Parents across the U.S. are sending in their complaints about the most troublesome toys their kids have.
On this blog, you will find reviews of the top 50 toys most hated by parents by parents. The reviews are categorized by type of toy (such as board games, dolls, action figures, puzzles, etc.) and also by a specific category of toy.
Slime
The person who started this trend? Slime is the worst gift for kids and we need to know who to hate for all of eternity. It has never happened before. It’s messy, it’s goopy, it gets everywhere, they leave it out on all the surfaces, and it’s just plain grody. Just when you clean it up, they’re begging to break it out again.
Crappy Singing Toys
You are familiar with them. Y’all, the earworms are legit. Whoever gets this gift from you will hate you with the burning fires of a thousand suns, so we recommend your worst little brother after he has procreated. The Flossing Sloth, for example, does that stupid “floss” dance, wiggles his butt, and sings three completely annoying songs.
Drum Set
The bigger the better, and include some extra drumsticks because you know Mom and Dad are going to hide the first set. For an even more sinister gift. If you throw in a pair of headphones, the parents will think it’s a thoughtful gift.
Dancing/Singing/Talking Elmo
What are the worst things about Elmo? It’s probably the voice, so these talking/singing/dancing Elmos are seriously the worst, with their screechy, high-pitched, baby-like noises. Take a deep breath
Megaphone
What child loved you so much that they don’t need a megaphone? Teach them how much fun it is to sneak up behind their parents and play with this toy. This one has a siren function and produces 20 watt sound, which travels 400 yards. There is a function for a siren. That is pure hatred towards the parents of the person you are giving this to.
Kazoo
The kazoo isn’t quite bad, so this would be a good one to give to your sibling’s kids. You know, when you want to annoy the parents but not totally ruin your relationships. When you want total ruination and to never again be contacted, that’s when you do the bullhorn.
Permanent Markers
They have to be encouraged in their artistic side. The kid is three years old and just wants to paint on the walls. It can be made permanent, but you never know when it will be worth anything.
Clarinet
It’s not as painful as a violin, but it’s much easier to grasp, and the fun will never end with a shiny new clarinet. The headaches will never end too.
Bop-It!
The only games of Satan that a parent has ever bought are the evil friends of their children. There are people who tie women to the railroad tracks and have mustaches. About four million times a day, do you know someone who wants to hear, “Twist it… pull it… twist it… bop it… I don’t.
Board games with a gazillion tiny pieces
For my mother, that was Hi-Ho Cherry-O. She would suck up the plastic cherries that were in her vacuum. We used the money to buy a new vacuum when the old one broke because she needed counseling to heal the anxiety she got from the game.
Play-doh
Play-Doh has been around for more than 65 years and has sold over 3 billion cans of the stuff. Even though Play-Doh is not loud or painful when stepped on, it gets into everything, dries into carpets and clothes, and sometimes is even eaten by little ones.
Rock Tumbler
The sheer constant tumbling noise from the rough rocks being, well, quite literally tumbled, is what makes the tumbler kit so annoying. Many kids who grew up with rock tumblers have ended up becoming adults that shop at crystal stores.
Kinetic Sand
Kids love Kinetic Sand for its moldability and interesting sensory experience, but it can be difficult to deal with as a parent. Kinetic Sand is made from a combination of 98 percent ultra-fine grain sand and 2 percent dimethicone (polydimethylsiloxane), which makes it not only a very messy toy to keep around the house but also toxic to most pets if ingested.
Rubber Chicken
The Rubber Chicken has been a classic tool in clowning and other entertainment acts since the early 1900s, but it has also become a common gag toy for little ones, much to the annoyance of parents. The imitation chicken toy makes a horrendous squeaking noise when it’s squeezed, and for one reason or another, it results in fits of laughter even after the hundredth squeeze.
Ikiki Squeaky Shoes
The squishy little toddler sneakers are adorable, made for new walkers, and come in a high-top design that makes it easier to keep them strapped onto little feet. While the built-in squeaker can be turned off, no parent wants to listen to their child making a loud noise with every step they take.
Yellies!
We don’t know who invented Yellies!, but we think that whoever it was probably doesn’t have kids at home. Is there more that we need to say? Kids need to yell as loud as possible to make the toy react and move because the spider-shaped toy feeds off of yelling.
Ball Pit
Are you talking about a ball pit at an amusement park or a fast food place? It’s the perfect way to burn some energy before heading home. Should the ball pit be at home? Parents don’t want to spend the day-tripping over or chasing after an endless stream of colorful plastic balls, it’s a cluttered, messy, danger zone.
Karaoke Machine
It is possible to pull out the karaoke machine on a Friday night when the kids are excited. But try telling that to the kids when they’re bursting with energy and ready at 8:30 a.m, on a Sunday morning, is terrible.
Think & Learn Code-a-Pillar Toy
A Code-a-Pillar toy is a smart option for parents looking to foster problem solving and critical thinking in little ones but unfortunately, most parents agree that this brain toy is simply too loud and it can not turn down or mute.
Slingshot Flying Screaming Monkey
This seemingly innocent kids’ toy was designed to be flung aggressively through the air and screams when it crashes into the walls, furniture, expensive floor lamps, or heirlooms you might have on display. It is extremely annoying.
Silly String
We admit the silly string is fun to use, but have you ever tried to clean it up? It doesn’t come out of clothes very easily because of the sticky mess. After being used as an instant cast for injuries, the aerosol product was much better received as an outdoor toy and is sometimes used at weddings despite its messy reputation.
Polly Pocket
A hundred shades of bubblegum pink and adorably micro-sized, Polly Pocket seems like a great toy for older kids, until you step on one of her teeny tiny accessories.
Fisher-Price Laugh & Learn Puppy
The Fisher-Price Laughing Puppy is safe for young babies and educational, but it is sensitive and can be set off just by the smallest baby bump which can wake your baby and even you up.
Melissa and Doug Sound Puzzles
The sensory toys are great for encouraging littles to explore shapes and sounds, but once they are able, the upgraded (and very annoying) version of the classic wooden puzzles farm animal and vehicle noises play on loop.
Hot Wheels
Since their introduction more than 50 years ago, Hot Wheels have been a staple in every child’s household. They are affordable, fun to play with, and can be used in many track and imagination games. If you have ever stepped on one of the sharp little metal cars, you will understand why they are on the list.
Barbie
Barbie first hit the scene in 1959 and has become a household classic ever since. While she doesn’t make noise or come with very sharp pieces, she has a lot of accessories. One Barbie can turn into a whole playroom full of different Barbies and accessories that will somehow always end up in every corner of the house.
Jenga
Jenga has become a well-loved board game for families around the world, but cleaning it up after the tower falls is extremely tedious and time-consuming.
Kerplunk
Kerplunk is very similar in concept to Jenga, but it is much louder and more aggressive when everything starts tumbling down. It takes a long time to strategically stick all those little plastic wands through the perforated sides.
Star Wars Scream Saber Lightsaber
The upgraded Lightsaber allows kids to record their own sound effects and play them back with a flick of the wrist, making the new Star Wars Scream Saber a whole new level of irritating.
Rainbow Loom
The Rainbow Loom was invented just over a decade ago by Cheong Choon Ng in Novi, Michigan. The Rainbow Loom is a smart toy to get older kids to be creative and work with their hands, the little rubber bands somehow end up all over the house which is very time-consuming to clean up and can even be dangerous to babies and pets.
AquaBeads
AquaBeads were first invented in 2004 and have quickly become a well-loved classic. The stick-with-water beads are easy and safe to work with, but they end up making a huge mess and getting everywhere, even when it is just water.
Recorder
Most elementary-aged kids learn to play the recorder at school but are encouraged to practice at home. Sure, it’s cute to see little ones learning to create their own music, but that novelty fades after you’ve listened to “Hot Cross Buns” a hundred times a day.
Hungry Hungry Hippos
Hungry Hungry Hippos is a very fun way to spend an hour or so, but it is much less enjoyable when the endless hippos echo through the house for hours at a time. It is a loud game that should be reserved for the cottage or grandma’s house.
Nerf Gun
It is not a violent toy, but being poked with a Nerf Gun over and over is very annoying. It’s worse if you have a rogue Nerf pellet hitting your furniture or shelving and knocking over glassware.
LEGO
LEGO was first released in Billund, Denmark, by Ole Kirk Christiansen, and has become a standard in pretty much every family household. Every parent or older sibling knows that there is nothing worse than accidentally stepping on a sharp little LEGO piece.
Furby
Considered to be one of the most anticipated toys of the late 1990s, Furbies were well-loved by kids for their alien-like voices and owl-like resemblance. Being the first domestically aimed robot, the mysterious little guys are programmed to learn.
Fisher-Price Corn Popper
If you were born after the late 1950s, chances are good that you have used a Fisher-Price Corn Popper. The micro-sized, vacuum-like toy lets little ones run wild while “pop” a series of colorful balls that shoot around in a little globe making an unbelievable amount of noise. Yes, that is correct. Is it that makes it Annoying? That is incredibly so.
Kids Toy Baseball Set
One minute your kids will be playing a nice game of baseball, the next they will be beating each other up with a ball. This is a great gift idea for kids who enjoy sports. With some adult supervision, this would be a great outdoor toy for kids of all ages.
Tamagotchi
These toys made their first appearance in the late 90s and are enjoying something of a revival now, with their constant beeping for food or to be cleaned, children everywhere off-load these battery-powered pets onto their parents to care for while they went to school. There were a lot of kids who were upset because they were told their pets better be alive when they got home.
Fisher Price Kids Xylophone
The sound of your toddler banging against a brightly colored Fisher-Price xylophone is similar to the doorbell. It is actually pretty cute if you can get over how annoying it is. If you want your toddler to love music, you should consider getting them a cute little instrument.
Baby Shark Music & Light Plush
The brightly colored sharks and repetitive tunes of the song “Baby Shark” have become popular. You can have both if you have this cute plush singing toy. Bad news for any adult who has ever heard the song is that this is a great gift idea for children who are obsessed with baby sharks.
Baby Alive Baby Doll
Baby Alive is a doll brand that many little girls love to play with, but unfortunately, parents hate them because they are exactly like having another kid around the house. One baby is enough. That is correct, that is what I mean! This baby is able to eat, drink, and poop like a real baby. Kids like this to be a lot of fun.
Kids Foam Swords
These things can be weapons, so don’t let the fact that they’re made out of foam fool you. The swords are a lot of fun for kids and anyone who likes to play pretend. People who are around kids can tell you that these swords can become weapons in less than 5 minutes. But anyone who is around kids can tell you that these swords can become weapons in like 5 minutes.
Wooden Paddle Ball Toy
Like the toy above, this is a really fun toy that can quickly turn into a war weapon. This would make a great party favor for a little older child who can figure it out. If you give these out as party favors to kids, you’ll see how much parents dislike them.
Frozen Magical Sing Along Pretend Microphone
If you buy this microphone, you will wake up at 3:00 AM and hear the song “Let It Go” in your children’s bedroom. It’s at everyone’s hour of the day to be sure, but maybe not at 3:00 AM. This microphone is fun for kids who love Frozen and would be a great birthday or Christmas gift idea. However, it still can be annoying to parents.
Giant Bear
Where are we going to put that massive animal? Unless the child you are giving lives in a serious mansion or has a sparse playroom, parents want you to rethink this inconvenient toy. Unless you have to live with a life-size stuffed animal, a life-size stuffed animal is a really fun idea.
Chuckle Ball
The Chuckle Ball sounded like a thousand gremlins when it was visited by San Diego mom Julie Ritchie. If that doesn’t sound bad to you, consider this: “It will go off if you toss a toy in the toy box; however, it never seems to work when your child actually wants it to make noise. Any parents will be glad that their son broke the Chuckle Ball because he slammed it on the floor too many times.
Toy Lawn Mower
It may seem innocent to have toy lawn lawnmowers. Do you think pretending to mow the grass is harmful? There are lots, well, plenty. One mother does do not appreciate her children’s penchant for bringing this toy into the house to race.”They take the handle off and just push it like a big toy car up and down the hallway until we’re done with them” “They all loved it, so sadly I’m sure it will find its way back into our house by the next birthday,” she says.
Stinky the Garbage Truck
The toy that belches and passes gas is more annoying than anything else. It burps and farts, and its moving parts are louder than its talking, so it is just so overwhelming, says Los Angeles mom of one Dannikke Walkker. It was sitting in the closet because my son was afraid of it.
WWE John Cena Crushers Toy
This John Cena toy is extremely loud and the bad thing is it did not have an off switch. Parents had to take out the batteries after her son was gifted a toy that was too loud. Every parent hates loud toys because they can wake them up when they taking a nap and it is even worse when there is no off switch. More about John Cena.
What kind of toys most hated by parents?
Children like noisy toys. And noisy toys are the easiest ones to sell. Just look in any toy store and you will see what I mean. There they are, all lined up neat and tidy, brightly colored and squeaky. But wait! Not so fast! Before you go snatching up those toys, you better make sure your child likes noise… and… that he likes it a lot! You see, not every child is “noise-sensitive”. The parents hate the loud toys because it is annoying and can wake them up while they are sleeping. Moreover, parents also dislike the toys that can easily mess up and they have to clean all of them immediately. Therefore, it’s best for the parents to avoid these kinds of toys altogether. In addition, no one likes toys that can harm their children. The toys that they produce are made of toxic materials that can harm the child. The parents should avoid toys that do not have the right guidelines.
FAQs
What is the most annoying child’s toy?
It is definitely toys on the top 50 list above. We have listed all the toys that parents dislike and they don’t want to see these toys in their life.
What are parents looking for in toys?
Parents looking for toys that interest all children in the household and promote communication, physical interaction with the toy or with others, and imagination, are the ones that we spoke to.
What makes a toy attractive?
A good toy is one that is fun for your child and suitable for his age, developmental needs, and personality. Generally, it also has one or more of the following qualities. The appeal of the toy will be lost after the first half hour if it does all the work.
Conclusion
The toys above are the most hated toys by parents. Consider when you decide to give parents some toys for their kids if you don’t want to be hated too. I hope the list can help you when choosing toys.
