These innocent-sounding toys have a dangerous secret

We all remember that line from A Christmas Story: “No, you’ll shoot your eye out.”

And moms have been saying “No” about dangerous toys like BB guns and air rifles to generations of kids.

But how about “harmless” things like the Alphabet Zoo pull toy, or the Dora the Explorer backpack, or even something as simple as a rubber ducky?

Even those “safe” sounding playthings made it to the list of dangerous toys this year.
Two groups, U.S. PIRG and WATCH (World Against Toys Causing Harm) scan the shelves every year looking for things that are too dangerous for kids to toy around with.

Along with choking and ingestion hazards, like a “bouncy” ball that is smaller than a choke test cylinder, and shopping cart play sets that contain small parts, several popular toys were found to contain high levels of toxic chemicals.

U.S. PIRG found the Dora the Explorer backpack had 200,000 ppm of the dangerous chemical DEHP, something that is only permitted in kids’ toys up to 1,000 ppm!

The backpack also contained a high amount of another chemical called DINP, which experts are saying is so dangerous it should be banned entirely.

Kids (and adults!) can come into contact with these “plasticizers” by touching them and then putting their fingers in their mouth or eating something without washing their hands.

Other findings were a sheriff’s badge play set that contained high amounts of lead, and an innocent looking leopard pattern rubber duck with an over-the-limit amount of DINP.

Of course the usual “action” toys, things that shoot objects across rooms (including something called a “Catapencil” used to slingshot a sharp pencil!), scooters, and other moving toys made the list, too.

But the most frightening ones were the dangerous toys being sold for babies and toddlers.

One is the Alphabet Zoo rock & stack pull toy for babies sold at Toys R US.

It has a cord measuring 20 inches — long enough to be a strangulation hazard. Playpen toys can only be 12 inches long, but this one skirts the rules as it’s considered a “pull toy.”

Another baby item found at Toys R US is a stuffed green plush hedgehog doll that WATCH says can be a choking hazard because the pink fuzzy hair is easily pulled out.

Among the kinds of items the group says should be avoided are:

• Any toys that are to be strung across cribs or playpens.
• Toys for babies and toddlers with strings longer than 6 inches.
• Dolls with fur or hair that can be ingested by toddlers.
• Any toys that have bells, knobs or anything at the end of laces and strings that a kid could remove.

So don’t think something is “safe” just because it’s cute and cuddly or because it made it to the toy store shelf. It seems that a recall or ban won’t happen until a child is seriously injured or killed.

To see the WATCH “worst” toy list of 2014, click here.

Sources:
“The most dangerous toys in America” Brian Resnick, National Journal, nationaljournal.com