With holiday shopping now in full swing, an advocacy group is warning about some toys you should not buy for the youngsters in your life.
World Against Toys Causing Harm — better known as W.A.T.C.H. — has released a list of the 10 worst toys of 2022, as well as a comment from the organization about why they are objectionable.
The list of toys includes:
- “Cocomelon Musical Learning Watch: Potential for Battery Ingestion Injuries
- Disney Raya’s Action & Adventure Sword: Potential for Blunt Force and Eye Injuries
- Li’l Woodzeez Tickle-Your-Taste-Buds Bakery: Potential for Choking Injuries
- Zeus Lion: Potential for Ingestion/Aspiration Injuries
- Dingray Musical Bath Toy: Potential for Ingestion and Choking Injuries
- Ooze Labs Chemistry Station: Potential for Chemical-Related Injuries
- Bunny Rabbit Cuddly Pillow: Potential for Suffocation
- Pop’n Fidget Spinners: Potential for Choking Injuries
- Nerf Pro Gelfire Mythic Blasters: Potential for Eye and Facial Injuries
- Black Panther Wakanda Battle Claws: Potential for Eye and Facial Injuries”
W.A.T.C.H. says recent recalls and injuries underscore the potential danger that lurks in some toys. It contends that the Consumer Product Safety Commission — the U.S. regulatory body responsible for overseeing toys and other products — is handcuffed by a regulation that requires the cooperation of toy manufacturers before the agency can warn consumers about specific toy hazards.
“Time can mean the difference between life and death when it comes to notice of toy hazards,” the organization says in a press release.
W.A.T.C.H. says that in the U.S., one child receives treatment in an emergency room for a toy-related injury every three minutes. It adds that poorly designed and tested toys have resulted in deaths, disfigurements and disabilities.
The organization cites figures from the CPSC revealing that there were an estimated 198,000 toy-related injuries in the U.S. in 2020. Between 2018 and 2020, 51 children age 14 and younger died due to toy-related incidents.
In the press release, W.A.T.C.H. says:
“Nonetheless, dangerous toys remain on store shelves, in catalogues, and on e-tailers’ websites. Shockingly, classic toy dangers, such as small parts, strings, projectiles, toxic substances, rigid materials, and inaccurate warnings and labels, continue to reappear in new generations of toys putting children at risk.”