Santa Claus may be coming to town soon, but careful parents will be making sure that he’s not carrying any of these toys in his bag. Every year, World Against Toys Causing Harm (W.A.T.C.H.), a child toy safety group, puts out a list of ten of the “worst” toys to buy if you care about your child’s ultimate safety. Being labeled the “worst” doesn’t necessarily mean that your child can fashion the toy into a metallic shiv or that they can produce fulminated mercury with its contents, it simply means that the toy fails to properly warn parents of potential dangers with the product, or omits important safety information that parents should implement.
The list includes:
Slimeball Slinger – A projectile-shooting toy that can supposedly launch “slimeballs” over 30 feet. The toy safety group says it carries a risk of eye injuries.
The Good Dinosaur Galloping Butch – Based on the Pixar box office smasher, this toy has a spiny tail that the safety group alleges could cause harm to a child’s face.
Nerf Rival Apollo Xv-700 Blaster – As with all Nerf guns, and any kind of dart gun or projectile-shooting toy, this product carries a potential for eye injury. On the box, children are seen playing with a protective mask, but the toy safety group says that masks are not sold with the product.
Banzai Bump N’ Bounce Body Bumpers – The product manufacturer instructs in tiny print that children should wear protective gear such as helmets when crashing into one another wearing these inflatable toys, however the children on the box are not wearing any protective gear.
Peppa Pig’s Muddy Puddles Family – The toy allegedly doesn’t warn about choking hazards for two-year-olds, despite marketing the product for children aged 2 years and older. Some packages say ages 3 and older, which the toy safety group lists as an inconsistency.
Kids Time Baby Children’s Elephant Pillow – The image on the advertisements allegedly show an infant snuggling with this pachyderm pillow, however marketing pillows for children under the age of one is supposedly banned by a federal safety act. There are no warnings listed on the product.
Peppy Pups – The toy has a pull-string which can reportedly reach a maximum of 31 inches, despite safety regulations requiring children’s playpens to be a maximum of 12 inches. W.A.T.C.H. warns this toy has a serious risk of strangulation.
Flying Heroes Superman Launcher – W.A.T.C.H. asserts that the spinning, spectacular, supersonic super hero could harm children if it hits them in the eyes.
Baby Magic Feed and Play Baby – The toy contains a spoon small enough that could block a child’s airway if inhaled.
Warcraft Doomhammer – Simply enough, W.A.T.C.H. warns that kids could injure themselves or others by using this rigid, plastic battle hammer as it is seemingly intended to be used – as a war hammer.
Don’t spend Holidays in the hospital
While to a certain extent, kids are always going to find ways to hurt themselves, this doesn’t mean you should give them the tools to do so. With proper supervision, these toys shouldn’t be too dangerous on their own. However, when kids are inevitably left to being kids, there is certainly some potential for destruction, either to their peers, their siblings or themselves.
If your child is seriously harmed by the toys listed here or any other toy, contact us today to see if you have a case to receive financial compensation for their pain, suffering, and your medical expenses as a result. Altman & Altman LLP has over 40 years of experience seeking settlements and pursuing personal injury cases of every different type imaginable.
Call us for a free consultation today at 617-492-3000 or toll-free at 800-481-6199. We are available 24/7.