Dangerous Toys for 2010

By Zack O'Malley Greenburg | Forbes – Fri, Dec 3, 2010 3:00 AM EST

These recently recalled items could make for a nasty holiday surprise. So check your gift stash as well as your kids' toy boxes.

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In 1991 a fictional toy called the Happy Fun Ball made the first of many appearances on Saturday Night Live, accompanied by a series of ominous warnings. "If Happy Fun Ball begins to smoke, seek shelter and cover head," advised one parody advertisement. Another: "Do not taunt Happy Fun Ball."

Unfortunately the real-life toy market is littered with dangerous playthings, some of which sport instructions and advisories nearly as bizarre as those associated with the Happy Fun Ball. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) recalled 44 toys in fiscal year 2010, ended Sept. 30, and several more in October and November. And that doesn't count recalls of sporting equipment used mostly by kids, such as the Classic Sport Super Bounce pogo sticks sold through Sports Authority, which were recalled just last month.

That means early holiday shoppers may have already purchased some of these items, unaware of the dangers they pose. So check the gifts hidden in your closets, as well as what's already stuffed in your kids' toy boxes.

Diligence is required of all parents, since some of these items were on the market for months or years before being recalled. For example, rocking horses from the Rocking Horse Depot first went on sale in 2006, but weren't officially recalled until last month, after a 21-month-old girl was nearly strangled by a toy horse's reins. The girl's parents were able to free her without injury, but more than 1,000 of these rockers, with their fluffy manes and tails, had already been sold for as much as $185 apiece.

[See 10 Safe Toys for Babies and Toddlers]

"Recalls often happen years down the line, well after the toys are in the marketplace," says James Swartz, director of an organization called World Against Toys Causing Harm (WATCH). "Unfortunately we've seen a lot of the same types of hazards recurring."

Reviewing recent recalls can also make you more aware of potential hazards as you shop. As a general rule the CPSC advises consumers to avoid toys with small parts, magnets and balloons, especially for younger children. Swallowing hazards are one area of particular concern; recent recalls include a slew of infant toys from Fisher-Price that include inflatable balls, which pose a choking hazard to infants.

Some recently recalled toys seem, on the surface, to be downright healthy. For example, there's the "Play With Your Veggies" toy. Good thought. Unfortunately it contains a fake piece of asparagus with metal wire that can become exposed, posing a laceration hazard to children.

The 44 toy recalls in fiscal 2010 is down from 50 in 2009, and a whopping 172 in 2008. Another indicator that safety may be improving: CPSC received reports of 12 toy-related deaths of children under age 15 in calendar year 2009, down from 24 fatalities in 2007 and in 2008. On the other hand, the CPSC's estimate of toy-related emergency room visits per year has been rising, with an estimated 185,900 kids under 15 (90,600 of these under age 5) being brought to emergency departments with toy-related injuries in 2009.

[See How to Select Safe Toys for Children]

Still the industry points out that unsafe toys are pretty rare these days. "Less than 0.2% of the estimated 3 billion toys sold each year in the United States are recalled,'' says Joan Lawrence, vice president of standards and government affairs for the Toy Industry Association. "The recall system is a critical safety net," she adds.

Dangerous Toys for 2010

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission recalled 44 toys in fiscal year 2010, ended Sept. 30, and several more in October and November. That means you could already have some of these toys wrapped up and ready to give. So check your recent purchases (as well as what's already in your kids' toy boxes) for these dangerous items.

Classic Sport Super Bounce Pogo Sticks, $40

CPSC

Recalled Nov. 18, 2010

Hazard: Aluminum rivets on the pogo stick's frame tubes can break and cause the support clamp to detach and release the spring, posing fall and laceration hazards to users.

Remedy: Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled pogo sticks and return the product to any Sports Authority location. Consumers will receive a full refund of $39.99 plus tax.