Toxic toys of the 60s emphasized fun over safety. My generation smoked candy cigarettes and chewed bubblegum cigars. We inhaled noxious fumes from six-shooter cap guns and Testors-glued model cars.

One Christmas Santa brought me a Chemistry Set with glass beakers, measuring cups, litmus paper, and test tubes. It contained bottled chemicals with exotic names like Calcium Chloride, Calcium Oxide, Cobalt Chloride, Phenolphthalein, Ferric Ammonium Sulphate, Sodium Ferrocyanide, Sulphur, and Tannic Acid.

A booklet described science experiments for children of all ages, but I enjoyed mixing the agents haphazardly. A ten-year-old boy with access to bases, acids, and cyanides—what could possibly go wrong?

 The same Christmas my sister and I discovered Super Elastic Bubble Plastic in our stockings. The tubes extruded a thick, plastic substance that could be rolled into small spheres. We used straws to inflate the plastic into big bubbles.

The viscous goo contained polyvinyl acetate and ethyl acetate dissolved in acetone. Children inhaled the witch’s brew while blowing through the straw. I blame the product for many of the ills that plagued my generation.  

I survived the toxic toys of the 60s. They may not have been safe, but we sure had fun.