10 Nostalgic Items That Are BANNED For Being DANGEROUS

#10: Clackers

We can still hear that distinct clack in our dreams. It practically defined playgrounds in the 60s and 70s, after all! However, for all their style and simple charm, clackers came with more than a few health risks. For one, arming kids with swinging plastic balls was just asking for trouble. But, to make matters worse, certain models could shatter upon impact, leading to all kinds of injury. As a result, clackers were deemed a full-on “mechanical hazard” in the United States’ court of law. A safer line launched later, but it just wasn’t the same.

#9: Slip 'N Slide

Summer time fun wasn’t complete without some backyard water slides, right? With a hose and one of these patented plastic runways, anyone could bring the thrill of a theme park to their home! It was a total hit, and not just with kids. Everyone loves a homemade water slide, and that was part of the issue. In 1993, the Consumer Product Safety Commission issued a recall for the original Slip 'N Slide, saying they posed threats to older individuals who may not take the force as gracefully. That’s right, this was one brand that was safer for kids than adults!

#8: Bindeez

Also known as Aqua Dots, Beados, and others, these colorful plastic beads were supposed to unlock a child’s creativity. Unfortunately, they had a major side-effect, and not the kind you’d expect. Rather than the designer-approved chemical, some units were shipped with a low-quality sedative, instead. When ingested, it led to severe illness and even hospitalization. Is it really any question why Bindeez were hastily pulled off shelves? The brand tried re-launching a few years later under a new name and a safety guarantee, but parents weren’t fooled a second time. You’re better off getting your craft fix elsewhere.

#7: Sky Dancers

As graceful as an ice skater and dangerous as their rollerskates, these fairies caused more than a few major issues in their day. The design seemed innocent enough. You pull a string, the dancers twirl, and off they go! However, the designers failed to account for just how fast these fairies could take off, and the resulting spins caused over a hundred reported injuries throughout the 90s. For how popular they were, Sky Dancers were basically a trip to the ER waiting to happen! Thankfully, the toys were recalled, and re-released later with significantly improved safety features.

#6: Hannah Montana Pop Star Card Game

Living out your pop idol dreams while playing cards with friends? Now that’s the best of both worlds! Sadly, it was also the most dangerous of both, too. The card game case became one of many controversial items in the late 2000s when they were found to have absurdly high levels of lead. Like, 75-times-the recommended-amount, high. Trading cards may be rare, but they’re not worth a potentially lethal dose of lead poisoning! Seemingly overnight, Hannah’s collector’s item became a genuine safety risk. A spokesperson claimed the toy passed internal tests, but the bad publicity dropped the curtain on Hannah’s card-game, regardless.

#5: Magnetix

In 2017, the Consumer Product Safety Commission introduced new laws and regulations on the kinds of magnetic toys that were allowed on shelves. If you’re wondering why, the main culprit was Magnetix back in the mid 2000s. The construction toys were supposed to stick together in all sorts of shapes. But, if a child were to inhale more than one of the powerful magnets, the strong pull could cause all kinds of serious complications. After several injuries, and even a worst-case scenario, the toys were uniformly recalled in 2007. You can still find the safe, redesigned line, though.

#4: The Thingmaker

This was one hot toy - literally! Packaged in separate, metal molds, kids could use heated plastic to create their own Thingmaker monsters. It was educational, fun, and… also kind of dangerous. When the “Creepy Crawlers” line launched back in the 70s, there weren’t as many regulations on what kids toys could entail. So, after heat-based items came under scrutiny in 1973, the Thingmaker had to be recalled and reconceived. For what it’s worth, manufacturer Mattel tried to revitalize the brand with a safer alternative. But by then, the sales and popularity had gone cold.

#3: Easy-Bake Oven

Evidently, living out your chef dreams can be very unsafe! Especially if you were a proud owner of an Easy-Bake Oven in 2006. The long-standing toy brand came under fire when kids across the country were getting their fingers caught in the front hatch. It wasn’t a quick pinch, either. There were full-on hospitalizations happening. Making matters worse, the ovens were electrically powered, meaning they posed serious burn risks as well. It’s no surprise the defective ovens were recalled. Thankfully, newer Easy-Bake products are much safer, and quite frankly, make better food, anyways.

#2: Heelys

Look, we get it. No one was cooler than the kids who skated around the playground in their trademarked wheely shoes. But, seriously, who thought putting wheels in children’s footwear was a good idea? As you can probably guess, uncoordinated kids were falling and crashing all over the place. Several school districts banned Heelys, a sentiment that spread to other public hotspots, too. All things considered, that was probably for the best. The fad feels very 2000s coded, so while you can technically still buy Heelys today, they don’t have quite the same cool-factor as they did before.

#1: Lawn Darts

Nothing says fun like mortal danger, right? Instead of literally any other lawn game in existence, for some reason, Lawn Darts became something of an underground hit over the years. It’s exactly like it sounds - a skilled game using metal-tipped darts, but played outside. Give those to children, and it doesn’t take a professional to see why these were uniformly outlawed in the U.S. and Canada. Anything with a sharp tip was understandably seen as a massive hazard. Lawn darts pivoted in the 21st century, introducing much safer flat-tipped alternatives. It’s anyone’s guess why they didn’t start with those.

Did you own any of these toys? Let us know in the comments below!