Buzz
From friendly battles with pals to playful sibling showdowns, NERF’s extensive toy lineup has been a cornerstone of childhood happiness. Discover 11 exciting NERF facts below. Don’t miss your chance to win an amazing collection of NERF gear—details are at the end!
1. The term NERF has an unexpected origin—drag racing. During the late 1960s, foam-padded bars, often referred to as “nerf bars,” were installed on the front of trucks used to push racers to the starting line, protecting the cars from damage.
2. The inaugural NERF product—a 4-inch polyurethane foam ball—was created by Reyn Guyer, the mind behind Twister, in 1969. Parker Brothers launched it in 1970 as the first-ever indoor ball, and it sold millions by the end of that year.
3. The Monkees, the iconic band, starred in a 1970 commercial promoting NERF balls.
4. Early NERF ads famously claimed, "Toss it inside without worry—no harm to lamps, windows, babies, or the elderly."
5. Fred Cox, a Minnesota Vikings kicker, created the NERF football, which debuted in 1972. That same year, NERFoop, a basketball game, was released, followed by indoor baseball in 1983.
Hasbro
6. Originally named the Power Drencher, the Super Soaker was designed by aerospace engineer Lonnie Johnson and launched in 1989. (It joined the NERF lineup in 2010.)
Hasbro
7. NERF had a landmark year in 1992, launching its first dart blaster, the NERF Sharpshooter, and a slingshot, featured in a quirky commercial with Seth Green.
Seth Green wasn’t the only rising star to feature in NERF ads. Devon Sawa also starred in a 1993 commercial for the brand:
8. George Clooney, known for his on-set antics, loves using NERF toys to prank his co-stars. Anna Kendrick, who worked with him in Up in the Air, shared, "He’d toss NERF balls around during prep, and I’d have to dodge them." Ryan Gosling, who collaborated with Clooney in Ides of March, had a similar story: "He kept a NERF gun behind the camera and would shoot it if he disliked a take."
9. NERF has made cameos in popular TV shows like The Office, 30 Rock, Modern Family, and Chuck.
10. Over the last five years, NERF has sold an astonishing number of darts—enough to wrap around the Earth four times.
11. NERF designers have access to specialized testing spaces, including a massive warehouse where they replicate indoor settings such as basements, bedrooms, offices, and dorm rooms. It’s a dream job for toy enthusiasts!
AND NOW, A CONTEST!
Share your favorite NERF summer memory in the comments below. We’ll select the best story, and the winner will receive a NERF prize bundle featuring five amazing products: the NERF N-STRIKE ELITE ROUGH CUT Blaster, NERF SUPER SOAKER ARCTIC SHOCK Water Blaster, NERF FIREVISION SPORTS FLYER Set, NERF N-SPORTS PRO GRIP Football, and NERF VORTEX DIATRON Blaster. Entries must be submitted by midnight PST on Friday, June 14. Good luck!
