Play with these toys at your own risk! Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the toys that have caused injuries amongst users – or had the most potential to.
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00:00 "Moon Shoes! Kid-powered, fun, anti-gravity shoes!"
00:04 Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the toys that have caused injuries among users,
00:10 or had the most potential to.
00:11 "Who could ever forget their first BB gun?"
00:14 Number 30, Clackers.
00:17 "Check out this new toy!"
00:18 "Ha ha, Clackers!"
00:22 Sometimes the simplest trinkets are the ones most likely to leave a mark.
00:26 There isn't much to Clackers; they're two balls on a string that the user could smash together as slow or fast as they'd like.
00:32 While they seem like a good time, they quickly get out of hand.
00:35 They're hard to control once it gets moving at high speeds, making it easy for someone to hit themselves or others.
00:41 Taking hard plastic to the face already doesn't sound like a good time,
00:44 and the risk of the spheres shattering upon impact made things even more perilous.
00:48 They picked up such a bad reputation that the U.S. government had tens of thousands of them destroyed in the 1970s,
00:54 forever cementing their infamous legacy.
00:56 "And now, punch it!"
00:58 Number 29, Splash-Off Water Rocket.
01:04 For years, water-based activities have been the go-to on a hot day.
01:08 What better way to have fun in the sun than to set off an H2O-powered projectile with your friends?
01:13 "Three, two, one, go!"
01:15 "That's gone."
01:19 What should have led to instant memories instead resulted in an unwanted stress.
01:24 To get the Splash-Off Water Rocket to work, it had to be filled using a classic garden hose.
01:29 However, when liquid was added, the pressure proved to be too much,
01:33 causing some of them to completely fall apart.
01:35 This, of course, led to the possibility of people getting hit and injured.
01:38 Getting splashed is one thing,
01:40 but no one wants to spend their summer vacation recovering from being hit with a piece of rocket.
01:45 Number 28, Darth Maul and Qui-Gon's Lightsabers.
01:52 "Woo!"
01:53 The Star Wars franchise has spawned several lines of toys over the decades,
02:01 allowing kids to play as their favorite heroes and villains from the series.
02:04 Some of the most popular were the lightsabers, modeled after the ones used by the characters.
02:09 While many appeared to be innocent, some had more danger lurking beneath the surface.
02:13 The Darth Maul and Qui-Gon versions seemed to be an instant hit,
02:17 particularly the former's iconic double-sided weapon.
02:20 While they were beloved, they didn't last long on the shelves.
02:23 An internal issue with the batteries shifting and overheating
02:26 eventually led to them being considered burn hazards.
02:28 While the negative effects were realistic to the movies,
02:31 they definitely weren't ideal in a real-life setting.
02:34 Number 27, Belt Buckle Derringer Toy Gun.
02:47 Fake firearms are one thing, but one that can be hidden in an article of clothing
02:51 takes things to a whole new level.
02:53 In the 1950s, Mattel introduced a new phenomenon,
02:56 a tiny pistol embedded within a belt buckle.
02:59 The mini-artillery would pop out and shoot a pellet whenever a small switch was activated,
03:03 usually while the wearer moved their hips.
03:05 They were so realistic that they could shoot several feet,
03:11 making them a risk to anyone in the vicinity.
03:13 The fact that it was a cap gun added another precarious layer to the product.
03:17 While the bullets were not real,
03:19 the friction from the chamber being activated spelled out disaster,
03:22 especially considering how close they were to sensitive areas of the body.
03:26 Number 26, Pogo Sticks.
03:41 Now we're going to play.
03:42 Do you want to play with me?
03:44 While bouncing from place to place seems ideal for any child,
03:50 the risks usually outweigh the rewards.
03:53 Pogo sticks have been one of the most unique items on the market since their inception,
03:57 as they utilize springs to give users hours of fun and potential pain.
04:01 Some variations have been taken off the market due to the mechanisms backfiring,
04:05 causing people to fall mid-use.
04:07 However, what makes them truly unsafe is how hard they can be to control.
04:12 Even if someone isn't attempting sick tricks,
04:14 the stick can easily slip out from underneath them,
04:17 causing them to fall or even be hit.
04:19 What's even more dangerous are the stunts some people attempt while using them,
04:22 with failed ones usually ending up in immediate injury.
04:26 A bouncy ball never hurt anyone, right?
04:33 Just be careful if they start to mutate.
04:35 "Consumer reports say there's a potential safety hazard with popular small toy balls
04:40 and beads that expand dramatically in water."
04:43 Bee Amazing toys ran into some trouble when they produced colossal water balls,
04:47 little polymer orbs that expanded in size when combined with a special growth powder.
04:52 The problem started with the colorful trinkets resembling candy.
04:55 The toys also ballooned up in any sort of water,
04:59 something that unfortunately makes up more than 50% of the human body.
05:03 The fear was that kids would ingest the product and that its growth in diameter
05:07 would present a serious choking hazard, or if swallowed,
05:10 cause fatal obstruction in the intestines.
05:12 Though no direct incidents involving the Monster Science miniatures were reported,
05:16 occurrences involving similar polymer products prompted a recall of jelly beads,
05:21 jumbo beads, and magic-growing Fruity Fun toys in 2013.
05:24 "If nothing had been done, the intestines would have perforated,
05:27 the child would have had significant infection and sepsis,
05:30 and could have possibly died from it."
05:32 It's a helpful reminder that unexpected dangers sometimes come in small packages.
05:37 Number 24. Super Blast Balls
05:40 In retrospect, a toy centered around slamming two objects together as hard as possible
05:45 might not have been the best idea.
05:46 The concept behind Super Blast Balls was straightforward.
05:50 People would hit them together, simulating the sound of a cap gun going off.
05:53 They would then have to hold the small balls in their palms for maximum effect,
05:57 causing a loud noise and even sparks in the process.
06:01 "Then we finally get a reaction taking place.
06:04 We have not only collided, but we have met that minimum activation energy
06:08 that's required to make that process happen."
06:10 The latter posed a burn threat,
06:12 especially to those who were hitting them with all their strength.
06:15 Before they were finally investigated and recalled,
06:18 several people had reported being injured by the tiny ballistics.
06:21 What could have been a great early lesson in friction
06:24 ended up teaching more people how to treat singe wounds.
06:27 "Well burn for it!"
06:28 "Ahh! Ahh!"
06:30 Number 23. Yo-Yo Balls
06:32 Some playthings are a mess from top to bottom.
06:35 Even something as small and seemingly inconsequential as this.
06:38 "Around you goes, it comes back to you."
06:41 A yo-yo and a ball combined seems like it should result in hours of fun.
06:45 Instead, they ended with trips to the hospital.
06:48 Every component of it posed a threat,
06:50 from the cord nearly strangling kids to the balls striking them in the head.
06:54 Even the liquid inside was scrutinized for its potential to cause a heart attack.
06:58 It was also studied for potential toxicity and flammability.
07:01 While there thankfully were not any fatalities,
07:04 there were far too many close calls.
07:06 This led to them being recalled.
07:08 Though by the time they were,
07:09 millions had already been sold across the country.
07:12 These just go to show that even the smallest objects can have the largest drawbacks.
07:16 "Ahh! Ahh!"
07:19 Number 22. Gilbert Glassblowing Set
07:21 Giving children unfettered access to glass and fire.
07:24 What could possibly go wrong?
07:26 The company was all about releasing products that had some real-world application,
07:30 whether it be a chemistry set or a glassblowing kit.
07:32 "Hundreds upon hundreds of glassblowers from around the globe
07:36 wanted to be right here, right now."
07:38 The latter came with several glass tubes, an alcohol lamp,
07:42 and even a small blowtorch that kids could use to make their own creations.
07:46 When left unsupervised,
07:47 these materials have the potential to end in serious injuries and even house fires.
07:52 Glassblowing isn't the safest hobby even for adults.
07:55 To do it correctly, you have to bring the temperature up to several hundred degrees.
07:59 Giving a youngster access to that level of flame,
08:02 no matter the reason, is just a disaster waiting to happen.
08:05 "Yes, it's just some of these customers, they get me all..."
08:10 Number 21. Sky Dancers
08:12 "Sky Dancers! They're flying!"
08:16 Who could have thought that such fashionable fairies
08:18 would bring so much emotional distress?
08:20 Sky Dancers were the perfect whimsical doll for kids of all ages.
08:24 The pull string activated base that caused each one to fly.
08:27 Unfortunately, the results were anything but magical.
08:30 They spun at such high speeds that the flimsily covered foam wings
08:34 were harming anyone in their path.
08:36 The injuries were severe and ranged from scratched corneas to broken bones.
08:41 After nearly 200 reports from consumers,
08:44 the company had to pay a $400,000 fine
08:47 and over 10 million toys were recalled across the country.
08:50 A new generation of Sky Dancers was eventually introduced in the 2000s,
08:54 this time with softer, more padded wings.
08:57 "Okay, get ready...
08:58 Get set, here we go! Whoopie! Oh!"
09:04 Number 20. Polly Pocket
09:06 These dolls made a big impression when they first debuted in 1989,
09:09 despite their modest height of under one inch.
09:12 Imagine an entire apartment shrunk down to fit into a pocket-sized folding dollhouse,
09:18 styled as a makeup compact.
09:20 Add the male equivalent play sets Mighty Max,
09:23 and this line of choking hazards had kids in the 90s eating out of the palm of their hand.
09:28 These toys were already dangerous enough to warrant teaching your kid the Heimlich maneuver,
09:32 but the Polly Pocket magnetic play sets,
09:34 with their magnetic clothing,
09:36 warranted a full recall in 2006.
09:39 These dolls were too large to swallow,
09:42 but the small magnets often fell out,
09:44 wreaking life-threatening havoc on digestive systems if multiple were ingested.
09:49 Number 19. Inflatable Baby Floats
09:52 "Otteroo turns bath time into moments of fun, exploration, and learning."
09:56 There's nothing scarier than a potentially lethal baby product.
10:00 Parents always need to be extra careful with infants around water,
10:04 but you can understand how one might let their guard down
10:06 when placing a child in an inflatable device specifically designed for that purpose.
10:12 Sadly, a number of baby flotation products have ripped,
10:15 resulting in the child sinking or being smothered.
10:18 In 2009, some 4 million units,
10:21 consisting of various models of the Aqua Leisure Baby Floats,
10:25 were recalled after 31 incidences of seat strap ripping occurred,
10:29 allowing the baby to fall into the water.
10:32 In 2015, Otteroo floats were recalled after some 50 cases of deflation were reported.
10:39 Thankfully, neither specific case resulted in death.
10:43 Number 18. Children's Wood Burning Kits
10:45 If the word "burning" is in the name of your product,
10:48 maybe don't market it to kids.
10:50 Admittedly, the various companies manufacturing this product
10:53 have always targeted the outdoorsy, do-it-yourself,
10:56 Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts of America kind of kid.
10:58 They're the types who generally don't need their toys bubble-wrapped.
11:02 "First outing is right now. I will be teaching you to dig a proper trench.
11:07 Does that sound like something you want to do?"
11:09 "Yes, sir!"
11:10 "This will be no fun at all."
11:13 Sets from the 1950s were notorious for burns
11:16 and for trusting in the fact that kids would learn responsibility.
11:19 Modern kits, like those made by educational toy companies like T.S. Shore and NSI,
11:25 are more safety-minded.
11:27 But no amount of safety recommendations can mitigate the potential for burns,
11:31 or worse, fires.
11:33 If it can burn a pattern into wood, it can burn plenty of other stuff too.
11:38 "If you guys ever have kids, and one of them, when he's eight years old,
11:42 accidentally sets fire to the living room rug, go easy on him. Okay."
11:50 Number 17. Creepy Crawlers
11:52 "It's the Creepy Crawlers oven!"
11:55 It might not exactly be playing with fire,
11:57 but this creation station still involves high temperatures,
12:01 and in early models, toxic fumes.
12:03 Mattel first began producing Creepy Crawlers in 1964.
12:08 Sets included die-cast creature molds,
12:10 a liquid chemical that kids poured into the mold,
12:12 and a small oven or hot plate to heat the "plastigoop" into hardened, rubbery shapes.
12:18 "You can joke, you've got the bones."
12:20 Creepy Crawlers got a lot safer in the 1990s,
12:23 but the early versions consisted of an open-face hot plate that rose to 390 degrees Fahrenheit.
12:30 It might not be liquid magma, but that's still blisteringly hot,
12:34 especially if you touch the creature before it's solidified.
12:37 Although marketed as non-toxic at the time, that was before we knew the dangers of PBC fumes.
12:43 Number 16. Austin Magic Pistol
12:46 "Works on magic crystals."
12:49 Doesn't it suck that all the most dangerous toys are also the coolest?
12:52 This toy gun actually uses combustion. Flames shoot out of it.
12:56 It's made of metal and totally looks like a ray gun from early sci-fi.
13:01 While the Austin Magic Pistol might make for a wicked awesome vintage toy when you're in your
13:06 20s or older, this circa-1950s toy gun is absurdly dangerous.
13:11 Its magic crystals are composed of a mixture of calcium carbide and water,
13:16 which, with a little help from the sparking trigger, combusts violently.
13:20 Even in the wild and crazy 50s, it quickly became apparent that this was no toy,
13:25 resulting in a number of bans.
13:27 Number 15. Science Whiz Bottle Rocket Party
13:32 "The big one."
13:35 Listed in the Top 10 Unsafe Toys of 2014 list from parental safety group Watch,
13:41 this kit gives children everything they need to have a bottle rocket party.
13:45 It includes the rockets themselves, stoppers,
13:48 and fun caution tape so you feel like you're at a real rocket launch.
13:51 What the kit does not include are the safety goggles they recommend on the packaging.
13:59 The baking soda and vinegar propelled rockets are not going to explode,
14:02 but the projectiles still present a significant risk of eye or facial injury.
14:07 The kit is labeled 8 and up, but you'd be hard-pressed to find any 8-year-old
14:15 that's gonna wait until they can track down safety goggles before playing with something this cool.
14:19 Number 14. Easy-Bake Oven
14:25 The Little Lady Empire Stove, with its metal frame and up to 600 degrees of heat,
14:31 might have been the more deadly children's stove. But, the Easy-Bake Oven has had a much
14:35 more significant impact since Kenner launched the product in 1963.
14:39 Over 25 million units have been sold since, meaning that the average kid
14:50 likely interacted with one at some point. Most of the 11 models have been totally safe,
14:56 but one or two got the recipe wrong. The 2006 version was recalled after 29 reports surfaced
15:02 of kids getting their fingers caught in the front-loading oven door. Despite the recall,
15:07 another 249 incidents were reported, one of which ended with a little girl needing
15:12 a partial finger amputation. Number 13. Stats 38 Quick-Folding Trampoline
15:18 Anything that goes up must come down, and the higher you launch a child into the air,
15:23 the greater the risk for injury. This specific trampoline might be mini, but it packs a huge
15:32 risk factor. Marketed to children 6 and up, it has some serious bounce to it. No safety,
15:38 no padded handlebar. The likelihood of your child losing control and flying into furniture is high.
15:47 On the packaging, you find the following warning. Landing on the head or neck can cause serious
15:53 injury, paralysis, or death. If, as a manufacturer, you feel the need to put that on a product you're
15:59 selling to 6-year-olds, you might have missed the point of age restrictions.
16:04 Number 12. Mini Hammock Inflatable baby boats might be prone to
16:08 malfunction, but mini hammocks seem as if they were designed specifically to endanger young
16:14 children. Made from a fine nylon mesh and lacking any sort of spreader bar, these child-sized
16:20 hammocks were prone to entangling their young users. Most often, this would occur when the
16:24 child was attempting to get in or out of the hammock. In 1996, the Consumer Product Safety
16:29 Commission issued a recall and safety warning on 10 different mini hammock brands and models,
16:35 most notably the "Easy Sales" hammock brand, deemed unsafe for use due to a lack of spreader bar.
16:41 Between 1984 and 1995, there were 12 separate cases of kids becoming trapped in the hammock
16:48 and dying from asphyxiation. Number 11. Aqua Dots
16:52 Aqua dots are small, colorful balls that you arrange into patterns or images. Spray the design
17:02 with water, and they solidify together into a single piece of art to show off to mom or dad.
17:07 But, as we've learned, anything a kid can swallow, they will swallow. These small toy beads,
17:13 when ingested, caused vomiting, respiratory failure, seizures, and comas. Why? Aqua dots
17:19 contained a compound that, when consumed, breaks down into GHB, also known as liquid ecstasy. The
17:26 product was pulled from shelves after three separate toddlers fell into comas. The parents
17:32 of one toddler, who suffered permanent brain damage, won their court case against the manufacturers,
17:37 distributors, and toy designers, each company being assigned partial blame for the tragedy.
17:42 You'll also get 150 Aqua Glow Dots! Number 10. Hannah Montana Pop Star Card Game
17:48 Before she became the pop star we all know and love today, Miley Cyrus was America's sweetheart
17:53 and role model Hannah Montana. Little girls around the world wanted anything and everything with her
17:58 name on it, including this awesome card game. Parents trusted that smiling face, making it a
18:09 huge surprise that the carrying case contained over 75 times the level of lead legally permitted
18:15 in consumer goods. Hannah Montana, slowly poisoning children? Even scarier, the card game avoided a
18:25 recall thanks to a legal loophole, since the lead was found in its vinyl and not its paint,
18:30 meaning it stayed on shelves and in the hands of kids. Number 9. Cabbage Patch Snack Time Kids
18:38 Step aside hungry, hungry hippos, here comes the cannibal Cabbage Patch Kids!
18:43 Snack Time dolls were a must-have gift for Christmas 1996. They could bite and swallow
18:48 plastic food. In the eyes of children, they were as good as human pets, but with no mess on the
18:53 other end. Unfortunately, the dolls couldn't differentiate between plastic food, fingers,
19:05 and ponytails. Over 100 reports were filed claiming the jaws clamped down on fingers and hair,
19:11 slowly pulling them in. In one case, a girl's hair was allegedly ripped down to the scalp.
19:16 Mattel offered a $40 refund and took these little monsters off the shelves.
19:21 Number 8. Sky Rangers Park Flyer Radio-Controlled Airplane
19:30 Let's be honest, remote-control planes are dangerous even when functioning properly.
19:35 There's always a risk of them crashing into a window, car, or innocent bystander. Forget
19:40 "with great power," with remote-control airplanes comes great responsibility.
19:44 Well, apparently no one told Estes Cox Corp., the makers of the Sky Rangers,
19:56 who ups the ante by releasing a toy airplane that was prone to spontaneously combusting during
20:01 takeoff, mid-flight, and while landing. Any time, really. And did we mention that you have to throw
20:06 the plane on takeoff? Burns, temporary hearing loss, wounded eyes, facial lacerations, and a
20:18 mandatory recall ensued. Number 7. Zulu Blowing Game
20:29 When it comes to toys, the phrase "choking hazard" holds the title as the biggest buzzword in child
20:39 safety. But toys from the 1930s through to the 1960s seemed like they were designed to weed out
20:45 and kill all but the smartest kids before they reached adulthood. The Zulu Blowgun from the Zulu
20:50 Blowing Game was no exception. These toys essentially streamlined asphyxiation. A number
20:56 of versions were sold between 1920 and 1960, but they all consisted of a long straw and small,
21:02 sharp darts. Put a dart in the straw, inhale, put it to your lips, and blow. Hey, you guessed it,
21:08 tons of kids got that order wrong and inhaled the darts. Ouch. Number 6. Battlestar Galactica
21:15 Colonial Viper Remember a simpler time when companies didn't have to cover their products
21:25 and warnings? The people at Mattel sure do. In the late 70s, there were three reported cases
21:30 of children accidentally shooting themselves in the face with the spring-loaded missile of
21:34 the Colonial Viper, inhaling or swallowing the missile and choking. One of these incidents sadly
21:45 resulted in the death of a four-year-old child. Following a recall, Mattel began to place choking
21:55 hazard stickers on all of their toys with small parts, a precaution that would go on to become
22:00 mandatory for all toy manufacturers. I find your reasoning logical. Number 5. CSI Crime Scene
22:07 Investigation Fingerprint Examination Kit Before we get into what makes this toy dangerous,
22:16 let's just acknowledge the fact that toys for children should have never been made based on
22:21 the CSI television franchise considering the grisly subject matter. Looks like the planet
22:26 Krypton. Kids should not be fans of this series, period. Turns out this toy set was not only
22:32 inappropriate but also poisonous. The powder used for fingerprinting was proven to contain asbestos,
22:38 which, when inhaled, can cause deadly respiratory issues and even cancer later on in life. This
22:44 resulted in a class-action lawsuit against CBS, the network that licensed the toy. In the wake
22:49 of the public relations nightmare, the manufacturer Planet Toys filed for bankruptcy.
22:55 Number 4. Moonshoes
22:59 Swings, trampolines, it seems like childhood is all about trying to launch your body as high
23:11 as possible. The first generation of Moonshoes was released in the 1950s, made of a type of metal,
23:21 and used springs to help you reach the stars. They were also incredibly heavy, resulting in a lot of
23:28 property damage when kids landed on household items and injuries when kids botched a landing,
23:33 rolled an ankle, or broke mom and dad's toes. Nickelodeon released a much safer plastic version
23:43 in the 90s, but sprained and broken ankles continued, minus the fun.
23:48 Number 3. Gilbert U-238 Atomic Energy Laboratory
24:08 Between 1910 and 1950, the A.C. Gilbert Company was a big name in toys. Their 1913 Erector set
24:15 was one of the best-selling toys the world had ever seen, and over the next 40 years,
24:20 the company continued to put out a wide variety of scientific play sets that were quite dangerous by
24:25 modern standards. The chemistry set taught young kids to make explosives. The glass-blowing kit
24:35 involved temperatures close to 1,000 degrees Fahrenheit. But the Atomic Energy Lab wins for
24:41 the most absurd, with multiple kinds of uranium, a Geiger counter to measure radioactivity,
24:46 and a cloud chamber to observe alpha particles in action.
24:49 Number 2. Toy Guns, Including BB Guns
24:56 Guns. It doesn't matter if kids are raised by registered NRA members or in strictly anti-gun
25:04 households. They love playing with toy guns. Maybe it's the speed of the projectiles,
25:14 the loud noises, the influence of popular TV characters, or all of the above. BB and airsoft
25:21 guns can take an eye out, paintballs leave a serious bruise, and cap guns often lead to burns.
25:26 There are over 200 incidents of toy guns being mistaken for real firearms per year in the states.
25:34 While many toy guns are not inherently dangerous, they often look like the real deal,
25:40 and can lead to serious injury or death. Before we continue, be sure to subscribe to our channel
25:46 and ring the bell to get notified about our latest videos. You have the option to be notified for
25:51 occasional videos or all of them. If you're on your phone, make sure you go into your settings
25:56 and switch on notifications. Number 1. Lawn Darts
26:01 When we were kids, there weren't that many dumb kids, because we had toys that would kill you.
26:06 Remember lawn darts? A cross between horseshoes and darts, these oversized projectiles have
26:14 plastic fins and big, rounded, weighted metal or sometimes plastic tips that ensure they fly true
26:20 and land point first. Simple outdoor fun for the whole family. Until somebody gets seriously or
26:27 fatally wounded by a stray dart. Also known as "jarts" or "yard darts", they were popular in the
26:32 1950s, but were later banned because of injuries. The ban was lifted in the 1970s under the condition
26:39 that they never be marketed to kids. When a 7-year-old girl was killed by one, it proved
26:47 that the regulation couldn't keep them out of the hands of kids, so this led to a strict ban
26:52 in the United States. Were any of your favorite childhood toys more dangerous than you thought?
26:57 Let us know in the comments below. Did you enjoy this video? Check out these other clips
27:05 from WatchMojo, and be sure to subscribe and ring the bell to be notified about our latest videos.
27:10 [Music]