I don't believe I ever had any of these toys (except either I or my brother did have the belt with the derringer that popped out of the buckle, can't remember which one of us), but I remember seeing them around, and would have been delighted to own the chemistry set, or the atomic energy lab.
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Having grown up on a farm, I would say that having any of these would have only marginally increased my risk of serious injury when I was a kid. I had a small chemistry set, but it didn't have anything too exciting as far as chemicals that didn't play well together. And I didn't go on to become a chemist because it ignited a passion for chemistry.
ReplyDeleteI had a chemistry set, I'm not sure how dangerous the chemicals were.
ReplyDeleteI loved Clicker/clackers. They really hurt your brother when you whacked him in the leg. Totally unintentionally of course.
Jarts were awesome. We had two sets. Playing over the raised-ranch house made it so much more saferer.
Playing over the raised-ranch house made it so much more saferer.
ReplyDeleteI think you need to shout "Fore, back there!" to really be on the safe side.
We pretended to be gauchos one time and used the clackers as bolas with...well, with what you might call, "mixed success".
We did yell, "Here it comes!"
DeleteI mean, usually.
Clickerclackers as bolos.
I tried to 'capture' a tree a time or two but couldn't get it to work.
I'm sure my brother was happy about that.
I have to admit ... ... I played with a lot of these toys at one time or another. Let's see ... ...
ReplyDelete-> Gilbert Chemical Kit (left in the basement when Dad bought a house). Made for a lot of interesting results.
-> Clackers (great bolos!)
-> Pogo sticks
-> Jarts
-> Creepy Crawlers (a neighbor had the kit)
It's amazing that I survived childhood, huh?
Lead toys were a LONG standing practice across the world. The skill was similar to casting bullets for muzzle loaders.
You can still buy blow guns. They're just not marketed as toys for kids.
I never did see that "Atomic Energy" toy, and am I glad! Gamma particle emitters -- WOT DA FAWK!?!?!?!?! Never mind the alpha and beta particles. But I must admit to "borrowing" a Civil Defense personnel monitor and a chunk of pitch blende from the high school science lab to prank a bunch of attractive (of course) young ladies that they were radioactive. I had some vague of idea of convincing them they needed to hit the showers ....
Oh, wait, I did have a Creepy Crawlers kit (I missed that when watching the video). I loved that thing. I remember one time, early in the morning, taking a wet washcloth and draping it over the little stove, and then holding the cloth to my forehead to create a fake fever so I wouldn't have to go to school. I recall that it...didn't work.
ReplyDeleteThe most dangerous toy I ever had was my bike. I crashed those things at speed many times.
ReplyDeleteI had clackers too in 6th grade. All the ones at school were confiscated about a week after they appeared.
Ever see that movie "Small Soldiers"? It's funny.
The most dangerous toys I had as a kid were a cap gun and a bicycle. My cousin had a pogo stick she let us play with, but after a while bouncing up and down became boring.
ReplyDeleteJarts are simultaneously the best and the worst idea corporate America has ever had. I can only assume they were proposed, developed and sent to market the week the entire corporate counsel staff was on retreat.
ReplyDelete