Dangerous Toys That Have Caused Death

Various objects that children play with are referred to as ‘toys’. Since the beginning of human history, toys have always existed for children. When we talk about toys, the image that comes to mind is probably something cute and adorable. However, in the past, when people’s level of sophistication was different from now, there were many scary and disgusting toys that are hard to imagine today. Now, we would like to introduce some toys that would seem barbaric from today’s viewpoint due to their dizzying and dangerous nature.

Tsutsuki Bako

Bandai, a Japanese video game manufacturer, is known for releasing a number of portable game consoles that can be enjoyed by young children, much like Tamagotchi. In 2008, they released a small digital game console called ‘Tsutsuki Bako’ aimed as year-end gifts. When you put your finger in the toy hole, a virtual finger appears and you can interact with the objects inside the toy. Despite being an ambitious product, many people felt uncomfortable about inserting part of their body into the product, so it didn’t get much of a response.

You Can Shave the Baby

Polish artist Zbigniew Libera has released a variety of controversial modern art pieces. Among his works is a baby doll named “You Can Shave the Baby,” which features hair on the armpits, crotch, and legs. Reportedly, only 10 sets of this product were produced when it was first introduced in 1995. Now, knockoffs based on this design are circulating on sites like Amazon.com.

KABA-KICK

The game of ‘Russian Roulette’ involves loading a single bullet into a six-shot revolver, spinning the cylinder, and then taking turns pointing the gun at one’s own head and pulling the trigger. There’s a toy version of this game, which is terrifying even for adults, called ‘KABA-KICK’, released in Japan. The toy set includes one gun and eight bullets, and the gameplay is the same as Russian Roulette.

Clackers

Clackers, also known as American Crackers or Tikitaka, are toys that are enjoyed by knocking two small balls together. This now-common toy caused a big controversy when it was first released in the 1970s. At that time, instead of plastic, the balls were made of ‘tempered glass’, which is easily broken. Many children were injured by the shattered balls, and the toy was even banned in the United States.

Baby Cage

In 1884, a pediatrician named Luther Emmet Holt published a best-selling book in the United States that included a standard child care manual for parents to refer to. According to this manual, children need to breathe fresh air every day in order to grow healthily. Inspired by this, a woman named Emma Read invented a product called the ‘Baby Cage’ in 1922, which allowed children to be placed outside the window. This product, designed to put children at risk by placing them directly outside the window, was eventually discontinued as public awareness of child care and safety increased.

Pregnant Japanese Woman Doll

The ‘Pregnant Woman Doll’ from Japan, which has a horrifying design at first glance, was a doll used for display and education in the 19th century. It is known as an educational material about the human body, but it is reported that this doll was also displayed in museums where the general public could view. Now, you can find dolls of this type in various museums, including the Edo Tokyo Museum located in Sumida-ku, Tokyo.

Creepy Crawlers

Mattel, a representative toy company in the United States, was founded in 1945 and has released various toys like Barbie dolls to this day. While some of their toys are still popular, others seem bizarre and even barbaric according to today’s standards. A prime example is a product from their popular Thingmaker lineup in the 1960s called ‘Creepy Crawlers’. This toy involved pouring a liquid into a mold and baking it to create a toy. Not only were many toddlers hurt while using the oven, but the liquid used was also a harmful substance, causing a lot of controversy.

LEGO Concentration Camp

Aforementioned Polish artist Zbigniew Libera is more famous for the ‘LEGO Concentration Camp’ than for the previously mentioned ‘You Can Shave the Baby’. He used LEGO blocks and accessories from LEGO’s Polish branch, which were provided to support artists, to create a concentration camp for Jews. LEGO did not know Libera’s intentions when they first donated the blocks. After the work was unveiled, LEGO attempted to halt the exhibition, but faced criticism for censoring art and gave up.

Jarts

Released in the 1970s, ‘Jarts’, a type of dart, was a toy that caused controversy over safety. The dart was designed with a steel tip to make it stick well, but it was so sharp and hard that it could penetrate a human skull. As a result, 6100 people ended up in emergency rooms because of this toy, and a seven-year-old child eventually died. Due to the endless accidents, Jarts was eventually discontinued in 1988.

Gilbert U-238 Atomic Energy Lab

When talking about dangerous toys, the ‘Gilbert U-238 Atomic Energy Lab’ is always mentioned in the top ranks. This was a child’s toy made by Alfred Carlton Gilbert, an American inventor, athlete, and businessman. It was designed for children to observe nuclear chemical reactions using radioactive materials. Despite radioactive materials being included in the kit, no warnings were given when it was first released, causing controversy. The Gilbert Atomic Energy Lab kit was only produced from 1950 to 1951, and less than 5000 sets are known to have been sold.

By. Deok Soo Choi