14 Toys from the ’80s That Would Be Illegal Today
A wild relic of the past, 1980s toys were often as thrilling as they were dangerous, so much that so many of them would be outright illegal today.
- Alyana Aguja
- 4 min read
The 1980s were an era of unfettered toy imagination, in which fun frequently included a serving of hazard. From radioactive chemistry sets to launch missile-capable space cruisers and finger-devouring dolls, most of the period’s popular toys would be outlawed or withdrawn from circulation according to present safety regulations. The following is a look at 14 actual toys that inspired children’s dreams — and sometimes their ill health.
1. Cabbage Patch Snacktime Kids
Image from Google Arts & Culture
These toys “ate” plastic snacks with motorized jaws—and occasionally fingers. Children’s hair and skin were painfully trapped in the mechanism, which had no off switch to shut it down. The toy was recalled from store shelves in 1997, but it initially came out and became popular in the late ’80s.
2. Jarts (Lawn Darts)
Image from Reddit
Jarts were metal-pointed lawn darts intended for use in backyard family games. However, with pointed, weighted tips that can penetrate skulls, they injured more than 6,000 and killed at least three. Their sale was outlawed in the United States in 1988, making them a collector’s item for the ultra-nostalgic who crave danger.
3. CSI Fingerprint Examination Kit
Image from Reddit
This supposedly educational plaything enabled children to lift and examine fingerprints with supplied powder. The powder had asbestos, a carcinogen, so it had to be recalled on a grand scale. Issued in the late ’80s, it would never make safety standards now.
4. Creepy Crawlers Thingmaker (metal mold model)
Image from Ebay PH
Kids dumped liquid plastic (“Plasti-Goop”) into metal molds and heated them up to 400°F in an open-face hot plate. Burns were frequent, and there was no actual safety barrier to keep accidents from happening. Subsequent models became safer, but the initial design was a lawsuit waiting to occur.
5. Slap Bracelets (Original Metal-Core Versions)
Image from Pinoyballers
These wristbands snapped against the wrist with a satisfying “slap,” but early models utilized thin strips of metal susceptible to breaking inside the fabric. Several children were cut or hurt, and schools banned them. Current slap bracelets are safer, but the ’80s originals would be recalled in an instant today.
6. Sky Dancers (early prototypes)
Image from Ghost of the Doll
These airborne fairy dolls that took flight by deploying a ripcord would fire erratically in every direction. Children received black eyes, broken teeth, and even concussions after being hit in the face. Although popular during the ’90s, early prototypes from the late ’80s didn’t have fundamental flight controls.
7. Gilbert U-238 Atomic Energy Lab (republished for educational sets)
Image from Wikipedia
Though first sold in the ’50s, educational science kits in the ’80s included uranium ore samples for “authentic” physics experiments. These sets were available through specialty catalogs and were never regulated for home safety. Unsurprisingly, giving kids radioactive material today is a hard no.
8. Power Wheels (Early Battery Models)
Image from Ubuy Philippines
The original Power Wheels ride-around cars had very serious wiring problems. Batteries overheated and occasionally exploded, resulting in numerous recalls. Years passed before appropriate fusing and thermal cutoff safety became the norm.
9. Battlestar Galactica Colonial Viper
Image from Battlestar Hyperion Wiki - Fandom
This toy launched a small plastic missile from the nose—a novelty until it was associated with a child’s death from choking. The accident prompted mass redesigns of projectile toys throughout the industry, which is one reason that today’s toys have oversized, non-removable projectiles.
10. Aqua Dots (also known as Bindeez)
Image from Consumer Product Safety Commission
Although primarily well-liked during the early 2000s, their initial recipe was experimented with in toy designs in the late ’80s and ’90s. The beads had a chemical that broke down into GHB, the “date rape” drug, when ingested. They induced seizures and comas in some children.
11. Realistic Toy Guns (e.g., Entertech Water Guns)
Image from Amazon.com
Certain toy guns in the ’80s were nearly impossible to tell apart from actual guns. Police officers, unfortunately, shot children wielding these toys because they were mistaken for real guns. Current laws mandate bright colors, orange tips, and harmless shapes to avoid such incidents.
12. Shrinky Dinks (Early Oven Versions)
Image from Jennifer Maker
Kids traced drawings onto special plastic sheets, then baked them in regular ovens without adult supervision. The plastic released fumes, and contact burns were prevalent. Although the concept survived, today’s versions emphasize lower heat and adult supervision.
13. Polly Pocket (Original Micro Versions)
Image from Ubuy Philippines
The original Polly Pocket playsets featured tiny parts easily swallowed by toddlers. Multiple choking incidents led to stricter labeling and age recommendations. These early micro-toys would face intense scrutiny under modern small parts regulations.
14. Clackers
Image from Wikipedia
Although more prevalent during the ’70s, acrylic balls suspended on a string experienced a minor revival in ’80s discount stores. Children swung them from side to side until they hit — sometimes with such force that the balls burst, shooting pieces of glass through the air. Eye injuries and cuts were so prevalent that they were removed altogether from shelves.