Warning: old Lite-Brite bulbs can get scary hot after 20 minutes

I was in my parents basement last Saturday digging through old bins and found my Lite-Brite from 1987. Plugged it in to see if it still worked and after about 20 minutes the plastic around the bulb holes started getting soft and bendy. I pulled the plug quick but a couple of the pegs had already warped. I guess those original bulbs run way hotter than the LED ones they sell now. Has anyone else had old light-up toys get dangerously hot like that?

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umac717h ago

Pulled my old Easy-Bake oven out of storage last year for a nostalgic baking session and nearly burned down the kitchen. Those original lightbulb ovens get crazy hot, way hotter than the new ones with actual heating elements. My mom walked in and started screaming about childhood safety recalls from the 90s. I ended up just throwing the whole thing away because the wiring was all cracked and peeling. Its wild how they used to think hot lightbulbs were fine for kids toys to cook with. Your Lite-Brite story makes me wonder how many of us are sitting on fire hazards in our basements.