1. Lawn Darts (Jarts)
If you grew up in the ’70s or ’80s, chances are you remember Lawn Darts, or as we called them, Jarts. They were a backyard staple, especially during summer cookouts, and the idea seemed simple enough—toss these heavy darts toward a plastic ring on the lawn and try to land inside it shares MSN.
The problem? These darts were basically mini spears, and they caused over 6,000 injuries and even a few deaths before the Consumer Product Safety Commission finally banned them in 1988. Parents and pediatricians had been warning about them for years, but it took a particularly tragic accident involving a child for the government to take action. Today, they’re illegal to sell in the U.S., though vintage versions still pop up on collector sites. It’s wild to think something that dangerous was once considered a toy. They definitely don’t make ’em like they used to—and that might be a good thing in this case adds Mental Floss.
2. Easy-Bake Oven (2011 Recall)
Most of us who grew up baking tiny cakes under a light bulb have fond memories of the Easy-Bake Oven. It was a rite of passage, letting kids feel like real chefs without making a giant mess in the kitchen shares Listverse.
But in 2011, Hasbro had to recall nearly a million units of their newer model after reports that children were getting their fingers stuck in the oven’s opening. The worst case involved a young girl who had to have part of her finger amputated. The company redesigned the oven to eliminate the dangerous opening, but that recall stuck with many parents. It’s hard to imagine something as innocent as an Easy-Bake Oven causing that much harm. Still, for many of us, the scent of those mini chocolate cakes brings back sweet, if slightly singed, memories adds HowStuffWorks.
3. Snacktime Cabbage Patch Kids
Cabbage Patch Kids were already a phenomenon when they introduced the Snacktime version in the mid-’90s. This doll was designed to “eat” plastic snacks, which it would chomp on and then spit into its backpack, all powered by motorized jaws.
The issue was, those jaws didn’t discriminate between plastic fries and little fingers. Several kids got their hair and fingers caught in the doll’s mouth, and the mechanism didn’t have an off switch. It just kept munching. After enough complaints and even a few injuries, Mattel pulled the doll from shelves. It was meant to be a playful twist on feeding a doll, but instead, it ended up sounding more like a horror movie. “Snacktime” suddenly didn’t seem so fun.
4. Aqua Dots
Aqua Dots were one of those super crafty toys that seemed like a dream for creative kids. You arranged tiny, colorful beads into designs, sprayed them with water, and they magically fused together.
Unfortunately, the glue used to coat the beads contained a chemical that metabolized into GHB when ingested—you know, the so-called “date rape” drug. Several children swallowed the beads and ended up hospitalized, with some falling into comas. The toy was yanked from shelves in 2007, and parents were understandably horrified. A rebranded, safer version came out later under the name “Beados,” but the damage had been done. It’s one of those recalls that still gets brought up as a worst-case scenario in toy safety discussions.
5. Clackers
In the late ’60s and early ’70s, Clackers were all the rage. They were two acrylic balls on a string, and the goal was to swing them up and down so they clacked together in a rhythmic motion.
Sounds harmless, right? Well, the balls were known to shatter with enough force, sending plastic shards flying like shrapnel. Kids ended up with eye injuries and cuts, and it didn’t take long before they were pulled off shelves. Some were even confiscated in schools due to the risk. Despite the dangers, a lot of kids loved the challenge of mastering the perfect “clack.” But parents everywhere were grateful when the noisy, dangerous trend finally clacked its last.
6. CSI: Fingerprint Examination Kit
You’d think a toy based on forensic science would be more educational than dangerous. But the CSI: Fingerprint Examination Kit, released in the mid-2000s, had a shocking secret.
The powder included in the kit to dust for fingerprints contained asbestos, which, as we all know now, is extremely hazardous when inhaled. The toy was pulled from shelves after tests confirmed the presence of the toxic material, and a major recall followed. It’s a strange twist—trying to inspire a future detective career only to accidentally expose kids to cancer-causing dust. Parents were understandably furious. It was an unforgettable reminder that even science kits aren’t immune to safety lapses.
7. Magnetix Building Sets
At first glance, Magnetix seemed like a harmless building toy. Kids could connect pieces using tiny magnets to create shapes and structures. But the magnets were strong and, if dislodged, dangerously easy to swallow. When kids accidentally ingested more than one, the magnets would attract inside their intestines, causing blockages and tears.
Tragically, one child died and several others were seriously injured. The sets were recalled in 2006, and it spurred a broader crackdown on small magnets in children’s toys. Since then, many toy manufacturers have beefed up safety testing for magnetic components. It’s a tough lesson that sometimes the smallest parts can cause the biggest problems.
8. Sky Dancers
If you remember the mid-’90s, you might recall those flying ballerina dolls called Sky Dancers. You pulled a string and they twirled into the air with a graceful spin. But graceful didn’t always mean safe. These dolls had hard plastic wings that spun so fast they could whack kids in the face or eyes. Reports of broken teeth, eye injuries, and facial lacerations started rolling in.
Eventually, over 8 million units were recalled in 2000. Despite the danger, they were mesmerizing to watch, especially when launched indoors, where they’d ricochet off walls like mini helicopters. It’s one of those toys that looked magical in commercials but could turn downright dangerous in real life.
9. Battlestar Galactica Missile-Firing Toys
In the late ’70s, toy versions of Battlestar Galactica ships came with a cool feature—spring-loaded missiles that kids could fire. Unfortunately, the fun quickly turned into tragedy. A child reportedly choked to death after accidentally inhaling one of the small missiles.
This led to a swift and wide-reaching recall. Not only were these toys pulled, but it changed the way toy safety regulations handled projectile parts. After that, most missile-firing toys had fixed, non-detachable projectiles or came with strict age warnings. The incident also prompted other brands, like Star Wars, to modify their toys. It was a heartbreaking wake-up call about just how quickly things can go wrong.
10. Yo-Yo Water Balls
These stretchy, squishy toys became a huge fad in the early 2000s. They looked like little water balloons on elastic cords and were fun to swing around. But as kids spun them wildly, they’d sometimes wrap around necks or hit faces with surprising force. There were dozens of reports of strangulation hazards, and some schools even banned them before the official recall.
Several parents pushed for them to be taken off the market, and eventually, enough pressure built to have them removed. Some countries outright banned their sale. It was one of those rare cases where a toy didn’t need to be swallowed or shattered to be a serious risk. Just a few twirls too many and you had a real danger on your hands—or your neck.
11. Hoverboards
While not exactly an old-school toy, the hoverboard craze of the mid-2010s felt like something straight out of a sci-fi dream. Kids and teens were zipping around malls and sidewalks with ease—or so it seemed.
The trouble started when reports emerged of hoverboards spontaneously catching fire due to overheating lithium-ion batteries. Fires broke out in homes, garages, and even airport terminals. Several models were recalled, and airlines eventually banned them entirely. Despite the risks, they remained wildly popular, especially around the holidays. It was a harsh lesson in what can go wrong when tech and toys collide. For something meant to bring futuristic fun, it ended up grounded by some very real problems.
12. Gilbert U-238 Atomic Energy Lab
Yes, you read that right. In the 1950s, there was a toy kit that included actual radioactive materials. The Gilbert U-238 Atomic Energy Lab was marketed as an educational science set that let kids explore nuclear energy.
It came with real uranium ore samples and a Geiger counter to detect radiation. While the doses were small, the fact that radioactive materials were ever sold in a toy is pretty shocking. It didn’t sell well and was pulled after just a year on the market. Today, it’s more of a collector’s curiosity than a nostalgic favorite. But it’s a strange reminder of just how different safety standards were back then. Imagine a kid unwrapping that today!
13. Barbie and Tanner the Dog
Released in the mid-2000s, this Barbie set came with her pet dog Tanner, who could “eat” treats and then “poop” them out with the help of a magnetic scooper. It was meant to teach kids about caring for pets in a fun, hands-on way.
But the magnetic scooper, just like the Magnetix sets, posed a serious danger if swallowed. After multiple safety warnings, Mattel eventually recalled the set in 2007. It was another example of how magnets, while seemingly harmless, can be life-threatening in the wrong hands—or mouths. The idea behind the toy was cute, but the execution turned out to be risky. Once again, magnets proved they were better left in science labs than toy boxes.