Clackers

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For other meanings of the term, see Clackers (disambiguation)

Clackers are a form of toy, briefly popular in the early 1970s. They are formed out of two hard plastic marbles, each about two inches in diameter, attached to a ring with sturdy string. The player puts his or her finger in the ring, allowing the marbles or balls to hang below. Through a gentle up-and-down hand motion, the two balls swing apart and together, making the clacking noise that give the toy its name. After a little practice, it is possible to get the marbles swinging so that they knock together above the hand as well as below.

Clackers were eventually discontinued after children got injured whilst playing with them: besides being fairly heavy and fast-moving, the spheres, being made of hard acrylic plastic, could shatter upon striking each other.

There is a recurring urban legend that the clacker spheres were made of glass, although no one has ever produced an actual glass set. The confusion may have arisen because many sets were made of transparent colored acrylic which resembled glass.

Alternate Names Include:
Bonkers
Clackers
Click-Clacks
Crackers
K-Nokkers
Ker-Knockers
Klackers
Klick-Klacks
Knockers
Mini-Poppers
Popper Knockers
Rockers
Super Clackers
Quick Clacks
Whackers
Whak KOs

The toys enjoyed a brief renewal of popularity in the 1990s when clackers consisting of a handle and plastic triangles with the plastic marbles at the end giving weight to the free moving toy. It was played the same way and were always in bright neon colours.