A consumer group known as World Against Toys Causing Harm (WATCH) has released their annual list of most dangerous toys for children. This information comes at a useful time as many of us are gearing up for the Christmas shopping, especially with Black Friday deals just around the corner.
Since January 2015, there have been over 800,000 toy recalls – with 500,000 of them taking place this year.
Advertisement
According to WATCH, every three minutes a child is sent to the emergency department as a result of a toy-related injury. The group said in a statement, “Consumers can inspect new toys as well as toys already in homes and schools for dangerous hazards and stay away from any toys that may have been recalled, caused injuries, or are defective. Awareness of classic hidden toy hazards can prevent injuries. Shockingly, classic toy dangers, such as small parts, strings, projectiles, toxic substances, rigid materials, and inaccurate warnings and labels, resurface each year in newly designed toys.”
This year’s list is comprised of the following:
- Peppa Pig’s Muddy Puddles Family (Target, Amazon.com) – choking hazard from small parts.
- Kids Time Baby Children’s Elephant Pillow (Amazon.com) –suffocation hazard, no warning.
- Slimeball Slinger (Toys ‘R’ Us, Amazon.com) – Slimeball ammunition can be fired with enough force to cause eye injury.
- Banzai Bump N’ Bounce Body Bumpers (Walmart, Amazon.com, Ebay.com, Sears.com) – potential for impact injuries.
- Nerf Rival Apollo XV-700 Blaster (Walmart.com, Target.com, Amazon.com, Kmart.com) – potential for eye injury, no warning.
- The Good Dinosaur Galloping Butch (Amazon.com, Walmart.com, Toys ‘R’ Us.com) – potential for puncture wounds due to pointed tail, warns about small parts but not about puncture wound threat.
- Peppy Pups (Toys ‘R’ Us) – risk of strangulation due to long cord, no warning.
- Flying Heroes Superman Launcher (Toys ‘R’ Us, Amazon.com, Walmart.com, Sears.com, Ebay.com, BigW.com) – risk of eye and facial injuries.
- Baby Magic Feed and Play Baby (Toys ‘R’ Us, Amazon.com, Sears.com) – spoon that comes with doll has the potential to be mouthed and block a child’s airway, no warning.
- Warcraft Doomhammer (Toys ‘R’ Us, Amazon.com) – risk of blunt impact injury.
Although these are just the top 10 hazardous toys, parents and grandparents should keep in mind that this is by no means an exhaustive list.
Emily Lunardo studied medical sociology at York University with a strong focus on the social determinants of health and mental illness. She is a registered Zumba instructor, as well as a Canfit Pro trainer, who teaches fitness classes on a weekly basis. Emily practices healthy habits in her own life as well as helps others with their own personal health goals. Emily joined Bel Marra Health as a health writer in 2013.
