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W.A.T.C.H. Safety Group Lists ’10 Worst Toys’ Of 2016

By Lindsay McCane
Published on: 00:59 PST, Nov 16, 2016

Christmas is quickly approaching, and parents are preparing to head out to the stores to check off items off their kid’s Christmas lists. Finding the perfect, safe toy can be somewhat challenging, which is why the safety group World Against Toys Causing Harm Inc., or W.A.T.C.H., has listed the “10 Worst Toys” of 2016.

“Although parents have a right to expect that toys they give to their children are safe, unsafe toys remain an ongoing problem,” the group said in a press release. “Due to poor design, manufacturing and marketing practices, there are toys available for purchase today with the potential to lead to serious injury and even death. W.A.T.C.H. urges parents and caregivers to take precautions when buying toys— especially during the upcoming 2016 Holiday Season, which accounts for more than 65 percent of all toy sales.”

Below is the list of 2016’s “10 Worst Toys.”

PEPPA PIG’S MUDDY PUDDLES FAMILY: This toy, which features four Peppa Pig figurines, is available for purchase at Target and Amazon.com. At a cost of only $11.99, it may seem like a very reasonable purchase. However, as W.A.T.C.H points out, some packages say it is safe for ages two plus when there are small parts that can lead to choking if swallowed.

KIDS TIME BABY CHILDREN’S ELEPHANT PILLOW: The elephant pillow, which is sold on Amazon.com for $19.99, could potentially suffocate an infant. “The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has warned that a pillow can block a baby’s mouth and can cause a baby to suffocate.” “Infant pillow[s]” and “any other similar article[s]” which are “intended or promoted for use by children under one year of age” have been banned by the Federal Hazardous Substances Act (16 CFR 1500.18).”

SLIMEBALL SLINGER: The Slimeball Slinger is sold at Target and on Amazon.com for $24.99. Although the packaging suggests the toy should never be used to shoot another person or animal, W.A.T.C.H acknowledges that the toy works similarly to a slingshot, and can shoot up to 30 feet, causing a potential eye injury.

BANZAI BUMP N’ BOUNCE BODY BUMPERS: The body bumpers are sold at Walmart, Amazon.com, Ebay.com, and Sears.com for $14.88. The main issue with this toy is the possibility of a child sustaining an impact injury. The photo on the box shows two kids bumping into each other with no protective equipment (helmet, knee pads, elbow pads, etc.) which the box clearly says should be worn.

NERF RIVAL APOLLO XV-700 BLASTER: The Blaster, manufactured by Hasbro, costs $34.48 and is sold at Walmart.com, Target.com, Amazon.com, and Kmart.com. The packaging encourages “precision battling” during “intense head-to-head competition,” that can lead to eye injuries. Although the box shows kids wearing protective glasses while using the toy, the glasses are not included.

THE GOOD DINOSAUR GALLOPING BUTCH: Butch is available at Amazon.com, Walmart.com, and ToyRUs.com for $26.00. “Operation of the dinosaur by children as young as 3- years-old in order to evoke “galloping action and sounds” requires the push of a button on the toy’s rigid, pointed tail, which may be held close to a child’s torso or face,” the press release states. “There exists a potential for significant puncture wound injuries during encouraged playtime activity.”

PEPPY PUPS: Peppy Pups sells at Toys R Us for $19.99. Although it is an adorable toy, it provides risk of strangulation due to the cord, which measures approximately 31 inches when “industry’s standard requiring strings on playpen and crib toys to be less than 12 inches in length.”

FLYING HEROES SUPERMAN LAUNCHER: The Superman Launcher costs $16.99, and is available for purchase at Toys R Us, Amazon.com, Walmart.com, Sears.com, Ebay.com, and BigW.com. While the packaging states that children should only launch the superman toy “at arm’s length and pointing up and away from your face…,” if the instructions are not followed, eye and facial injuries could occur.

BABY MAGIC FEED AND PLAY BABY: This baby doll sells at Toys R Us, Amazon.com, and Sears.com for $19.99. Ingestion injuries could occur due to the spoon, which measures 2 ¾” long, that comes with the doll; it’s small enough that it could potentially block a child’s airway.

WARCRAFT DOOMHAMMER: Doomhammer sells for $9.99 at Toys R Us and Amazon.com. According to the press release, “the manufacturer offers no warnings regarding potential impact injuries associated with foreseeable use of the heavy, rigid plastic battle hammer.”

Although these toys are listed as the “10 Worst Toys” of 2016, they are not necessarily the most dangerous on the market. Rather, W.A.T.C.H. chose these particular toys to show different safety regulatory concerns like inconsistent warnings or omissions.

[Featured Image by Africa Studio/Shutterstock]

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