I really like toys. I’ve liked them since I was a little kid.
I don’t remember my earliest toy. It was probably a rattle or a ball or something. And as I grew, I’m fairly certain that the majority of my toys were hand-me-downs. These days, people call it regifting. Back then, we just stuck to the facts.
Anyway, most of us remember childhood toys as little pieces of our past. There were so many over the years. For most of us, this included stuffed animals, dolls, mechanical toys, and lots of crafts, like crayons and pens.
And you know? I think all of these things made growing up more magical.
But sometimes that magic came from some funny origins. Some of the stories behind these famous toys are a lot stranger and darker than most people realize. And other toys can be downright dangerous. Maybe we should look at a few.
Let’s start with the Slinky.
I loved my Slinky. But I always managed to bend it out of shape or get it twisted. Somehow.
Anyway, the Slinky also has an unexpectedly sad history. Engineer Richard James accidentally invented the toy while working on springs for naval equipment during World War II. The toy became incredibly successful. It made millions.
But here is the weird thing. Years later, James abandoned his wife and children after becoming involved with a religious cult in Bolivia. His wife, Betty James, eventually saved the company and rebuilt the brand herself.
Next, I bring you the Cabbage Patch Kid. My roommate had one in college. I was always kidnapping it, and holding it for ransom.
The story behind Cabbage Patch Kids is pretty strange, too. Creator Xavier Roberts built an empire around the dolls in the 1980s. He insisted they were not dolls at all, but “babies” that children “adopted.” Stores became “adoption centers,” complete with paperwork and ceremonies. Critics later pointed out how unsettling some of the marketing seemed, especially considering Roberts reportedly borrowed heavily from the work of folk artist Martha Nelson Thomas.
Finally, there was the emergence of the Aqua Dots.
This came way after playtime for most of my friends and family. Way after.
Aqua Dots was a bead craft kit popular in 2007. They were recalled after children became seriously ill. Kids were eating their Aqua Dots. Investigators discovered the beads contained a chemical that converted into GHB, a powerful sedative, when ingested. And nighty, night, night.
As I mentioned, I love a good toy. But like Aqua Dots, so many have caused injuries. Like
Lawn Darts (1960s–1980s), Gilbert U-238 Atomic Energy Laboratory (1950) (with real radioactive material), Easy-Bake Oven (1963), Nerf Guns (1980s), and many more.
And it wasn’t a toy, but I can’t imagine eating all that paste was any good for us.
Let’s face it. We can hurt ourselves walking through the living room. So toys were just a part of the process. But some are better than others.
Like my Mr. Potato Head. My Play-Doh. My Silly Putty. And later, my Zelda.
Today, I hope you all have a bit of fun. Whatever that might be for you.
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“We didn’t realize we were making memories. We just knew we were having fun.” — The Wonder Years (often attributed to the show)
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“Play is our brain’s favorite way of learning.” — Diane Ackerman
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“There is no land like the land of your childhood.” — Michael Powell
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