The Water Wiggle (Episode 116)

Content Warning: In this episode we discuss the deaths of two children; if you'd rather not hear about that, please skip this episode.

We're going back to the 1960s and 1970s, where kids ran around and played in the street and hooked weird toys up to their garden hoses during the summer. One of those toys was the Water Wiggle, a toy that turned your hose into a chaotic missile of spraying water, wildly whipping hose, and getting bonked in the head with the goofy-looking plastic head of the toy. Danger and excitement abounded - unless the head came off. Join us as we discuss toy safety, lawn games (especially Lawn Darts), and how the Wham-O toy company is responsible for your childhood.

Sources:

The CSPC Recall Notice

"Sobbing Father Tells How Toy Choked Son" - The Palm Beach Post, Wednesday, Feb 25, 1981, p. 44

Couple sues Wham-O over deadly Water Wiggle

"Toy firm's R&D specialist admits 'Water Wiggle' toy dangerous"

Part 1306 - ban of Hazardous Lawn Darts