Goodbye Childhood
We often look at our childhoods through rose-tinted glasses, especially when it comes to something as innocent as the toys that were around at the time. As it happened, some of the biggest names in the business had some rather shady pasts that have only recently come to light. So much for nostalgia…
#5: 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.Â
#4: 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.
#3: Gak Is a Toy… AND Slang for Heroin
Would the average parent let their kid play with a toy called cocaine? How about crystal meth or crack? 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.
#2: 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.
#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?
Be sure to check out the video below to see our picks for the Top 10 Infamous Recalled Toys.
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