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Does Anyone Remember Clackers?

(54 Posts)
Fairycakes Thu 23-Nov-23 14:12:54

Does anyone remember the toy called Clackers which were popular in the early 70s? I seem to recall there was a bit of a craze on them. I had a set and was really good at them but the balls used to drop and whack you hard on the wrist if you didn't keep the momentum going. One girl at our high school broke her wrist using them and after that they were banned from the playground. Such fun days 🤣🤣🤣

mazgoli Sun 26-Nov-23 11:13:41

I absolutely loved them. Played with them every spare minute - when I wasn't pogo-ing! - then suddenly they disappeared. Thrown away without even a conversation, because someone, somewhere in the world had reputedly lost an eye while playing with them!
Think I moved onto Jacks after that. Much safer for the eyes!

mokryna Sat 25-Nov-23 19:43:12

I remember arriving by boat to an idyllic little Greek island only to be spoiled by the sound of the Clackers.

hugshelp Thu 23-Nov-23 21:16:13

OH yes. I remember bashing my hands silly with them. Also remember some getting tangled around a telephone wire above the road after a friend let go on a rather overenthusiastic up thrust.

nandad Thu 23-Nov-23 20:57:41

Mine were red. My brother bought them for me using his petrol round earnings. After I bashed my wrists a few times he made me ‘wrist protectors’ using a cereal box and sellotape.

Lucyd Thu 23-Nov-23 20:46:19

I remember them but never had any. They always looked a bit vicious!

Grannybags Thu 23-Nov-23 20:45:08

My sons had them. I seem to remember bright green with orange string. Definitely remember the bruises on my arms!

lixy Thu 23-Nov-23 20:36:08

Mine were pastel green - and I think I've still got the bruises!

We had the ankle-skip toys too. I used one at my Junior school but we were far too grown-up to have one at high school. It was fun.

CanadianGran Thu 23-Nov-23 18:51:31

It seemed that the boys in our school had them, and the craze for the girls were the ankle skip toys similar to below. At the end was more of a bell shape rather than a ball.

www.walmart.com/ip/Ankle-Ball-Skip-Rope-Jump-Jumping-Skipping-Game-Balls-Sports-Kids-Toys-Exercise-Fitness-Hopper-Kid-Outdoor-It-Ring/1387096942?athbdg=L1700

Chris3 Thu 23-Nov-23 18:44:13

Oh I remember them! I had a pastel green pair. I also remember the pain when they hit your wrist 🤣

Celieanne86 Thu 23-Nov-23 18:30:50

I remember Clackers. My son aged about 7 kept on and on about having them I was busy with a new born so didn’t really know about them but gave him and his pal the money to buy them from the corner shop I soon learned when I heard the noise and then the cry of pain as the swinging ball hit my lad full on the face he had a mighty bruise and the clackers went in the bin. To this day DH doesn’t know the truth of how the black eye really happened !!

Mollygo Thu 23-Nov-23 18:26:02

Some DGC have asked for them for Christmas. I have asked them to sign an acknowledgement that I won’t be held responsible for any damage.
They are now being marketed as:
Children's and Adults' Pressure reducing Balls, Used for Training Balance Ability, Concentration and stress reducing.

Nannee49 Thu 23-Nov-23 18:06:28

First saw them when on holiday in Italy - I think 1973? The pleasant sounds of the evening passeggiata were drowned out by a cacophony of LOUD clacking wherever we went, happy dayssmile

LadyGracie Thu 23-Nov-23 17:26:42

I remember the pain!

Oldnproud Thu 23-Nov-23 17:12:44

I remember that there was something about the shape and even the pastel colours (of the various sets of clackers I had) that my brain associated with those hard, two-coloured Swizzles lollies.
Even now, I am picturing clackers but am 'smelling' and 'tasting' those lollies - I must have a very weird brain!

Oldnproud Thu 23-Nov-23 17:02:50

I loved them.

MrsKen33 Thu 23-Nov-23 17:00:32

Yes and I remember the chap who lived two doors down, practising them in the garden. The howl of agony when he banged his wrists with them .

NotSpaghetti Thu 23-Nov-23 16:08:49

shysal oh no! 🫢

shysal Thu 23-Nov-23 15:53:45

My daughters had them, along with the bruises!
I once had a coupling chain to attach to a dog lead for two dogs. It worked in a similar way in that when I pulled the lead they knocked their heads together! smile

dotpocka Thu 23-Nov-23 15:47:44

www.amazon.com/CLACKERS/s?k=CLACKERS&tag=gransnetforum-21

still sell them

Visgir1 Thu 23-Nov-23 15:31:14

Remember hurting my wrist with them, but I was a typical kid, I wasn't going to give up.

Fairycakes Thu 23-Nov-23 15:01:57

Sorry, folks - just having a Fairycakes moment 😜🥴

Georgesgran Thu 23-Nov-23 15:00:30

Banned at my school too.
I seem to remember it was quite easy to get them going, it was stopping that caused the problem!

Fairycakes Thu 23-Nov-23 14:59:41

I've managed to rectify the problem. I had ticked a box for last messages to show at the top, instead of the bottom of the page. Time for a cuppa, I think 😁

Fairycakes Thu 23-Nov-23 14:56:14

I think I must have changed something on the settings bc my post which. Should show at the top of the page, isn't 😜. Still getting used to how to work things 🥴

Fairycakes Thu 23-Nov-23 14:53:38

I wonder how my post ended up down here 😳. Very odd 🤔😀