(PCM) As we race towards the holiday shopping season, there are sure to be plenty of toys purchased this year.
Every so often toy manufacturers are prone to making a few mistakes with certain toys such as being responsible for causing injuries or health concerns. Those factors can quickly land what manufacturers believed to be a good toy on the banned toy list.
We have compiled a list of some of the most interesting banned indoor toys (trust us, the outdoor banned toy list is worth another feature in itself, so stay tuned) and the reason behind their short shelf lives.
1. Snacktime Cabbage Patch Doll
Reason for being banned: The Snacktime Cabbage Patch doll featured a moving mechanical jaw that was supposed to mimic being able to be fed food. The problem was that the doll would chew just about anything, including the hair and fingers of young children which could possibly become stuck in the dolls mechanical jaw. The toy was recalled by Mattel in 1997.
2. Sky Dancers
Reason for being banned: These adorable little flying fairy dolls were attached to a plastic base and featured wings that were made of hard plastic. When you would pull the string on the base the Sky Dancer’s wings would begin to spin and she could fly around the room. However the wings often times had a mind of their own and were responsible for several eye injuries after they whacked users in the face. They were also known to cause broken teeth and facial scrapes and scratches. The Sky Dancers were eventually banned in 2000.
3. Atomic Energy Laboratory
Reason for being banned: As if the name of this toy was not enough. The Atomic Energy Laboratory was created by the same man who created the ERECTOR set and it actually used real radioactive materials. The set came with samples of Uranium ore and the user could witness mist trails from ionizing radiation. It was eventually banned in 1951.
4. Spanish Barbie
Reason for being banned: Spanish Barbie was dressed head to toe in a full on matador costume. The costume outraged animal rights activists, as traditionally the matador costume is worn when bulls are killed in bullring for public sport. The doll was banned by Mattel in 1999.
5. Aqua Dots
Reason for being banned: This toy featured small colored beads which could be fused together using water to create a wide variety of arts and crafts projects. The only slight problem is that if someone happen to swallow the beads they had the potential to turn into gamma hydroxyl butyrate, which could cause unconsciousness, seizures, and drowsiness. Aqua Dots were banned in 2007.
6. Teletubby Po Doll
Reason for being banned: Playskool received quite a bit of backlash after the Teletubby Po doll was released. The 14″ doll was supposed to say certain phrases from the show, however many consumers believed that they heard the toy say the offensive statement “bit my butt”. The Teletubby Po doll was banned in 1998.
7. Slap Bracelets
Reason for being banned: If you recall, Slap Bracelets were made out of a pliable metal covered in multi-colored plastic designs. When stretched out straight, the bracelet could be slapped on the wrist which it would curl around. Eventually the plastic on the bracelets would begin to wear out and the metal underneath would be exposed. The Slap Bracelets had the potential to cut into the flesh on the wrist and cause injury. They have the honor of being banned once in the 90’s and then again when they made a resurgence in 2012.
8. Buckyballs
Reason for being banned: Buckyballs were small incredibly strong magnetic ball bearings that children and adults would use to build sculptures, as they would all stick together. The problem with Buckyballs were that they were so strong that if they happened to be accidentally swallowed they could clamp together through the intestinal walls and not let go. Many children required surgery to have the Buckyballs removed. The government stepped in to have Buckyballs banned in 2012.
9. CSI Fingerprint Examination Kit
Reason for being banned: The CSI Fingerprint Examination Kit was a toy based up the hit TV show CSI that allowed children to conduct their own crime scene investigations at home. The fingerprint exam kit contained finger print dust that happened to contain one of the most deadly forms of asbestos. In fact the variety used the kit is so incredibly dangerous that even a one time exposure is capable of causing lung cancer. The CSI Fingerprint Examination Kit was ultimately banned in 2010.
10. Toy Penguin Figures
Reason for being banned: When Plan Toys first came out with this roly poly adorable penguin too, it certainly appeared to be pretty safe for children. It was not until one child yanked the head off the penguin and it was discovered that the toy contained several sharp nails that held it together and they posed a laceration risk. The toy penguin was banned in 2008.
11. Flubber
Reason for being banned: As a tie for the 1963 film “Son Of Flubber” Disney teamed up with Hasbro to create actual Flubber, made of synthetic rubber, mineral oil and green dye. Seems simple, right? Unfortunately the Flubber caused a horrible allergic reason causing children to end up with head to toe rashes, fevers and more. Flubber ended up being a cause for folliculitis which is a painful infection of the hair follicles. The Flubber was so dangerous that order to even get rid of the product, Hasbro had to bury it and pave the parking lot of the Rhode Island Warehouse over top. Flubber was recalled in 1962.
12. Easy Bake Oven
Reason for being banned: Earlier versions of the Easy Bake Oven could reach temperatures over 400 degrees and several children received 2nd and 3rd degree burns when the stuck their fingers inside the oven. The makers of the Easy Bake Oven recalled the toys so that the problem could be rectified in 2007.
Have any toys that should be added to this list? Let us know!
The post 12 Days Of Christmas: A Look At 12 Banned Indoor Toys! appeared first on Pop Culture News.