Dangerous Toys of the ’70s That Would Never Get Approved Today
Dangerous Childplay
While picking up the 789 smaller-than-an-atom LEGOs from my living room floor the other day, I had a thought every parent probably has at some point: “Whoever came up with these devilish weapons disguised as toys clearly didn’t have kids at home.” That thought applies even more to various toys from the 1970s, which, by today’s standards, would basically be things you buy if you don't like your kid.
Here are 10 dangerous toys from the ’70s that wouldn’t even make it past the prototype stage today.
Super Elastic Bubble Plastic
Arriving in 1970, this trippy-colored goo allowed kids to blow large plastic bubbles with a provided straw — think bubble gum meets chemical plant. Problem was, the goop released nasty chemical fumes, caused dizziness, headaches, and chemical burns, and was dangerously flammable. You know, just the toy to pair with candles, campfires, and that parentally unsupervised life of the '70s. It was eventually discontinued for safety reasons.
Creepy Crawlers Thingmaker
Technically launched in the '60s, the Creepy Crawlers Thingmaker hit peak popularity in the early ’70s. Kids poured colorful liquid plastic into metal molds, then baked them at 390°F. What possibly could've gone wrong? Third-degree burns, that's what — lots of them. After countless incidents of melted fingers and frantic hospital visits, Mattel phased out the oven version entirely in the mid-’70s.
Dip-a-Flower
Dip-a-Flower kits were supposed to be a wholesome craft project. In reality, they gave kids a stick, a pool of chemical sludge, and a prayer. You’d twist a wire into a flower shape and dip it into the colorful resin, hoping it hardened before the fumes knocked you out. No masks, no warnings — just you, your flower, and an invisible headache waiting to happen. It was creative, sure, but probably shaved a few years off everyone’s sense of smell.
