Top 50 BANNED Kids Toys

#50: Toy Guns

Meant for pretend play, some versions of toy guns got a little too real. From cap guns to realistic replicas, toy guns have long courted controversy. Poor manufacturing and design flaws meant certain toy guns could explode during use. This wasn’t a one-off. Cheaply made models using low-quality materials and poorly designed firing mechanisms made them a risky endeavor. Toy guns were only magical until they blew up in someone’s hand or otherwise caused unwanted damage. Safe to say this is one toy parents were glad to see get taken off shelves.

#49: Metal Playgrounds

Earlier days were not kind to soft foam and safety mats in playgrounds. Instead, playgrounds were practically medieval obstacle courses. Metal monkey bars and slides were cool at first impression, but they gradually turned into searing-hot jungle gyms of doom under the scorching summer sun. Combine this with concrete flooring and high falls, and you have an injury factory disguised as fun. Broken arms, concussions, and second-degree burns weren’t uncommon. Eventually, cities replaced them with rubber flooring, coated steel, and softer surfaces, drastically reducing injuries. The nostalgia may be strong with this one, but most parents are glad these burn-inducing jungle gyms are a relic of the past.

#48: Chiwanji Vertical Box Hammer Toy

Marketed online as a simple wooden playset, this 2023 product quickly found itself under the hammer of safety regulators. Nothing says “fun” like pounding colorful balls into a box, unless those balls are choking hazards. The Chiwanji Vertical Box Hammer Toy included four colorful balls and a mallet meant for toddlers. Unfortunately, the US Consumer Product Safety Commission found the balls to be too small for children under three and a serious choking hazard and encouraged parents to dispose of them. Parents learned the hard way that not all classic toys are safe just because they give off old-fashioned vibes. Maybe, just maybe, it is best to leave out a toy that has the word “hammer” in its name.

#47: Belt Buckle Derringer Toy Gun

What kid doesn’t want a gun and a belt buckle? Released in 1959, the Derringer Toy Gun allowed wannabe cowboys and outlaws to “quick draw” by sticking out their stomachs. This triggered a small cap gun to fire. It was everything kids in 1959 wanted, until it wasn’t. The issue? Those caps ignited from friction alone, causing severe burns in an area no one wants scorched. Combine that with pellets firing at close range, and you're practically asking for the toy to get banned. After several injury reports, the toy was recalled. While creative, the Belt Buckle Derringer Toy Gun was one of those toys that remind us not every cowboy fantasy should involve gunfire near your beltline.

#46: Furby

Cute and fuzzy, this blinking creature was the must-have toy of 1999. At least it was, until the National Security Agency (NSA) decided that it might be a spy. The NSA banned Furbies from their offices after concerns that the animatronic critters could record classified information. Now, the toy wasn’t spying. Rather, its ability to mimic speech and supposedly “learn” freaked out intelligence officials. Parents didn’t warm up to the critter, complaining about late-night chatter and its creepy blinking eyes. Though not banned for safety reasons, the Furby’s uncanny behavior paved the way for it to become an infamous children’s toy. Combine that with reports of Furbies turning on spontaneously in the dark, and it’s no wonder they earned an eerie reputation.

#45: Spongebob Address Book

Who lives in a pineapple under the sea? Spongebob SquarePants. Absorbent and yellow and full of lead is he. Spongebob SquarePants? At first, the SpongeBob Addressbook looked like harmless Nickelodeon merch. But tests revealed something sinister. The binder’s metallic spirals were loaded with lead and that was a major red flag. Lead exposure, especially in kids, can cause serious developmental harm, so the recall was swift. The SpongeBob Address Book was pulled from shelves soon after. While SpongeBob’s nautical adventures are usually fun, this was one case where Bikini Bottom got buried under safety violations. Nickelodeon quickly moved to address the issue, but for a while, SpongeBob wasn’t soaking up fun, he was soaking up toxic metal.

#44: Slip ‘N Slide

This toy was a backyard classic that came with a serious catch: if you were too big, get ready to be wiped out. Originally designed for kids, Slip ‘N Slides became a whole different kind of playtime when used by adults or older teens. The extra weight meant some users slid straight off the end and into the ground, suffering neck and back injuries. While the manufacturers specified that the toy was to be used only by children under a specific weight, their warnings often went ignored. By the ‘90s, several injuries and recalls piled up. It wasn’t actually banned, but older children and adults were strongly discouraged from using it.

#43: Po Teletubby

Who could’ve guessed that one of the most cheerful children’s characters would cause a full-blown controversy? The talking “Po” doll hit the shelves of toy stores in 1998, but parents quickly noticed it was saying some questionable phrases. Rumors spread that Po’s babble included words like “bite my butt.” No one was physically hurt, but that wasn’t going to stop the ensuing backlash and complaints. Despite the manufacturer’s insistence that it was a misheard garble of sounds, the damage had been done and the controversy stuck. Po the Teletubby was soon pulled from some shelves, a case where a single misunderstood phrase silenced even the happiest of children’s icons.

#42: Burger King Pokemon Toys

Pokémon fans may remember the 1999 Burger King craze. Kids were on the catch ‘em all train, just not at the cost of safety. Burger King’s Pokémon promotion turned tragic when the plastic Poké Ball containers included with kids’ meals became suffocation hazards. After the death of a young child, millions of toys were recalled across North America. This marked one of the fast food industry’s most heartbreaking product safety cases. Burger King eventually added warnings and offered refunds, but the journey was over. It was a dark moment for Pokémon’s marketing history and a reminder that even the smallest oversight can have enormous consequences.

#41: Easy-Bake Oven

Hasbro’s beloved miniature oven was the starter kit for many aspiring young bakers, until kids realized they were the ones getting baked instead. The compact electric oven used a lightbulb to heat treats but could reach dangerously high temperatures. Between 2006 and 2007, 77 reports of burns and at least one partial finger amputation forced a recall of hundreds of thousands of units. Hasbro redesigned the toy with better safety features. A bulb-free version of the toy followed but its reputation was singed. It’s proof that while baking cookies is fun, it shouldn’t come with a side of third-degree burns.

#40: Battlestar Galactica Colonial Viper

Space toys should soar, not choke. Unfortunately, the latter was the case for Battlestar Galactica Colonial Viper. This toy spacecraft was every sci-fi fan’s dream in the 70s, until it started launching projectiles down peoples’ throats. The Viper featured a spring-loaded plastic missile that could easily be swallowed when fired into a kid’s mouth. Several choking incidents, and one fatal case, prompted a massive recall. The incident changed toy safety standards and Mattel was forced to redesign their toys to prevent small parts from detaching. This also led to new “choke-proof” regulations for all projectile toys. The Colonial Viper may have flown in fiction, but in real life, it crash-landed hard.

#39: Harry Potter Nimbus 2000 Vibrating Broomstick

In an instance where magic met questionable design, the Harry Potter Nimbus 2000 Vibrating Broomstick initially seemed like the perfect toy for young witches and wizards. Once parents discovered the vibrating handle, all that initial euphoria flipped over its head. What started as a viral toy, became a negatively viral punchline. Kids loved the broomstick, but parents couldn’t help but notice something else entirely. The broomstick’s rising notoriety and unintended side effects led to it being quickly removed from shelves. While it didn’t technically injure anyone, the marketing oversight remains one of the most embarrassing product moments in toy history. Accio awkward memories!

#38: Candy Cigarettes

Nothing like promoting a bad habit in a sweet way. Candy cigarettes were that and more.

These sugary sticks mimicked real cigarettes and were wildly popular through much of the 20th century. Unfortunately, the candy was also teaching kids a questionable kind of play. By the 1980s, parents and health advocates protested, saying the candy normalized smoking for kids. While still technically legal in some countries, most major candy brands discontinued them. Setting aside the strange nostalgia, candy cigarettes serve as a reminder of a time when marketing and common sense weren’t exactly on speaking terms. Sometimes, imitation isn’t the sincerest form of flattery, and it was for the best that these little “cigs” got stubbed out.

#37: Moon Shoes

They promised you’d bounce like an astronaut, but Moon shoes only made you feel like gravity won instead. Advertised as “mini trampolines for your feet,” this toy from the 1990s delivered more trips and tumbles down to the ground than propelling its users upward. The spring-loaded contraptions strapped to your sneakers used elastic bands to give wearers a tiny boost with every step. But they also caused endless ankle sprains, face-plants, and bruised egos. Many retailers quietly pulled them from shelves. The shoes have made a nostalgic comeback, but most parents still prefer to keep their kids grounded. Just because you can strap springs to your feet doesn’t mean you should.

#36: Chicken Limbo Party Game

How low can you go before it all collapses? Well, Milton Bradley’s Chicken Limbo showed everyone that. What was designed to be a wacky fun game featuring a dancing, talking chicken on a limbo stick came with a serious design flaw. The flimsy support poles meant that with the slightest touch, the structure wobbled and crashed down on players. This caused injuries like bumps, chipped teeth, welts, and even a fractured foot. After dozens of injuries and nearly half a million recalled units, the clucking bird was recalled in 2006. There’s a fine line between family fun and fowl play. This game was meant to bring families together. Instead, it brought them to urgent care. Limbo’s supposed to bend, not break.

#35: Zulu Toy Gun

You’d think a toy called “harmless” on the box would be safe. Not this one. This was trouble right out of the box. Sold in the late 1960s, the Zulu Toy Gun invited kids to load small darts and fire them by blowing through a tube. But the problem wasn’t shooting, it was breathing. Instead of blowing out the darts, many children inhaled them instead, sending darts, pins, and even needles into their throats. Emergency rooms saw a spike in choking cases and an emergency recall led to the banning of the toy in the UK. Sometimes, all it takes is one deep breath to end a toy’s run permanently.

#34: Lead-Painted Toys

Toxic playtime sadly sums up much of the Victorian era. In the 19th century, toys coated in lead paint were everywhere. Even worse, there were cases where sometimes toys were entirely made of lead. The lead gave a glossy finish to the toys but slowly poisoned the kids playing with them. In an era of poor sanitation and high infant mortality, lead toys made an already grim childhood even deadlier. By the 20th century, medical science finally linked lead exposure to severe neurological damage, forcing governments to ban the practice. Today, strict regulations protect kids from this colorful danger, but the lesson lingers: not every shiny toy is safe.

#33: Sky Rangers Park Flyer Airplane

When it came to takeoff, these toys just blew it. The Sky Rangers Park Flyer was a radio-controlled airplane, popular in the 2000s, and designed for kids and hobbyists alike. The lightweight design and rechargeable battery setup made it appealing. But then those very same batteries also overheated and led to spontaneous explosions. The planes literally burst into flames, damaging property and injuring users. After numerous reports of fire hazards, the flyer was grounded for good. They may have been “park flyers,” but for many, they ended as “park fires.” The line between fun and fiery disaster has rarely been thinner.

#32: Trampolines

Now, trampolines haven’t been fully banned but they remain a classic backyard attraction that promises to also be an orthopedic nightmare. Safety groups have long warned against trampolines. From neck fractures to concussions and even spinal fractures, the trampoline was a fun way to bounce into the ER. Trampoline injuries were so common that some insurance companies stopped covering them altogether. Safety nets and padding helped, but improper use and overcrowding kept the risks sky-high. Despite warnings from doctors and safety boards, trampolines remain popular, proving that gravity will always win in the end.

#31: Magnetix

They snapped together beautifully, and then kids started snapping them up, literally. The Magnetix construction set was a popular construction toy kit that used tiny magnetic balls and rods to form creative shapes. But when those tiny magnets came loose, curious kids swallowed them, leading to life-threatening internal injuries. Upon swallowing, the magnets could pinch or tear intestinal walls, and required emergency surgery. After various cases of hospitalizations and a tragic death, the toy was recalled. Today, Magnetix serves as one of the most sobering reminders in toy history: the smaller the parts, the bigger the danger.

#30: Fidget Spinners

A toy that gives you something to do when there’s nothing to do is the name of the game, right? Well, kids, just because you’re bored during class doesn’t mean you should be doing something other than paying attention. Fidget spinners—due to their small, transportable, and addictive nature—became a distraction as the handheld gadgets soared in popularity in 2017… So much so that many schools banned them from classrooms. What had been originally considered a tool to help kids concentrate had become a potential inhibitor to academic progress. The fidget spinner story also teaches us all a lesson: Boredom is okay sometimes, and you don’t always have to be doing something.

#29: Barbie & Tanner

The world of the iconic Barbie faced a bit of an issue in 2007 with the Barbie and Tanner toy sets. These sets were based on life as a dog owner, which of course meant that they had to include a pooper scooper. Unfortunately, a small magnet inside that pooper scooper posed a threat for young children. It could come off and be swallowed or aspirated. Yeah, not good. It was certainly not a fantastic situation, and this crap needed to be dealt with. The solution was to get these sets off the market.

#28: Flubber

An object that’s gooey plus stretchy plus bouncy equals fun, right? That seems like a plausible equation—one that came into play with the release of Flubber during the 1960s. The flexible kids toy was inspired by the movie “The Absent-Minded Professor” and produced by the Hassenfield Brothers, now known as Hasbro. They teamed up with Disney for a promotion ahead of the film’s sequel, “Son of Flubber.” But it didn’t take long for the Flubber product to have issues. Reports and complaints about sore throats and rashes forced the chemical concoction toys to be taken off the shelves. Did you really think you could rival Silly Putty? Silly goose.

#27: Polly Pockets Playsets

Multiple editions of Mattel’s Polly Pocket playsets in the mid-2000s had magnet issues. There were hundreds of reports of magnets coming loose from the figurines and accessories in the set. And worse, there were a few reports of children who suffered serious choking injuries that required surgery. It wasn’t all fun and games anymore. The danger of multiple magnets becoming attached to each other after being swallowed was no joke. It meant potentially fatal consequences, and that the few million Polly Pocket playsets with this magnet issue had to be recalled.

#26: My Friend Cayla

They’re watching us! They can hear us!... These sentiments about surveillance and privacy concerns have circulated with the advancement of technology. How much of our computer and cell phone habits are actually private has become a legitimate question. And there’s more to it than that. If you ask the German government about the doll known as “My Friend Cayla,” they would tell kids Cayla isn’t who they thought she was. This kid's companion with communicative and voice-recognition capabilities was deemed an espionage device—and they were banned in Germany as a result. That’s right, kids. Your secret might not be safe with Cayla after all. This is all kinds of… well… creepy.

#25: Kinder Surprise

A chocolate egg with a toy inside! Sounds like a kid’s dream, right? There’s an issue, though. The Kinder Surprise—made by the Italian company Ferrero—goes against a US law that prohibits the sale of candy that contains an inedible toy inside. As a result, they were banned from being imported into the US. The argument behind this ban is choking and aspiration hazards. Particularly, if a young child isn’t aware that a toy is inside the chocolate egg, it could be dangerous. We get the idea of the surprise toy within a piece of chocolate—but let’s be real. Many kids will be happy with just a piece of chocolate by itself—and with just a toy by itself. They don’t need the 2-in-1 combo!

#24: Splash Off Water Rockets

This has risky kids' science experiment written all over it. Kids, make sure you’re wearing your safety goggles. Or better yet, for the Splash Off Water Rockets, don’t use them at all. These things were ready for liftoff in the toy market in 1997. But the water pressure caused by filling a Splash Off Water Rocket led to danger of it breaking apart into pieces. 37 reports of hand, shoulder, and forehead injuries were the result—as was the product’s ultimate crash-landing in the toy market. Safety goggles weren’t even enough, actually! You might need full body armor to be truly safe from Splash Off Water Rockets!

#23: Super Bang Blast Balls

Have you ever had a toy that you loved because of its sound? The lure of the Super Bang Blast Balls was just that: sound. They were built to sound similar to a cap gun. And the instructions to create that cracking sound is simple: strike one Blast Ball against the other in your hand. But just think about the name again. Don’t Super Bang Blast Balls just sound dangerous? The contact of these balls of fury can cause sparks to ignite. They could—and did—cause minor burns to hands and fingers. So, sorry to the kids who were having a blast with the Super Bang Blast Balls, but it was time to let them go.

#22: Slap Bracelets

If the word slap is in the name, take it for what it’s called. Slap bracelets were meant to slap around the wrist and add an extra layer to a kid’s style. During the early 1990s, they were a fashion trend for students. They came in different colors and patterns. But if slapped on aggressively, and out of nowhere, it could kind of hurt. Cheap and worn-out versions especially posed injury risks. Once injured wrist reports started piling up, numerous schools banned slap bracelets, helping bring the fad to a halt.

#21: Thingmaker

Also known as Creepy Crawlers, this toy allowed kids to create multiple little critters made out of a liquid chemical substance. The problem with the Thingmaker, though, was the heat of the molds. A kid’s toy with temperatures reaching close to 400 degrees Fahrenheit didn’t sit well with the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission. So, the Thingmaker was discontinued in 1973, about 9 years after its release. It did make a comeback, though, with a second iteration that was safer. However, as the story often goes, the sequel didn’t have the same success.

#20: Toothpick Crossbows

In the mid-2010s, a toothpick crossbow craze was sweeping Chinese schools. As their name suggests, these were mini crossbows that were meant to shoot toothpicks at various objects (usually friends). But, as you can imagine, shooting sharp pieces of wood into your friends’ faces can be quite dangerous. Not only that, but there were alleged reports of children using the crossbow to fire the likes of nails and needles. Parents raised concerns, and the law swiftly answered by banning the sale of toothpick crossbows across the country. Many major retailers were ordered to take the toy off their shelves, and raids were carried out by law enforcement to ensure that retailers were complying with the ban.

#19: Rollerblade Barbie

We don’t know what Mattel was thinking with Rollerblade Barbie. This doll was obviously meant to rollerblade around the room, and to do so, the manufacturer equipped her feet with rolling contraptions that acted like cigarette lighters. They were even designed to kick up sparks! Of course, there were reports of injuries. In Jackson, Mississippi, a young girl accidentally set her brother on fire after playing with a combination of hair spray and Rollerblade Barbie. Luckily, the child wasn’t seriously injured. Mattel realized that they had a serious problem and a potential lawsuit on their hands, so they quickly ceased production on Rollerblade Barbie. That was probably a good idea.

#18: Mini Hammocks

Manufacturers realized that hammocks weren’t really made for children, yet children love to hang in them. So, they had the idea to make mini hammocks suited exclusively for tiny bodies. There was just one problem. And we mean one major problem. Hammocks contain what are called “spreader bars,” and these bars keep hammocks from folding in on themselves. These mini hammocks did not have spreader bars, so they were prone to entangling and strangling children. Unfortunately, many children and teenagers died in tragic hammock-related accidents, and one child reportedly suffered brain damage. These specific mini hammocks were eventually recalled, with more than three million being taken off the country’s shelves.

#17: Hannah Montana Pop Star Card Game

“Hannah Montana” was all the rage in the mid-2000s, having debuted in March of 2006. All sorts of merchandise was made up to capitalize on its success, including a playing card game. Sounds innocent - except that cards contained a dangerously high amount of lead! In 2007, thousands of children’s toys were tested for lead - specifically lead paint. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends no more than 40 parts per million, and 600 ppm is the federally-mandated level for a mandatory recall. It was found that the Hannah Montana cards contained levels of 3,056 ppm - about five times higher than the recall limit. Suffice to say, you can no longer find these cards anywhere.

#16: Slingshots

While not exclusively made for children, slingshots have long been used by them. For some, it’s an introductory weapon. For others, it’s a relatively harmless toy used to shoot chestnuts at soda cans or whatever. Of course, there is a huge risk factor inherent with slingshots. As a result, arm-braced slingshots are banned in many jurisdictions. For example, the state of New York has banned slingshots under “criminal possession of a weapon in the fourth degree.” Also grouped with slingshots are the likes of electric dart guns, switchblade knives, and brass knuckles. Possession of an arm-braced slingshot is a class A misdemeanor and can land the owner in prison for a year.

#15: Fisher-Price Power Wheels

In the late ‘90s, Fisher-Price manufactured various models of ride-on cars and trucks for children. They were called Power Wheels, and they allowed little ones to get a taste of the road long before they could obtain a driver’s license. However, these Power Wheels cars were horribly designed, to say the least. Some of them failed to stop, causing children to plow into walls and get hurt. But even worse were the faulty electrical components. There were hundreds of reports of these toy cars overheating and catching fire, and they caused upwards of $300,000 in property damage. Power Wheels were eventually recalled, and just a few years later, Fisher-Price faced a $1.1 million fine from the Consumer Product Safety Commission.

#14: Aqua-Leisure Inflatable Baby Boats

Pool floatation devices are certainly nothing new. Unfortunately, young children and open water don’t often make for the safest combination. In the late 2000s, manufacturer Aqua-Leisure issued a voluntary recall over their defective baby floats. The seats were prone to tearing, causing babies and young children to fall through the floatation device and into the water. More than 30 such incidents were officially reported, but thankfully, no one was seriously injured or killed. Aqua-Leisure eventually notified the Consumer Product Safety Commission, but at that point more than 20 reports had already been issued. As a result, the CPSC slapped the company with a civil penalty of $650,000.

#13: Hoverboards

These self-balancing scooters were all the rage in the mid-2010s. Unfortunately, they also generated quite a degree of controversy - not only for being “fake” hoverboards, but because they were incredibly dangerous. Not only were inexperienced users falling off and hurting themselves, but the batteries were notoriously awful and prone to bursting into flame. These scooters were blamed for dozens of residential fires and deaths, and as a result, they have been banned in numerous places across the world. Many public spaces have prohibited the use of hoverboards, and places like New York City, the Netherlands, and Hong Kong have banned their use outright. Various imports have also been banned by the US International Trade Commission for infringing on copyright laws.

#12: CSI Fingerprint Kit

This is one particularly tragic case that can have enormous repercussions in a couple of decades. In the mid-2000s, a specific “CSI” tool kit allowed children to dust for fingerprints. Unfortunately, the powder that was used in the test kit contained a very dangerous type of asbestos called tremolite. In fact, it’s believed that even a one-time exposure to this type of asbestos can cause lung disease later in life. The Department of Consumer Protection ordered the manufacturer to recall the product, but who knows how many children had already been affected. Manufacturer Planet Toys, Inc. eventually went bankrupt, and a class-action lawsuit was launched seeking damages.

#11: Gilbert Glass Blowing Set

It doesn’t take a genius to work out that children and glass blowing do not mix. Why anyone thought this would be a good idea is beyond us. Glass blowing is an incredibly dangerous trade, requiring the maker to work with literal molten glass. As in, glass that appears bright orange because it’s 2,000 degrees. This is dangerous for the pros, never mind children who have no idea what they’re doing. This Gilbert glass blowing set encouraged children to try the practice for themselves. We don’t even want to think about the consequences. Unsurprisingly, this “toy” was eventually pulled and is now regarded as nothing more than an insane experiment.

#10: Sky Dancers

Who would have thought something so cute would get yanked off the shelf. Released in 1994, these skinny plastic dolls came with foam wings and a little base to set her in. When you pulled the string on the back, the wings would spin like a helicopter and the doll would fly into the air. Incredibly popular at the time, the toys were given a recall due to the unpredictable nature of how they flew. Repeated eye injuries, broken teeth, blindness, and even severe cuts were all caused by the out of control, spinning dolls.

#9: Atomic Lab Kits

Sold in the 1950s, the Gilbert U-238 Atomic Energy Lab gave kids the radioactive material needed to unleash nuclear and chemical reactions. From the lens of a 21st-century parent, you’d question how anyone ever thought this was a good idea. Included in the set were compounds that emitted beta and gamma rays, both of which are radioactive. Pitched as being completely safe as long as you followed instructions carefully, which we all know kids do so well. Thankfully, the $50 price tag was far too high to make it attractive in those days, forcing it off store shelves before it even sold 5,000 kits.

#8: Clackers

For the 1960s, the concept was fairly simple. Take two balls and attach them to a string and children can swing them around. When they collide, they make a big “clacking” sound, which the kids will adore. It was all fine and dandy until the balls started exploding. With enough force applied, the collision would cause the balls to shatter, sending shards of glass or plastic in any direction. Reports of facial and other injuries caused the toy to be pulled from the market before resurfacing again in the 1990s. More modern materials prevented the exploding balls from hurting anyone further.

#7: Buckyballs

You can market it to older kids all you want. That’s not going to stop the younger ones from playing with them. Buckyballs were a set of small, powerful magnets that would stick together to form various shapes. Each magnet was about 5mm wide: just small enough for a young kid to swallow. Countless reports of children ingesting the magnets caused a recall on the toy in 2012, forcing the company to issue $375,000 worth of refunds. That didn’t however stop Buckyballs founder Craig Zucker from trying again. Speks are essentially the same toy with a new name and logo.

#6: Yo-Yo Water Balls

Have you ever played with a paddle ball? You know, that rubber ball attached to a string with a paddle? Now imagine your hand is the paddle, the string is a bungee cord, and the ball contains a non-descript fluid. That’s the concept behind the Yo-Yo Ball. It sounded innocent enough but many issues have arisen from it. There was of course the potential choking hazard it posed if the cord was wrapped around you in the wrong way. The material it was made of was also highly flammable. If pulled too far, the snap-back could be quite painful, and the liquid in the ball was toxic. Everything about this bouncing ball said it needed to come off shelves.

#5: Kite Tubes

When you’re done watching this video, search YouTube for “Kite Tube fail” and you’ll see exactly why this kind of “toy” has no business on store shelves. It’s essentially a modified inner-tube designed to catch air while being dragged behind a boat. Once airborne, neither the boat driver or the passengers had any control over how the tube would react to the air current. In many cases, it would flip or turn suddenly, forcefully ejecting its passengers into the air. Broken bones, punctured lungs, and damaged eardrums were all injuries sustained as a result of the violent crash back into the water. The “kite” was quickly recalled, and flying boat tubes were made illegal.

#4: Snacktime Cabbage Patch Kid

No one would ever argue that Cabbage Patch Kids were a huge wave in the toy industry. But not every new doll was a success. Released in 1996, the Snacktime Kid was intended to allow children to feed their doll any number of plastic treats. Innocent at first, kids quickly discovered the mouth wouldn’t stop until whatever it ate was fully immersed in their little friend. Combine that with an over-powered motor, kids were getting their fingers and hair stuck in the dolls, with no way to stop them from eating. By 1997, Mattel gave up on the Hungry Hungry Hippo-like doll, and offered refunds to parents who had purchased the product.

#3: Austin Magic Pistol

Say what you want about toy guns, but they have been a staple of the toy industry for as long as guns have been around. But for a brief time in the late 1940s, this “magic” pistol was no ordinary play firearm. Using a combination of calcium carbide and water, the gun would propel ping-pong-sized balls from the barrel for distances well over 70 feet. The biggest problem with this toy was the fact that it gave children access to a literal explosive compound that could go off with as little as a couple of drops of sweat. Combine that with the splash of sparks that often erupted from the weapon, everything about this toy spelled “dangerous.”

#2: Aqua Dots

Similar in some ways to today’s Perler Beads, Aqua Dots, also known as Bindeez, are small beads that can be used to create creative designs on small pegboards. Like other swallow-hazard toys, younger children would accidentally ingest the beads. That wasn't however what triggered the ban and subsequent massive recall. The beads were made of Butanediol, which when ingested, converts to a sedative known as GHB, or gamma-Hydroxybutyric acid. Incidents of children swallowing, and suffering adverse effects were widely reported. Concerns were also addressed about the beads being used as a recreational drug. The ingredients were eventually replaced with safer ones, allowing the toy to be brought back to store shelves.

#1: Lawn Darts

And you thought getting hit with a regular dart was bad. Lawn darts were a staple of outdoor games for many years. Shaped like their smaller counterpart, the metal pointed ends were quite heavy. Propelled by hand into the air in an arch to hit a circle target, the darts would have been harmless if they had only hit the grass. Thousands of injuries from lacerations, concussions, and even death were reportedly tied to the unsafe usage of this outdoor field game. They were banned in the US in 1988 and then in Canada in 1989. Less dangerous substitutes have since been released, all with no metal tips.

Which of these banned toys do you remember owning? Did any survive your childhood intact? Let us know in the comments, and don’t forget to subscribe to WatchMojo.