Dangerous Toys to Avoid Buying at Christmas

Do you know which dangerous toys to avoid buying this year?

As Christmas season approaches, it’s important for parents to be aware of the potentially dangerous toys that can actually cause harm to your children. You cannot just assume that because the toys are on the shelves at the stores (both online and offline), that they are safe for our children.

While it’s a good idea to conduct your own research, this article will provide information on some of the main toys parents should avoid buying this Christmas.

Dangerous and inherently unsafe toys.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is the agency responsible for overseeing hazards with toys. They actually visit many warehouses and retail establishments in order to perform inspections that adhering to the most comprehensive federal toy safety standard throughout the world. Unfortunately, most products are not reviewed before going to market, and some dangerous toys still manage to slip through the cracks.
Ride-on toys such as wagons, scooters, bicycles, and electrically power mini-cars cause the greatest number of injuries to children. The Razor scooter sold 5,000,000 in the first six months when it hit the market in 2000. It was a very hot item that year and could be seen on streets and in playgrounds everywhere. Hospitals treated a total of 110,000 children in 2001 for injuries that occurred on Razor scooters and other types of ride-on toys according to a report in Clinical Pediatrics. The number was a tremendous increase from 1999’s total of 25,000.
The Radio Flyer Ziggle is a four-wheeled foot-powered cycle that has several warnings for its use and is included in World Against Toys Causing Harm's 2014 list of the top 10 dangerous toys. Some of the other entries for this year include:

• Zing Air Storm Fire Tek Bow and Arrow Kit.
• Toysmith Catapencil (turns pencil into slingshot).
• Toy guns (especially dark-colored, realistic toy guns).
• Battle hammers, axes, and other replica weapons.
• Stomp rockets and other pressure rocket toys.
• Plush toys with long hair aimed at infants.
• Alphabet Zoo Rock & Stack Pull Toy intended for toddlers. The toy includes a 20-inch long rope (because it is listed as a pull toy and not a crib toy, the manufacturer is able to skirt the 12-inch maximum rope length for crib toys).

The U.S. PIRG Education Fund released a report called “Trouble in Toyland.” The report is published every year and warns consumers about chemical levels, noise dangers, and choking hazards connected to toys that are available in stores and online. It also ascertains that toys contain the proper labeling regarding their design, and which ages should be playing with those particular toys.
Small toys that look like food can be a real problem for small children, but these are certainly not the only toys that appeal to small children. A safety instructor with the Florida Suncoast Safe Kids Coalition suggests seeing if a small toy fits into the hole of roll of paper towels or toilet tissue, and if they do this indicates the possibility a small child choking on them.
More more information on unsafe toys this holiday season, see these additional resources:

• http://www.cbsnews.com/pictures/10-most-dangerous-toys-of-2014/
• http://www.marketwatch.com/story/8-popular-but-potentially-dangerous-toys-for-kids-2014-12-01
• http://investorplace.com/2014/12/most-dangerous-toys/
• http://kfor.com/2014/12/01/toy-troubles-organization-releases-list-of-dangerous-toys/