Bunchems are possibly the hottest toys of 2015 for little ones. They come in multi-coloured pieces and they can be attached to each other to assemble different creations.
They are basically like the sphere cousins of Lego. But if your child gets these pieces stuck in her hair, we are here to tell you that the agony you will experience is worse than stepping on a piece of Lego!
Parents are claiming Bunchems to be the worst toy ever. “A toy spawned from the darkest depths of hell”, as described by one Amazon review.
These building balls get ridiculously tangled in hair, no thanks to their countless little hooks. Unfortunately, this has happened many little girls and some even had to have their lovely tresses cut off.
Manufacturer takes action
The toy has been subjected to so much hate online that Spin Master, the manufacturer of Bunchems, has added a pop-up warning on both its main website and the Bunchems website.
It reads: “IMPORTANT PRODUCT INFO: DO NOT PUT BUNCHEMS IN HAIR”, along with a video on how to remove them from hair should it happen anyway, and an official statement from the company.
In the statement, Spin Master reiterated that Bunchems “are intended only to be adhered to other Bunchems”.
There is a clear warning label that says, “Caution: Keep away from hair. May become entangled” on the packaging and instructions.
According to the company, they have also changed the colour of the warning to make it even more conspicuous to consumers.
There are still pro-Bunchems parents
Among all the outrage, some adults are just confused as to how the Bunchems balls are getting into hair in the first place, to which others offered their explanations:
“Kids build things with them, so many are stuck to each other and when one become entangled, if it moves, it becomes MORE entangled. There are hundreds of tiny hooks on them, so as it moves, it hooks more hair. They are very difficult to remove.”
“When the kids play, they dont just play with one or two. So when it accidentally got on their hair, it won’t be just one or two. And if they try to get the Bunchems off themselves, that’s when the mess really comes in. “
“Telling a child not to let a toy touch their hair when they play is like telling a child not to get marker on their hands when they colour.”
Despite all the negativity, some parents put the blame for the accidents on plain carelessness and disregard for the warnings and instructions. They stand by the toys, saying that they are great tools to encourage creativity, colour recognition and fine motor skills.
Hate it or love it, Bunchems are still selling out despite having been on the market for only four months. As with all toys, there are safety precautions to keep in mind.
If your child gets Bunchems as a gift this festive season, make sure she wears a hat or braids her hair before letting her near the toy, as a preventive measure.
Whatever you do, just don’t do as this Amazon reviewer shared:
“My niece saw that they stick to hair and made a hat that then got tangled up in her hair.”
Children are curious beings but come on now, that one was just begging for trouble now, wasn’t she?
We’d love to hear what you think of Bunchems in the comments below!