Parents fear 'toothpick crossbow' the next dangerous toy fad
After the craze of fidget spinners, a new toy is giving parents nightmares. 'Toothpick crossbow' has made inroads in the toy industry and parents want it banned. Parents in China have already asked government to ban the popular toy. While originally made to shoot out toothpicks but the toothpicks could be easily swapped for needles, making it a very dangerous toy.
Pokemon GO becomes the biggest fad in 2016
While not a toy fad, but the mobile game Pokemon GO gripped almost 21 million daily active users in 2016 breaking previous records of all other games. It has attracted more users than Twitter and is expected to surpass Snapchat soon. The game's popularity grew from the fact that it allowed its players to move around their physical world.
Fidget spinners: the new craze in school playgrounds, parents complain
The fidget spinners have become the most coveted toy of 2017. However, parents have objected stating that these may be a distraction for children in the classroom. There have been reports that the toy has even been banned in certain schools. The trend has caught adults in their grip too and psychologists believe that these fidget spinners relieve the "need to fidget manually".
Biggest toy trends
Fidget spinners aren't the first toy fads, Furbies, Rubix cube, friendship bracelets, Pokemon cards and Tamagotchi were some of the biggest toy fads of past years.
Fidget spinners aren't bad, claim some
Fidget spinners were incipiently developed as a means for children with ADHD or autism to alleviate stress. Teachers said that in fidgety children, this was a less disruptive way to direct their energies that didn't interrupt teaching. Amanda Gummer, a child psychologist, said the fad for spinners was promoting the de-stigmatization of a toy previously only associated with children with additional needs.
Toothpick Crossbow: Will they replace fidget spinners?
Soon after their launch, the 'Toothpick crossbow' craze spread like wildfire across China. To the parent's dismay, it was later revealed that the mini-crossbows that had the ability to shoot at a distance of almost 65 feet, if replaced with needles could even crack the glass. Sold in shops for as little as seven yuan (81p), these toys have the potential of harm.
