The 10 Most Dangerous Toys in America

Don’t be fooled: This little guy isn’t as innocent as he looks.(Courtesy of W.A.T.C.H.)

Black Friday is almost upon us, which will undoubtedly bring news stories of crazed parents trampling each other to snag the hottest new toy.

But it’s not just the antics of overly enthusiastic moms and dads that can make the toy store a scary place: Some of the items on your child’s holiday wish list may pose a serious safety threat.

“A lot of parents have a false sense of security — that once toys get onto shelves, they’re OK,” Joan Siff, president of World Against Toys Causing Harm, or W.A.T.C.H., told Yahoo Health. “That’s really not the case.”

Since 1973, W.A.T.C.H. has released an annual dangerous-toys list — and for good reason: Last year, nine children under age 15 died in toy-related accidents, most often due to asphyxiation, according to a report from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), released yesterday. Another 256,700 toy-related injuries were treated in emergency rooms across the country; nearly three-fourths of the incidents occurred in children under age 15.

Why are dangerous toys still showing up on store shelves? “It’s a huge industry — over $22 billion in the United States,” said Siff. “In any industry that large, some companies will be driven by profits.” Translation: Despite the industry’s growing knowledge of past toy-related injuries — and how to avoid them — sales are often prioritized over safety.

Although the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008 shined a spotlight on the toy-safety issue, a regulation has no effect without proper enforcement. “The safety commission does not have the resources to police the market,” Siff said. And even though recalls can help banish problematic products from stores, there’s no guarantee that every hazardous toy will be returned. “Recalls are often too little, too late,” she said.

The 10 toys on the W.A.T.C.H. list are specifically flagged as dangerous, but they’re not the only risky items out there. Each item was chosen to represent a range of toy-related hazards, such as choking and strangulation, ideally to give parents a sense of what to watch out for when shopping. “We don’t want people saying, ‘If we avoid these 10 toys, all the other toys are safe,’” said Siff. “This is something parents can arm themselves with when they go into the toy store.”

And with that, here are the toys to avoid:

1. Air Storm Firetek Bow

(Photo courtesy of W.A.T.C.H.)

Price: $15-$24.97
Manufacturer or distributor: Zing
Retailer(s): Walmart, Amazon.com
Age recommendation: “Designed for kids 8+”

The popularity of the Hunger Games series has likely triggered a surge in sales of bow-and-arrow toys, but that doesn’t mean our kids should all be playing Katniss this Christmas. “This toy does shoot with quite a bit of force,” said Siff. “At a demonstration, it was shot into a wall and ricocheted. It hit the chest of a reporter.”

The Amazon description refers to the Firetek as a set of “safety bow and arrows,” yet the manufacturer, Zing, also warns that “arrows should not be pulled back at more than half strength” and cautions against aiming at the eyes or face. “These warnings are unrealistic for an 8-year-old to follow in real-life play,” Siff said. “What 8-year-old is going to be able to stop pulling back an arrow halfway? Or be able to precisely not aim at another child’s eyes or face?”

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2. Radio Flyer Ziggle

(Photo courtesy of W.A.T.C.H.)

Price: $39.99
Manufacturer or distributor: Radio Flyer, Inc.
Retailer(s): Target, Toys R Us, Amazon.com
Age recommendation: “3-8 years”

Radio Flyer wagons are a classic, but this four-wheeled cycle (hopefully) won’t stand the test of time: The manufacturers encourage young kids to “try new tricks” and “race around the block,” even though the warnings say to stay away from motor vehicles and streets. “That’s inconsistent marketing,” said Siff. Plus, since the seat is only eight inches off the ground, it may be tough for drivers to see Ziggle riders if they do venture around the block.

Another problem: The warnings state that little cyclists should always wear a helmet, even though the child on the product’s box is totally unprotected. “A picture is worth a thousand words,” said Siff. “Although we’d like parents to read the fine print, that may not happen.” Read: Parents may let kids go helmet free if they only use the box’s image as a reference.

3. Catapencil

(Photo courtesy of W.A.T.C.H.)

Price: $3.99
Manufacturer or distributor: Toysmith
Retailer(s): Amazon.com, Ebay.com, Learning Express
Age recommendation: None

What looks like a clever twist on a slingshot could be a recipe for poking an eye out. “It’s literally a sharpened pencil in the shape of a slingshot,” Siff said. “A sharpened pencil is not a plaything, and it shouldn’t be sold as one. And slingshots are actually illegal in Massachusetts and many other states.” Another worrisome issue: Toysmith, the maker of the pencil launcher, doesn’t specify an appropriate age for the toy or provide any safety guidelines.

4. Alphabet Zoo Rock & Stack Pull Toy

(Photo courtesy of W.A.T.C.H.)

Price: $19.99
Manufacturer or distributor: Skip Hop
Retailer(s): Amazon.com, Toys R Us, Magic Beans
Age Recommendation: “Ages 18m+”

What could be worrisome about a toy train toting an adorable elephant, lion, and owl? One word: strangulation. This pull toy, recommended for children 18 months and older, has a 20-inch cord, even though the CPSC cautions that strings and cords long enough to fit around a child’s neck pose a serious strangulation risk.

“If you market a toy as a crib toy, then the string needs to be under 12 inches,” said Siff. “This is not sold as a crib toy, even though it’s sold for 18-month-olds, who may be in cribs.” The manufacturer, Skip Hop, does warn of the strangulation risk — but only on the bottom of the package, not on the toy itself.

5. Swat Electric Machine Gun

(Photo courtesy of W.A.T.C.H.)

Price: $9.99
Manufacturer or distributor: Junxing Toys Industrial Co., Ltd.; Toy 2U “Manufactory” Company, Ltd.
Retailer(s): Kmart
Age recommendation: “For Ages 5+”

The problem with this toy: It doesn’t look like a toy. As the manufacturer warns, “This product may be mistaken for an actual firearm by law enforcement officers and others.” According to Siff, “Realistic-looking toy weaponry has led to some sad, fatal consequences in the past, when police officers have mistaken them for real weapons.” Although the Swat gun does have a colorful tip identifying it as a toy, “if it’s dark out, you really can’t see it,” noted Siff.

6. Spark. Create. Imagine. Wooden Instruments

(Photo courtesy of W.A.T.C.H.)

Price: $9.97
Manufacturer or distributor: Walmart Stores, Inc.
Retailer(s): Walmart
Age Recommendation: “12m+”

Walmart markets this set of instruments as being for kids as young as a year, even though the drumstick could easily block a small child’s airway. “When consumers are looking for choking and aspiration hazards, they often look for small parts that are removable,” Siff said. “Which is great — you need to do that. But in addition to small parts, these long, slender objects have led to aspiration injuries in the past.” In fact, she said, baby rattles with a similar shape have previously been recalled.

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7. Bottle Rocket Party

(Photo courtesy of W.A.T.C.H.)

Price: $14.99
Manufacturer or distributor: Norman & Globus, Inc.
Retailer(s): Walmart.com, Amazon.com, Village Toy Shop
Age recommendation: “Ages 8+”

Apparently, it’s now acceptable to market fireworks to 8-year-olds. “Just by the name, it’s something to be avoided,” said Siff. “Do you really want your 8-year-old firing bottle rockets?” Although the box warns that the “projectiles” may be harmful if misused, the bottle-rocket kit doesn’t include a pair of safety goggles (though they are recommended). “If it’s something that’s required, it should be included,” she said, adding that W.A.T.C.H. advises against this toy, goggles or not.

8. Lil’ Cutesies — Best Friends

(Photo courtesy of W.A.T.C.H.)

Price: $4.84–$7.99
Manufacturer or distributor: JC Toys Group, Inc.
Retailer(s): Kmart, Toysrus.com, Amazon.com
Age recommendation: “Ages 2+”

This wide-eyed doll may look harmless, but her ribbon hair bow can be pulled off, posing a choking hazard to children. “Right next to it on the shelf, from the same manufacturer, is a doll with a plastic bow that’s integrated into the doll’s materials,” Siff said. “So it can’t be detached. So they know how to do it better.”

Even though the CPSC cautions against small parts for children under age 3 (this toy is marketed to kids as young as 2), “it actually does pass the small parts standards, because the bow is not hard,” she said. “This is a good example [showing] that existing standards are inadequate.”

9. True Legends Orcs Battle Hammer

Photo courtesy of W.A.T.C.H.

Price: $14.49
Manufacturer or distributor: Toys R Us
Retailer(s): Toys R Us
Age recommendation: “3+”

At nearly two feet long, this hard plastic hammer easily outsizes some of the children it’s intended for. “Someone said to me yesterday it’s bigger than their 3-year-old, and it’s made for 3-year-olds and up,” Siff said. And it has no clear purpose, other than to be used as a weapon. “If you hand it to a child, what are they going to do with it? It’s called the ‘Battle Hammer,’” she said.

10. Colored Hedgehog

(Photo courtesy of W.A.T.C.H.)

Price: $10.99
Manufacturer or distributor: Toys R Us
Retailer(s): Toys R Us
Age recommendation: “0+”

This brightly hued stuffed animal looks even friendlier than Sonic the Hedgehog of 1990s fame — but don’t be fooled. The toy’s fur can easily be pulled out in tufts and then ingested by your little one, posing a choking hazard. “This really does look innocent,” said Siff. “And that can be very misleading for parents. But it’s a problem that we see every year — toys that have long, fiber-like hair that isn’t adequately rooted.”

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