10 Wildly Inappropriate Kids' Toys from the Past
These bizarre kids' toys somehow made it to store shelves, even though they never should have.
- Daisy Montero
- 3 min read
Some vintage toys were more shocking than silly, and it’s hard to believe they were ever meant for kids. Parents may have thought they were harmless fun at the time, but hindsight says otherwise. Here are 10 toys that make you wonder how they ever got approved in the first place.
1. Aqua Dots That Turned Toxic
Nick Connolly at English Wikipedia on Wikimedia Commons
Aqua Dots initially appeared harmless until children began falling into a coma after swallowing them. Turns out, the beads contained a chemical that turned into GHB, the “date rape” drug, once ingested. It was marketed as creative fun, but it ended in a global recall.
2. The Atomic Energy Lab Kit
Tiia Monto on Wikimedia Commons
The 1950s science kit actually came with real uranium samples. Yes, children were encouraged to play scientists using radioactive materials. It promised “harmless fun,” though radiation exposure was very much included.
3. Cabbage Patch Snack time Dolls That Bit Kids
Appalachian Artworks, Inc on Wikimedia Commons
These dolls had motorized mouths that “ate” plastic snacks, but sometimes they kept going. Kids’ fingers and hair got painfully caught in the chewing mechanism. The dolls were eventually recalled after too many accidents scared parents and made headlines.
4. Clackers That Exploded
Santishek on Wikimedia Commons
These hard acrylic balls made a loud noise by smacking together, but they sometimes shattered mid-play. Kids ended up with flying shards of plastic near their faces. It was a dangerous toy disguised as a rhythm game.
5. Magnetix That Sent Kids to Surgery
Grodalo on Wikimedia Commons
Magnetix building sets used strong magnetic beads, which kids often swallowed. Swallowed magnets could attract each other through the intestinal walls, leading to emergency surgeries. They were eventually pulled after serious injuries were reported.
6. CSI Fingerprint Kits That Contained Asbestos
Ed Drohan on Wikimedia Commons
This detective toy came with fingerprint dust that, horrifyingly, contained asbestos. Instead of teaching crime-solving skills, it exposed kids to a known carcinogen. It was pulled off the shelves, but not before lawsuits followed.
7. Jarts: The Backyard Weapon
Mushy on Wikimedia Commons
Lawn darts were meant to be tossed into a plastic ring target, but they had sharp metal tips. Over 6,000 injuries and at least three deaths later, they were banned. Somehow, a child’s impaling toy was considered a form of fun.
8. Cap Guns That Fired Too Loud
Jason Rogers from Hemel Hempstead, UK on Wikimedia Commons
These toy guns mimicked real gunfire using exploding caps. Some were loud enough to cause temporary hearing loss when fired near the ear. They also added fuel to the confusion among kids between play and real weapons.
9. Gross-Out Toys That Crossed a Line
Wolf Art on Wikimedia Commons
Fake vomit, poop, and snot were once huge sellers for shock value. Parents tolerated the prank factor, but some designs were disturbingly realistic. It was bathroom humor dialed up too far.
10. Mr. Mouth’s Flying Objects
Mr. Mouth’s Flying Objects
Mr. Mouth was a game where you flung plastic flies into a spinning frog’s mouth. Kids loved the chaos, but the small pieces were major choking hazards. Fast-moving projectiles and toddlers never mix well.