SAN DIEGO — Consumer safety experts urge parents to look beyond cute packaging this holiday season as dangerous toys continue to pose serious risks to children.
Despite improvements in toy safety standards, more than 150,000 toy-related injuries and deaths were reported last year, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission.
Two major watchdog groups released their annual toy safety reports Tuesday. The California Public Interest Research Group's (CALPIRG) "Trouble in Toyland" report highlights the ongoing availability of banned items like water beads, which pose severe choking hazards.
"We've made gains in toy safety for kids, but problems still exist," said Fiona Hines, CALPIRG Legislative Advocate. "By offering tips to shoppers, we can help people avoid dangerous toys that could endanger their children's health."
The World Against Toys Causing Harm (W.A.T.C.H) organization released its "10 Worst Toys" list, featuring items including the Pinovk Toy Colt 45 Pistol, which could be mistaken for a real weapon, and the Snackles-Sandy infant pillow, which presents suffocation risks.
Investigators found that some manufacturers circumvent safety regulations by removing words like "toy" or "play" from their marketing materials. Many overseas companies shipping through platforms like Amazon and eBay mislabel toy shipments as household goods to bypass strict safety standards.
For parents concerned about choking hazards, Dr. Helen Arbogast, injury prevention manager at Children's Hospital Los Angeles, recommends a simple test: if a toy fits inside a toilet paper roll, it poses a risk for children under 5.
WATCH's complete list of dangerous toys includes:
- Bristle Hedgehog (ingestion risk)
- Transformers Earthspark Cyber-Sleeve (eye injury risk)
- Kinetic Sand Scents Ice Cream Treats (ingestion risk)
- Wubble Rumblers Inflatable Furious Fist (impact injury risk)
- Click N' Play Toy Remote Set (choking risk)
- X-Shot Poppy Playtime (eye injury risk)
- Playzone-Fit Tri-Flyer (impact injury risk)
- Zoo Jamz Doggy Xylophone (choking risk)
Experts advise parents to inspect toys carefully before purchase and be particularly cautious when ordering from overseas retailers.