There was a recent recall from Chuck E. Cheese regarding some branded light up rings and funny sunglasses that they gave out as promotional products.  Probably something kids could win from playing Skee-ball and the like.

They were recalled because the plastic wasn’t particularly strong and a kid sitting or stepping on them could cause the batteries to fall out, which they could then pick up and swallow.

Even if you’ve never been to Chuck E. Cheese, this brings up an important point for us parents.  Button batteries are becoming more and more common in and around toys and gadgets, far more so than in years past.

Cheap LED lights, flashing glasses, light up toys, and toys with sound typically use batteries that look like these:

First off, there is the basic choking hazard with these batteries.  Some of the larger ones are throat sized and can easily cause a child to choke and suffocate.

But that’s not even the main danger.   Approximately 3000 batteries are swallowed each year, a sevenfold increase in the past 20 years.   And 10% of children who swallow these batteries will die.  HELLO?  Did you get that?  Ten percent of children who swallow button batteries D-I-E.  This isn’t like swallowing a penny or toy that you should allow to pass.  If your child has swallowed a button battery, seek medical attention immediately.  If your child is showing symptoms and has access to any toy with a missing battery, seek help immediately

The National Capital Poison Center says batteries stuck in the throat can cause severe burns in just two hours. Inside 6 hours, the battery can chew through the throat and/or the organ it is lodged against. Within eight to 10 hours, it can cause death.

Children’s symptoms can include abdominal tenderness, refusing to take fluids, an increase in saliva, and vomiting.  Some show no symptoms, so do not wait for them, seek medial attention immediately if your child has swallowed a button battery!  Call 1-800-222-1222 for the National Poison Center.

And don’t take no for an answer!  You know your child better than a doctor in an emergency room.  If your child has these symptoms, make sure they get the care they need.  Many of those 10% who die are because of missed diagnosis and a failure to follow up.   These button batteries are so small that they might be missed on an X-Ray.

Never give a child under 4 any toy or device that contains these button batteries, and make sure you don’t leave them lying around on a table or the floor where they could be ingested!

Click here to share this on Facebook! Warn your friends and family with small children to be aware of this threat.

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There have been reports popping up that Zhu Zhu pets are toxic and a Zhu Zhu pets recall might be at hand.  This is all based around a report by a website called Good Guide that the Zhu Zhu pets, specifically a Mr Squiggles that they had tested, has higher than allowable amounts of tin and antimony in it.

Is it true that Zhu Zhu pets contain toxic materials?  Are tin and antimony actually toxic?  Are toxic Zhu Zhu pets going to poison little Jimmy on Christmas morning prompting an emergency room visit?  Probably not, but they can have long term health effect you want to avoid.

The biggest danger from Zhu Zhu pets remains the hair entanglement issue many people have reported in the past.  That when kids pick them up to cuddle them and the toy hamster is switched on, long hair can get wrapped around a wheel and pull, prompting probably pain and a quick hit with the sicssors to free them.

Good Guide reports that they performed tests on multiple Mr Squiggles and found amounts of tin and antimony in the toy higher than federal standards for toys.  The main concern is the antimony at a level of ~100 parts per million while the federal standard for toys is 60.

First off, worrying about tin in a toy is probably a waste of your energy.  Folks, go look on your food shelf.  See any cans?  While the can part of modern cans are no longer made of tin like they used to be before 1960 (they are made of aluminum now), the TOP of said cans are frequently made of tin plated steel, which is why the tops of cans look and feel different than the sides.  You probably ate some tin this week after you opened the can and cut into the top, and I’m guessing your kid did too.

Cepia LLC (the manufacturer of the Zhu Zhu pets) issued the following press release:

Manufacturer of Zhu Zhu Pets Confirms Safety of Mr. Squiggles Toy
and Offers Validation of Testing Protocol

Hottest toy of the holiday season passes the industry’s most stringent consumer health
and safety certification standards


St. Louis (December 5) — Cepia LLC, the manufacturer of Zhu Zhu Pets, says
that its Mr. Squiggles toy is “absolutely safe and has passed the most rigorous testing in
the toy industry for consumer health and safety.” This statement is in response to a report
made earlier today by Good Guide that alleges Mr. Squiggles contains unsafe levels of
antimony.

“We are disputing the findings of Good Guide and we are 100% confident that
Mr. Squiggles, and all other Zhu Zhu Toys, are safe and compliant with all U.S. and
European standards for consumer health and safety in toys”, said Russ Hornsby, CEO of
Cepia LLC.

“All our products are subjected to several levels of rigorous safety testing
conducted by our own internal teams, as well as the world’s leading independent quality
assurance testing organization, and also by independent labs engaged by our retail
partners,” Hornsby said.  “The results of every test prove that our products are in
compliance with all government and industry safety standards.”

Test results show Mr. Squiggles, as well as all other Zhu Zhu Pets products, are
well within U.S. government standards and these results have been certified by the
world’s leading independent testing organizations.

Rigorous testing and inspection procedures are in place for all Zhu Zhu Pets
products to assure that the toys are completely safe. Working in conjunction with
representatives from governing toy industry and trade organizations, we have made
certain that all Zhu Zhu Pets products are regularly and frequently tested through an
independent testing service, Bureau Veritas Consumer Products Services, the global
leader in Quality Assurance.

The Zhu Zhu Pets products are tested in laboratories several times during
production, and again before they ship from the factory. The testing laboratories that
conduct Zhu Zhu Pets product testing are accredited by the largest national and
international bodies and adhere to the strictest protocol for testing. In fact, all Zhu Zhu
Pets testing exceeds the levels for products distributed in the US, by passing the EN71
test required for products distributed in Europe.

“We are contacting the Good Guide people at this moment to share with them all
of our Mr. Squiggles and Zhu Zhu Pet testing data so we can get to the bottom of how
their report was founded,” Russ Hornsby said. “We want to assure everyone already
enjoying Mr. Squiggles or other Zhu Zhu Pets, and those planning to purchase Mr.

Squiggles or another Zhu Zhu Pet this holiday season, that the toy is 100 percent safe and
in compliance with all U.S. and European toy safety standards. I have been in the toy
industry for more than 35 years, and being a father of children myself, I would never
allow any substandard or unsafe product to hit the shelves. That’s why we always test to
not only meet but also exceed safety standards.”

What is the truth here?  It’s very likely that both are correct.  There are probably trace amounts of tin and antimony in some runs of the toy.  There are probably trace amounts of those in ANY metal toy or toy with electronic components and flammable fur or fuzz.

Why might those be in the Zhu Zhu pets?  Tin is commonly used plating material to coat steel to prevent rusting, as in the tops of aluminum cans are tin plated.  Probably some on the wheels or axles to prevent rust should the little toy hamster run through a puddle.  Antimony and tin are also both materials in solder used to attach wires and are also commonly found in electric circuit boards.  They helped to replace LEAD in solder, which is considered far more harmful.  If you have touched a rust proof metal or metal wire attached to any electronic circuit, you have likely come in contact with tin, antimony and a bunch of other stuff to boot.

Note that the federal standards for toys provide exemptions for heavy metals (like antimony and lead) that would not be exposed or accessible through “reasonably foreseeable use and abuse of the product”:

From the CPSC website:

Some children’s products may be exempted or excluded from the new lead limits particularly if the only parts containing lead are inaccessible. A component part is not accessible if the component part is not physically exposed by reason of a sealed covering or casing and does not become physically exposed through reasonably foreseeable use and abuse of the product. The CPSIA directs the Commission to provide guidance by rule within one year on what component parts are considered inaccessible.

Note that while they talk about lead in the above example, it also covers other heavy metals.  It’s very likely that the circuit boards inside the Zhu Zhu pets contain solder with antimony in it that the manufacturer probably tested without, because it would be reasonably expected to never be exposed to a consumer during normal use and abuse.

Antimony is commonly used as a flame retardant and most children’s clothing and fluffy toys contain some amount of antimony.  As do car seats and many other products you use every single day.  Your kids PJs contain antimony and that is against their skin ALL DAY every day.  Your child likely handles a Zhu Zhu pet very little compared to their pajamas.  This is not to say do not be concerned about antimony, but it’s turning a molehill into a mountain while there is a giant mountain right there next to you.

Should you be worried about this and return your Zhu Zhu pets to the store?  Probably not.  Think of it this way.  If you bought your child TWO Zhu Zhu pets and both met the federal standard at 60 PPM, you are exposing them to more than the GoodGuides test found in one.

You should be far more concerned about the tin in your food cans and the antimony in your child’s clothing than the trace amounts found in a toy likely touched for less than an hour a day.

Click here to discover the secret to finding holiday toys 50%-70% off Amazon in our article on Sneaky Hidden Amazon Sales.

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There was a recall announced recently for the Graco Jump ‘n Jive Doorway Jumpers.  No, it was not related to the terrible grammar involved with the product naming, nor was there any danger with the doorway jumper or with crazy older siblings using it as an indoor swing.  Although they should certainly consider that last one.

Rather, there were small toys such as rings and things attached to the side of the jumper for the toddler or baby to play with while bouncing around that are not permanently attached but rather just looped around the ropes with velcro straps.  The velcro straps are small enough to be considered a choking hazard.

Doorway Jumper Recall Instructions

From the CSPC:

Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled product and remove and discard the detachable toys and the attaching fabric strips and call the manufacturer for a replacement set of toys. After the toys and fabric strips are removed, consumers can continue to use the jumper and interactive musical dance mat.

So toss the toys and keep on jumping (or whumping as we refer to it around here).

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We get large numbers of visitors from various search engines looking for Bakugan information here at The Toy Report and looking through the logs we’ve been getting a lot of hits for people searching for terms like like “bakugan recall” and “recalled bakugan”

First off, no, there has not been a recall of any Bakugan toys that we are aware of.  We checked the CSPC recall site and the Spin Master site and nothing has been recalled from the Bakugan line.  Of course, Spin Master were the fine people behind the great Aqua Dot recall of 2007, but their Bakugan line has been rock solid.

Note, Bakugan Toys are NOT intended for children under 3 year of age in any way shape or form!  The Series 1 Bakugan Battle Brawlers are pretty much exactly toddler throat sized.  The Series 2 Bakugan are larger making them much harder to swallow, which likely had a great deal to do with the redesign.  They are clearly marked as not for young children on the box.  I would strongly suggest extreme Bakugan Battle Brawler control measures if you have a child under 3 in your household, including avoiding them altogether.

Bakugan Toys Fever Strikes Fast.

So no, your local store shelves are not empty because of a Bakugan recall.  They are empty due to the Bakugan Toy Fever gripping your area.

It happens every day, in cities and towns all over the country,  what we like to call “Bakugan Toys Fever” sweeps through like the flu.  All it takes is one kid who goes to visit a far off cousin or friend who has been exposed.  Unlike the flu, this fever is contagious for long long long after the major symptoms are gone.  Here is how it works:

• Travelling pre-tween boy (or girl for that matter) is exposed to Bakugan toys by a friend.  Lets call him Jacob since it’s the #1 boys name in the US, from 1999 to the present.  Bakugan seems to be mainly a 6-10 year old phenomonon.
  
• Jacob returns home and begs his parents to get him some Bakugan.  They go down to their local Target or ToysRUs and buy a Bakugan Battle Pack or Bakugan Starter pack.
• Jacob then exposes 10 friends at school to Bakugan, they beg their parents for Bakugan who go down to the local store and buy more Bakugan.
• Those 10 friends expose another 10 friends, and suddenly in the space of a few days there are hundreds of tween kids in an area whose parents are hunting for Bakugan toys.
• Since most stores only carry around 10-20 Bakugan Battle Packs or Bakugan Starter Packs at any one time, the store shelves look like this:

My Local Store Is Sold Out!

Your best bet for finding Bakugan in stock at a good price continues to be at Amazon.  At least until they’ve run through all the overstock they appear to have recieved the week before Christmas.

• The Bakugan Battle Pack is $25.99, and it qualifies for Amazon’s free shipping.   This is all you need for two people to play Bakugan.
• The Bakugan Starter Pack is on sale for $9.95, well below the MSRP and ToysRUs price of $13.99.  You need at least two of these to play.
• The single Bakugan Booster Packs are $5.71.

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Just goes to show you that just because a toy is wooden or labeled as “organic” it doesn’t mean it’s necessarily good or safe.

Earth Friendly announced the recall of three of their MAYA Organic toys today, which are sold in specialty stores in Alaska, California, Colorado, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, and Washington from April 2008 through September 2008.

Apparently no injuries have been reported, and it’s unclear if the problems were found during company testing of their quality control process or through CPSC testing.

The Recall Wanted List:

Cubby: The ears on may come off after use and abuse testing.  Replacement heads are currently being shipped and all the new replacement heads have been tested to ensure that Cubby’s ear glue exceeds any use and abuse testing.

Moee: It is possible for some of the toys to break into parts on repeated dropping; these parts can then pose a choking hazard.  And if your kids are like our kids, things like this frequently get rolled right off the table onto the wood floors.

Bell Rattle: The handle on some of these toys fails the test for projections.  The CPSC sets up standards for how long a toddler toy can be if it can fit into their mouth.  This is to prevent the issue where the toy can get thrust back into the throat and cause injury during a fall.

Let this be a reminder to all you out there to check any toy you give to your child (or anyone elses child for that matter) and decide for yourself if it’s fully safe.

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The darts may be soft and relatively harmless, but this toy weapon mechanism will apparently rip your child’s ear off.  According to this CPSC Report, there have been 47 official reports (and who knows how many others) of  “bruising, abrasions, pinching/pinch marks, blood blisters and welts” caused by the plunger mechanism:

Hasbro has volunterrily recalled approx 330,000 units and will provide a cover for plunger free of charge, so if you have one, contact Hasbro.

If you don’t have one, click here to obtain a FAR better weapon, the Nerf N-Strike Vulcan EBF-25 Blaster Fully Automatic Nerf Cannon.

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Anyone living in suburbia in the 70′s and 80′s can’t possibly forget Jarts.  For those of you too young to remember, Jarts were also know as Lawn Darts, heavy metal sharp pointed aerodynamic projectiles intended to be thown high up in the air so that they stick in the ground inside a ring target, for which the thrower earns points.  Miss the target and you still have a chance since the throw that lands closest to the ring gets points. No extra points are awarded for impaling a bystander unless the bystander happens to be the closest throw to the ring.  I’m guessing points are awarded based on where the bystander was struck, not their final resting place should they stumble around before falling over from blood loss, but to be safe, see the full set of official rules at the 2008 Jarts Tournemant home page.

We had a set growing up and would frequently toss them around the backyard, not so much playing by the rules (which are similar to horseshoes), but instead throwing them hard into the ground, getting them to stick in trees, etc. Typical pre-teen kids stuff in a suburban neighborhood.  Luckily no one was ever hurt at our house, but around the country three children were killed, and countless people injured.  There are even stories around a gang murder involving Jarts in 1980, but I’ve been unable to find any hard evidence to back it up (please enlighten us if you have some substance here).

The CSPC officially banned Lawn Dart manufacture, sale, and resale in 1988, and urged all existing darts be destroyed, by way of this helpful graphic.  Note the blood red outline around the foremost Jart and the dual-wielding kid in the orange shoes:

Flash forward 20 years.  Apparently 35 sets of Lawn Darts had snuck into the good old USA through the nefarious smuggling operation known as Hammacher Schlemmer Online.

If you happen to be one of the lucky 35 people to have ordered and received the darts, please contact us as soon as possible, as we’d love to interview you!

The details of this Oct 2008 20th anniversary Lawn Dart recall can be found at the CPSC website.

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