Many times over the years, I’ve used the phrase “as a kid that grew up in the 80s,” or some variation thereof. While born in the 70s, the 1980s are my reference point for play, and sometimes that play got messy and weird. It was a decade that brought forth the gross-out humor of the Garbage Pail Kids (I still have the movie on DVD), Madballs, and even the famous SLIME that still remains a part of Nickelodeon’s DNA 30+ years after YOU CAN’T DO THAT ON TELEVISION. The “gross” toy movement of the 80s also brought with it one big disappointment for me – the HE-MAN and the MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE Evil Horde Slime Pit. I wanted that thing so bad, and after receiving it for my birthday, my parents took it back to the store after reading that the green slime “may stain furniture and clothing.” Didn’t even get to open it. But now, in 2016, my wife and I are parents, and we know full-well that kids just love boogers. Not just the fantastic kindie punk rock band, THE BOOGERS, but the genuine article – pick ’em, flick ’em, eat ’em. I can tell you with 100% certainty that I never recall ever eating a booger, but The Rock Daughters have both been known to dine from the nostril, from time to time. So do they dig BOOGER BALLS, the new outdoor concoction from Funrise Toys (makers of the excellent TONKA and Gazillion Bubbles)? Well, yes… very much. In fact, this past Saturday was “National Pick Your Nose Day,” but do kids really need a “day” for that?
“It’s SNOT a water balloon!,” or so goes the slogan on this new line of “slimy, gross, outdoor play” items, and that’s true – it’s snot! Like a bizarre combination of slime, ectoplasm, gak, goop, and straight-up bouncy boogery weirdness, kids do love the Booger Balls. You choose from Gross Green, Repulsive Red or Yucky Yellow Booger powder, then mix it together in the special Booger Balls “bath,” and the balls (not necessarily all “round,” mind you) will “magically form.”
I became the Head Booger Technician, a mixologist of muck, keeping the Boogers flowing after Addie helped to whip up the first boogery batch.
So here’s the deal – with multiple Booger Balls available from Starter Sets to the Shaker Maker, Booger Flicker or the Ultimate Battle Pack – I’m gonna say to go with the Ultimate. Thing is, these are messy. While the tutorial videos posted by Funrise look pretty “clean,” we made a mess. And while overall these are definitely fun for the kids, the parent in me says to watch out for those shaker bottles – they leak, and seem near-impossible to get a great seal at the top. Cool concept, but not quite “there” on the bottles.
The Bottom Line: The texture is weird, and they certainly make some splat-tastic messes, and that’s what Booger Balls are all about. Kids like the messes, and though it could be a stretch, there’s a learning element here as well – our oldest daughter is quite curious about “how they work.” The science involved in the “boogers” and how they form is pretty interesting, indeed. In the end, Booger Balls are Rock Daughter-approved, but I’m not a huge fan. If it were 1985, I’d LOVE these. Wait, did I just become my parents?
Learn more: http://www.funrise.com/boogerballs/
