With Christmas now well and truly over and our first steps into 2019 underway. What better way to celebrate the new year than by looking back on the toys of 2018 to find some of the worst and some of the best toys that ended up under the trees across the globe.
From Robots that teach you to code to NERF troubles. This list contains a variety of girls and boys toys from different tastes. There's definitely something here for every kid and concerned parent! Maybe you want to know if that authentic Samurai sword is such a good gift for Little Jimmy after all (Spoiler: it's not). Recently the W.A.T.C.H association released its top ten most 'off' toys for the year, you'll find them in here alongside some other terrible toys. It's not all doom and gloom though, we've uncovered ten of the very best toys from 2018. And they've all got something unique to share.
Don't take away your child's favorite goo factory just yet, have a quick flick through this guide first to see what's really dangerous and what's really dynamic. Also, it would appear this year's star toys all revolve around unicorns. From Christmas gifts and stocking stuffers to presents for birthdays, good behavior, or a reason to spend your pocket money; here are twenty of the worst and ten of the best toys from 2018.
30 Worst: Black Panther Slash Claw
Incredibly popular this year, Marvel's Black Panther series even has fans as young as five. What if we told you that the creators of tons of children's toys, Hasbro, actually marketed this thing as a "Slash Claw".
Now, alongside W.A.T.C.H, hundreds of parents are in an uproar about its release.
Hasbro has placed a warning on the toy that says do not hit or swing at people, but c'mon, if you decide to give your five-year-old a "Slash Claw" there's one thing you can guarantee they'll want to do with it. This toy has a high potential for facial or eye injuries so think carefully before you let your child play with it again.
29 Worst: Cabbage Patch Kids Dance Time Doll
What makes this particular Cabbage Patch Doll appear in our worst category? Just ask W.A.T.C.H. as they've branded this toy one of the top ten worst for the year. This toy is marketed at children as young as two, however, it has a removable headband and tutu that can present a risk by putting it in their mouth (or other places it doesn't belong). Personally, I'd let my child play with this doll under strict supervision or after removing the tutu and headband.
28 Best: Poopsie Surprise Unicorn
What could be more magical than a Unicorn? A Unicorn that actually poops glitter and slime. Yes, you read that right! This interesting slime maker toy is all dressed to impress, combining the magic of unicorns with the childlike fascination for slime. Feed your Unicorn its food (slime powder) and then place it on the potty to collect the slimy, squishy, stretchy poo! This toy's marketed at children older than eighteen months, and with correct supervision is a great way to introduce your child to slime! You can also get cheaper versions for around $10.00.
27 Worst: Nickelodeon Nella Princess Knight Pillow Pets Sleeptime Lites
Aimed at newborns! This Nickelodeon nightlight is covered in fur that can end up in your child's mouth. Although it does say that the toy isn't suitable for the crib, marketing it to newborns would suggest otherwise to some parents.
Small felt accessories that are commonplace on the toy could become loose and cause a hazard according to W.A.T.C.H.
This fantastic organization also confirmed that the Nella Princess Knight Pillow Pets Sleeptime Lites have a battery acid leakage hazard. Proceed with great caution before you give this to your newborn.
26 Worst: NERF Vortex VTF Praxis Blaster
NERF is one of the most iconic brands when it comes to child combat toys. Horror stories about NERF guns causing hospital-trip hazards aren't just urban legends. Millions of mothers across the globe hate NERF with a passion. To be honest, the NERF brand must expect this kind of backlash for arming children with the projectile-launching hazard-cannons. This particular model launches hard-plastic disks rather than soft-foam bullets. W.A.T.C.H warns that the size of the disks and the launch force could cause harm. Whatever happened to good old water pistols?
25 Best: Fingerlings Untamed Dinos
Another new craze with the kids seems to be Fingerlings. Basically, Fingerlings attach to your fingers and react to motion and sound. Honestly, to the bare eye, this is an idea that seems more at home in the 1990s. Were it not for their motion and sound sensors, this could be the case. These little finger puppets are amazingly one of the highest selling toys of 2018. Originally starting their life as monkeys, the Fingerlings arsenal has been expanded to include these Raptors. You can also get Unicorns if you fancy something less ferocious, or T-Rex versions if you want something more... meaty?
24 Worst: Power Ranger's Super Ninja Steel Superstar Blade
If the idea of arming your children with Slash Claws and NERF disk launchers doesn't seem dangerous enough, now you can hand them a big old sword to chase the agitated cat around the garden with (heavy sarcasm).
W.A.T.C.H commented on the spring loaded plastic blade that can be an issue.
Power Rangers, just like NERF, aren't strangers to their influence causing child injury. My parents wouldn't let me watch the show when I was younger because I would try to copy the combat. Zordon only knows what I'd have done with a sword. The Ninja Steel Superstar Blade earns a well-deserved place on the W.A.T.C.H list.
23 Worst: Zoo Jamz Xylophone
Saddened and disheartened as I write this, this xylophone actually has a charming aesthetic and character about it. It's such a shame to see silly little things fall onto the W.A.T.C.H list. As a matter of fact, the toy would have been a solid platform to work from was it not for the drumstick that comes with it. W.A.T.C.H have branded the attached Drumstick as unsafe as it could potentially —like so many others— end up in a kid's mouth. This toy comes with no warnings on the packaging and this probably helped fuel W.A.T.C.H's campaign. Keep your eyes glued to the child while they make their music.
22 Best: Toot-Toot Friends Kingdom Pirate Ship
One thing that has to be admired with children's toys is imaginative and variety-filled play zones. This is one of the reasons that LEGO is so popular because it sparks the imaginative cortex in children's minds and builds the creators of tomorrow. Toot-Tot Friends Kingdom Pirate Ship ticks all the boxes. Including price. This set took home the Silver MadeForMums award for 2018. Let your children explore the seven seas from the comfort of their bedrooms with this VTECH treasure.
21 Worst: Cutting Fruit
Aimed at children two years and over, this particular version of the popular cutting fruit toy by Kid O Toys made it on the W.A.T.C.H list for its sharps.
Yes, it doesn't take a genius, sharps are never to be associated with children, ever.
It's not that the utensils that come with the toy are particularly sharp or pointy, but they are made from very strong plastic. The fruit and veggies are also made from extra-strong plastic. W.A.T.C.H says this plastic could cause piece someone, making the Kid O Toys Cutting Fruit one of the worst toys you could get your child last year!
20 Worst: Stomp Rocket Ultra Rocket
It pains me to put this on the worst section of the list. Mainly because it seems so fun and colorful, but hey, I guess that's what Young Laura thought before she took a rocket to the face. W.A.T.C.H has branded this toy unsafe and it made it into their top ten list. They note how the rocket claims to go as far as 200 feet in the air! But to be fair to W.A.T.C.H, they also made a note of how the box is littered in safety warnings. Marketed at kids over six, this toy should be regulated and given strict supervision. If you think it will turn you into an anxious mess, but your child really wants one, do both of you a favor and settle for the old DIY Soda Rocket trick.
19 Best: Monopoly Fortnite Edition
Yes, that's right, the controversy continues, far past the toxic tweets of the social media haters and the spam emails from salty players, there lies a hidden treasure. Fortnite goes Monopoly! Do you have a gaming addict in your household who's hooked on Fortnite? Sick of not having any family time? Meet them halfway with Fortnite Monopoly. Players will build walls, claim locations, battle other players, restore health, and race the storm! Perfect fun for all the family with a nice gaming theme attached. Lock and load Llama lovers!
18 Worst: Nici Wonderland Doll: Miniclara The Ballerina
This Doll was designed for children two years and over. It looks the part, but when we take it apart, it has one major Achilles Heel. Just bear in mind, you're paying a quarter of a hundred to put your child at risk.
According to W.A.T.C.H the tiny kitten accessory detaches and (again) could pose a hazard.
Nici Wonderland usually makes some really nice authentic stuffed dolls and toys for kids, but the audience planning for this one seems a little half-hearted. Safe to say, this doll made it onto the W.A.T.C.H top ten list.
17 Worst: Chien Á Promener Pull Along Dog
Kids love animals, they love replicas and toys that captivate the features of their favorite animals. The Chien Á Promener Pull Along Dog is no exception to this rule. However, according to the W.A.T.C.H hit list, this Pull Along Dog has a 19-Inch cord that could potentially be wrapped in a way that is unsafe. This product is marketed for children between 12 and 36 months, however, the lack of any warning whatsoever on the packaging just goes to show how dangerous the toy is and how little its manufacturers care for child safety.
16 Best: GraviTrax Starter Set
Looking at the list we have here, this is undoubtedly my favorite! I remember being a kid when Magnatex came out and the building of epic structures using magnets was all that would worry me for a few months. GraviTrax reminds me of that same intuition from Toy Manufacturers. This toy combines the fascination of Marble Runs with the power of Gravity (kind of like the original, but better).
GraviTrax also comes with a mobile app that lets you build and test tracks before you build them in reality.
This toy won the MadeForMums Golden STEM Award for 2018, as voted by children.
15 Worst: Star Wars Figures Hero Set
This one is an environmental plea. Not only is it about a toy being hazardous enough to make it on the worst list, but the amount of packaging the toy uses can also contribute to this.
This set includes fifty-six non-recyclable plastic ties and a lot of sellotapes.
It's also unclear whether or not the toys themselves are recyclable. This set includes many popular characters, which makes it a highly sought-after collectible among the Star Wars community. Combine this nerd-fueled lust with the wants and needs of children, and you have one big environmental mess on your hands.
14 Worst: L.O.L. Surprise Under Wraps
In case you haven't got kids or are behind on the times, these L.O.L. Dolls came about in 2017 to the mainstream eye. Parents are outraged for the prices they're paying on something so cheaply made. These tiny figures are about the same size as the tiny Troll Dolls you used to get from capsule dispensers. Overall, there is about $1.00 worth of toys to collect for a price fifteen times more than they're worth. This cylinder-shaped object contains an L.O.L. Doll inside and has fifteen layers of plastic wrapping to get through. Not only will it make a mess, but it will also bring on utter feelings of disappointment when you see what you've paid for.
13 Best: Botley The Coding Robot
Wizz, whoop, whirr. This little guy took home the Silver MadeForMums Coding toys award for 2018 and we're surprised it didn't get Gold! Botley teaches kids simple flow-code to help him navigate, make sounds, avoid objects and even score a goal with his own Football. His memory allows up to eighty steps to be coded so kids can get really creative here. These sorts of toys are great for teaching young children input and output as well as basic logic skills that will stay with them throughout life. Who knows, maybe the next Peter Molyneux is playing with Botley right now?
12 Worst: Monopoly Cheaters Edition
Okay, we'll admit, this particular entry isn't necessarily a bad item to own. However, it is promoting cheating, and that's not really the best thing to instill in younger minds.
There are dozens of versions of Monopoly out there, does it really have to involve cheating?
Sure, this item is good fun for older players, but we just can't condone cheating among youngsters. This particular product will ask you to fake a dice roll, fiddle the till, lie, cheat, and steal your way to victory.
11 Worst: Unicorn Ring Toss
Sticking with the yearly theme of Unicorns, this new spin on the classic "Ring Toss" game doesn't present much anew. In fact, it takes the idea of ring tossing and simplifies it to the point where it's pretty droll. All that's to it is wearing a unicorn hat and throwing rings at your opponent. Whoever catches the most rings wins. This game probably won't keep kids busy long, but the hat makes a nice accessory. A super simple game with little creativity. It feels like they've just jumped on the bandwagon and made any Unicorn product they could think of. Aimed at kids over six, but doesn't seem engaging enough for children of this age.