room. Moms and dads bought them with the hope of making playtime fun, only to discover that these seemingly innocent toys were, in fact, extremely dangerous, some even life-threatening.

Yes, a few toys truly posed life-threatening risks. Some used electricity, while others contained hazardous chemicals, dangerous to not just children but adults too. While I look back fondly on my childhood, I never personally injured myself playing with these toys. Well, except for that one time I chipped a tooth trying to take a bite out of a Cabbage Patch Dolls' tasty looking crinkle fries snack!

But seriously, it makes you wonder: How dangerous can a silly toy be, right? Yet I vividly remember news reports warning parents about certain toys. One that sticks in my mind was the Cabbage Patch Doll, not just because it was chewing kids’ hair, but also because children were trying to eat the magnetic plastic foods, which became a choking hazard.

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One of the saddest stories I recall is about one of the all-time favorite toys. It wasn’t officially recalled, but the company made the smart decision to quietly pull it from the market and never remake it. Many people thought it was because Hot Wheels stopped selling a VW Bus with two plastic surfboards.

How could a tiny Hot Wheels VW Bus called the Beach Bomb be dangerous? Well, it turns out that the most expensive Hot Wheel on the market today, worth over $150,000, was pulled from shelves because some little boys decided to swallow the surfboards. Sadly, they choked on them.

I can understand the dangers of the E-Z Bake Oven; after all, it needed electricity to bake those tiny treats. And who could forget the Kids Atomic Laboratory, which used magnets, electricity, and, yes, chemicals. Speaking of chemicals, the Aqua Dots the had lethal drugs in them not much but enough to make kids sick. Then there's Buckyballs, those magnets that caused digestive issues, because they were being swallowed by kids.

Going all the way back to the ’70s, the clackers were probably the most fun and yet the most frustrating toy of all. How dangerous could they be? Eventually, the plastic would give way, sending shards flying everywhere, including into kids’ eyes. Yet another bad idea.

And then there was the Slip 'N Slide, not just dangerous to kids but for grown-ups and pets, too. Many ended up with bumps, bruises, and much worse after a tumble down the slick plastic. How about those body piercing family fun Lawn Darts.

So, as you reminisce about your childhood toys, remember: if you’ve got kids of your own, make sure their toys are safe, and remind them that toys are not edible! Even today, the most expensive Hot Wheel is worth $175,000, a pink VW Bus, no less! Only two of them were ever made in "hot pink" to entice girls to play with boys' toys.

Now, off I go to my den to play with my Hot Wheels collection and my "green" Beach Bomb VW. It’s missing the surfboards, I guess I must have eaten them! Below are photos of the toys that have been labeled as dangerous and taken off the market.
Source: Good Housekeeping