20 DARK Stories Behind Children's Toys

20 Dark Facts/Stories Behind Children's Toys

Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’ll be counting down our picks for the 20 Dark Facts/Stories Behind Children's Toys.

For this list, we’ll be looking at popular kids toys and the companies that produced them, that have a dark chapter in their history.


Did you ever experience a mishap or injury because of one of these toys? Let us know in the comments!

#20: Elmo Channels Chucky

There are few children’s characters more iconic than Elmo, the breakout star of Sesame Street. This furry red creature with the orange nose has had countless toys made in his likeness over the years. Many of them, like “Tickle-Me Elmo,” have become must-have items upon release. Unfortunately, a number of speaking Elmo dolls have “broken bad” after going home to an unsuspecting family. The 2007 Sing with Elmo's Greatest Hits’ toy encouraged kids to “beat up Elmo” and “rip your fur out”. It was an issue of distorted audio. In 2008, one “Elmo Knows Your Name” doll went full “Child’s Play” when it allegedly started saying “Kill James” to its two-year-old owner, James Bowman. Who would have guessed that it would be Elmo to pick up where Chucky left off?

#19: Cabbage Patch Kids… Turned Cannibal?

These smiling, cherubic dolls were a mainstay of many a childhood in the 80s and 90s. Though they’re still being produced and distributed, back in the day there was literally one in every kid’s closet or bed. Heck, a Cabbage Patch Kid may have even replaced a teddy bear at night as the thing that 4-year-old you cuddled while falling asleep. Well, you should just be thankful that it wasn’t one of the Cabbage Patch Snacktime Kids, which were all the rage around Christmas 1996. This line of the dolls ate plastic food, which would then wind up in the doll’s backpack. The problem? Reports of the doll’s eating mechanism starting to pull in children’s fingers and hair.

#18: Potty-Mouthed Teletubby Dolls?

Today’s toddlers and tykes might have moved on to Paw Patrol, but between 1997 and 2001, these strange, color-coded creatures dominated preschool aged children’s television. With their impossibly smooth facial features, screens implanted in their tummies and a gibberish language all of their own, they enchanted kids and unnerved parents in equal measure. Well, as it turns out the Red teletubby, Po, was giving parents something more concrete to take issue with - at least the toy version of Po. The voice actress behind one talking Po doll had a strong accent, resulting in one of the toy’s pre-recorded lines sounding a lot like it was saying “bite my butt” and a homophobic slur. Despite clarifying what the doll was actually saying, Hasbro ultimately pulled it from shelves.

#17: Barbie & Ken Were Named After Siblings

These two go together like peanut butter and jelly, bacon and eggs, or milk and cookies. With the exception of a brief breakup in the mid-aughts, Ken and Barbie have always been a pair - more specifically, a romantic one. Given that Ken was introduced in 1961, their love has spanned over a half century. As many people know, Barbie was named after creator Ruth Handler’s daughter, Barbara. Less known is that the second character added to the line, the anatomically incomplete Ken, is also named after one of Ruth’s children, Barbara’s brother Kenneth. While the characters aren’t siblings, their respective namesakes are - and that inspires a bit of a “no feeling.”

#16: The Hostile Takeover of Polly Pocket

When we think back on the toys that we grew up playing with, its with fondness and a profound sense of innocence; they’re symbols of a simpler time in your life. In reality however, toys are (and always have been) big business. So while you’re relationship your childhood playthings might be pure, chances are that behind the scenes, some not so savory things went down - as is the case with Polly Pocket. The concept was originally a DIY one crafted by a father for his daughter. It was then licensed to Bluebird Toys, who helped bring this novel toy to countless children. Mattel also got in on the distribution deal, but in the late ‘90s, Bluebird was finally bought by the former after weathering numerous hostile takeover attempts.

#15: Hannah Montana Went Toxic

It’s taken years, but Miley Cyrus has finally distanced herself from the Disney character who made her a star, Hannah Montana. In the early years of her career, however, Miley and Hannah were interchangeable, and together, they amassed legions of young fans who wanted everything Hannah Montana-related, from clothing, to school supplies, to toys. One such product released was the Hannah Montana Pop Star Card Game. Unfortunately, those who bought it were unknowingly getting far more than they bargained for. The carrying case contained 3,056 parts per million of lead - many times more than the 40-ppm limit recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics. And yet, due to a technicality, it was never recalled.

#14: Mattel’s Lead Paint Scandal

Like in many other industries, toy companies rely heavily on Chinese companies to manufacture and supply their toys, and this supply chain structure can sometimes make it difficult to trace the exact roots of the materials involved. In one such case, Zhang Shuhong, the head of Lee Der Industrial co. took his own life after it was announced that his company's exports would be banned due to them containing excessive amounts of lead. According to a Chinese source, the paint used to illustrate the familiar faces of Big Bird, Elmo and others was fake. Shuhong’s company quickly took a massive hit, and he took his own life as a result, a practice that is sadly common in China for disgraced officials.

#13: Furby Was Suspected of Spying

Furby was many things: a massive trend, an exciting new piece of consumer toy tech, and a solid substitute for kids who wanted a pet but whose parents refused. Over at the National Security Agency (or NSA), however, Furby had a more sinister reputation - the little talking furball was actually considered persona non grata. Why? Well, apparently there were concerns about the delightful little toy being used as a tool of espionage given its language-related systems. A reported internal memo revealed that Furbies were strictly prohibited, and if a Furby was seen in the building it was to be reported immediately. Unfortunately, like Po the teletubby, Furby’s speech proved surprisingly problematic; the little electronic creature was saying “hug me” but it sounded like an entirely different demand.

#12: Glo Worm's Poisonous Plastic Head

Every parent hopes to find that perfect doll or stuffed animal for their young child to bond with - a friend to keep them company through the night and provide a sense of comfort. In the early 1980s, an unlikely competitor entered the fray in the form of Hasbro Playskool’s “Glow Worm”. The sleepy looking worm had a kindly face and wore a sleeping cap and pyjamas. When squeezed, the worm’s head would gently glow with light. Unfortunately, the material the Glo Worm’s head got its distinctive malleable texture via a chemical plastic softener, phthalates, which is toxic when ingested. Thankfully, it’s head was fairly tough to chew through, but it certainly undermines the trust between parent and stuffed toy.

#11: Lisa Frank Inc. Was Reportedly a Terrible Work Environment

Not every company’s corporate culture matches with their public image. Case in point: Lisa Frank Incorporated. For the uninitiated, Lisa Frank is a kid’s merchandising company that was popular in the 80s and 90s, specializing in colorful stickers, school supplies, and more. The company’s one-time slogan was “You Gotta Have It,” and for many a young girl, Lisa Frank swag was indeed the pinnacle of cool. While people still feel nostalgic about the brand, past employees generally aren’t among them. A scathing Jezebel.com article called the company a “Rainbow Gulag.” Employee horror stories abound and have for years, including rules enforcing zero conversation, management recording employee phone calls, a verbally abusive CEO, sudden terminations, and countless employee lawsuits.

#10: A Legal War Over Troll Dolls

Like Polly Pocket, these dolls -instantly identifiable thanks to their wild hair, cherubic cheeks and prominent belly buttons- have a complicated backstory. These bizarre little humanoid creatures were first conceived of and created by a humble Danish man in the 1950s who carved the very first troll doll out of necessity; Christmas was coming and he couldn’t afford a gift for his daughter. He soon found himself with a fledgling business empire, but while he secured a copyright for his creation in his native Denmark, he encountered issues in the United States. Because of a loophole involving distribution in America, troll dolls passed into the public domain, robbing a creator of his dues. It would be decades before the copyright was reinstated in 1996.

#9: Adult Slap Bracelets

Often, it’s the simplest of toys that really wind up resonating with kids. Long before the days of the fidget spinner, the thing that kids couldn’t stop fidgeting with were snap bracelets. The concept is simple: a thin, curved piece of metal is covered in a colorful material. When hit against a surface, or an arm or leg, it curls into a circle. Unfortunately, as the material frayed on cheaper bracelets, sharp metal edges could result in cuts, prompting recalls and school bans. In 2011, however, the slap bracelet’s reputation worsened when a Florida school used them as part of a fundraising effort, only to discover images of nude women printed on the metal interior as the material wore down.

#8: Employee Trampled Over a Tickle-Me Elmo

Elmo strikes again! As everyone’s favorite Sesame Street resident has learned firsthand, fame comes with a price. Not only have various Elmo dolls been caught saying troubling things, but, in the case of the aforementioned Tickle-Me Elmo doll, someone actually got hurt. Released in 1996, the toy became THE toy of the holiday season after Rosie O’Donnell plugged it on her show. Suddenly, parents were scrambling to get one, and on multiple occasions, the in-store competition turned violent. The worst such example of this occurred in Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada, where a 27 year old clerk was trampled by a mob of shoppers trying to get the Tickle-Me Elmo in his hands. He suffered a concussion, broken ribs, a pulled hamstring and various back, knee and jaw injuries.

#7: Easy-Bake Oven Burnt More Than Cakes

These child-oriented toy ovens were first produced in 1963. Over the decades and with well over 16 million units sold, they’ve successfully yielded countless reasonably-tasty, easily baked confections for kids and their parents alike - usually without incident. Unfortunately, not every model put to market is created equal. A 2006 model had a design flaw that allowed kids’ hands or fingers to become caught in the oven’s front-loading door. 29 such cases were reported, including 5 that involved burns. A retrofit kit was released, but failed to make a difference; the number of burns climbed to 77, including one that required the partial amputation of a five-year-old’s finger.

#6: Super Soaker Attacks

In hot summer months, super soakers can be a great way for children to cool down and get some physical activity. There’s nothing like the threat of being hit by a stream of cold water to get a group of kids laughing, screaming and running around. The thing is, super soakers should only be used with adult supervision to make sure that they’re being played with appropriately, safely and in a way that is fun for everyone involved. Sure, it’s just water, but at high enough pressures, it can still hurt. Worse, the contents can be switched for another liquid. There have been several cases of people filling super soakers with bleach or other chemical irritants, resulting in severe burns.

#5: Gak Isn’t Just a Toy

Would the average parent let their kid play with a toy called cocaine?Not likely! But in the early 90s, Nickelodeon and Mattel came together to release a gross-out toy called “gak,” inspired by the gooey substance by the same name featured on the TV series, “Double Dare.” A canister of thick, squishy material, Gak would make a fart sound when pushed. While kids got a kick out of it, the name surely raised a few eyebrows amongst adults familiar with drug culture. As then-“Double Dare” host Marc Summers has acknowledged, it’s a street term for heroin. Yikes.

#4: The Dangers of Lego

There are few toys that have enjoyed more enduring popularity or inspired more children than Lego. Unfortunately, these little interconnecting plastic blocks enjoy such universal popularity that, sadly, they often find their way into the hands of children who don’t meet the minimum age requirement for safe play. And as little hands always do, they put those lego blocks into their mouths where they pose a serious choking hazard - especially the smaller pieces. Choking is among the leading causes of injury and death in small children, which is why it’s so important to supervise infants and toddlers at play - and respect age recommendations. Over the years, there have been a number of reported cases of children of choking on Lego blocks - some sadly fatal.

#3: He-Man Got His Skin Lightened

As anyone in the industry will tell you, a lot of work goes into a toy’s design before it’s sent to market. You have to be sure that the toy will appeal to the largest demographic. And apparently the people behind the original He-Man toy thought the character would sell better with a lighter skin tone as opposed to a toy with a ‘deeply tanned Eastern European or Middle Eastern appearance.’ One of the earliest prototypes for He-Man had a dark complexion and dark hair to match. But the powers that be at Mattel decided to make him overtly white and blonde-haired. 30 years later, a version of the original He-Man would finally be released under the character name Vikor.

#2: The Banning of Lawn Darts

In theory, lawn darts sound like a wholesome, harmless outdoor target game for the whole family. Unfortunately, when thrown, these seemingly innocuous pieces of sporting equipment can become lethal projectiles. The metal tips, designed to pierce and stick into soft ground on contact, have proven to be devastating when they make contact with a person. Countless injuries and numerous deaths resulting from lawn darts have resulted in them being banned in the United States multiple times over. First they were made illegal across the board, only for the ban to be lifted under the condition that they not be marketed as toys. Following the tragic death of a child however, they were once again banned outright in 1988.

#1: Beanie Babies Caused a Lot of Drama... Including a Crime Wave

They were cute, they were cuddly, they were soft, and as a child, you wanted them oh so badly. The thing is, it wasn’t just kids who fell fast and hard for the Ty company’s extensive line of plush toys. Adult collectors were soon fighting for them too. Beanie Babies became the catalyst for a whole lot of ugliness. Couples went to court over them, kids were hurt in mob-like rushes at sales, and families were financially ruined. Counterfeits abounded, as did fraud and theft for online resale. The New York Times even reported on a Beanie Baby Bandit. Ty Inc. was actually accused of market manipulation. How did something so innocent get so messy?