Dangerous Toys From the Past
By celticeagle
@celticeagle (182311)
Boise, Idaho
November 25, 2025 11:21am CST
I grew up in the 50s and 60s. I am amazed looking at this article of the toys we kids were allowed back then. There were many that were "extremely sharp, had harmful chemicals, or fired projectiles that could put an eye out" says this article. Here are some that were offered back then:
* In 1950 a toy lab set, the U-238 Atomic Energy Lab, came out. It included actual radioactive material and was priced at a whopping $49.50 which is equivalent to $665 in today's USD.
* The Agent Zero Buckle Gun came out in 1959 which had plastic pellets that could be fired from the gun. Again, they could put an eye out.
* Javelin Lawn darts or "jarts" came out in 1950 with metal tips. They weren't banned until the 80s.
There were also the clackers which were two balls originally made from tempered glass which, once again, could fly into someone eye or cut the skin. They were redone with hard wooden balls next. Also a glass blowing kit with an actual Benson burner and a blowpipe.
I wonder how many eye accidents occurred back then.
8 people like this
7 responses
@BACONSTRIPSXXX (16410)
• Torrington, Connecticut
3h
Radio active toys, sign me up lol
1 person likes this
@DaddyEvil (162331)
• United States
5h
I've read about those before and actually had a set of the "clackers" when I was a kid. Mine didn't break before I got tired of it and stopped playing with it.
We also had a set of the Jarts. Mom put them up in the attic so we couldn't reach them. One of my brothers kept trying to hit the rest of us with them. He got me in the back of the foot with one and mom had to pull it out.
1 person likes this
@LeaPea2417 (38953)
• Toccoa, Georgia
1h
I had clackers and thought they were awesome . Luckily I had no accidents playing with it.
@RasmaSandra (91167)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
57m
Being a girl I did not know any of these toys, My toys were pretty tame,
@BarBaraPrz (50782)
• St. Catharines, Ontario
4h
Probably not a lot of eye accidents back then because we knew better? Isn't that why there weren't any warnings on those things? 











