“Worst Toys” of 2016 Released by Safety Group Ahead of Holiday Season

With the 2016 holiday shopping season set to kick off, a consumer watchdog group has released a list of the most dangerous toys that parents should avoid. 

The World Against Toys Causing Harm, Inc. ( WATCH), issued its list of nominees for 10 Worst Toys for the 2016 Holiday Season, which is the group’s 44th annual report highlighting products that pose an injury report risk for children.

WATCH is a safety advocacy group aimed at protecting children from dangerous toys. The group notes that since January 2015, more than 800,000 toys have been recalled, with more than 500,000 of those toys being pulled from the market this year alone. WATCH says the high number of toy injuries and recalls is due to poorly designed toys, poor safety and poor manufacturing practices.

According to WATCH, 19 toys with safety defects were recalled in the U.S. last year. One child is treated in U.S. emergency rooms every 3 minutes for a toy-related injuries and from 1990 to 2011 the industry saw a 40 percent increase in toy-related injuries.

In 2014, over 251,000 toy-related injuries occurred. More than 60 children were killed in toy related incidents between 2010 and 2014.

The 2016 holiday season will account for more than 65% of all toy sales this year, making it most likely that if a child receives a dangerous toy this year, it will be during the next couple months. This is why the group releases its top 10 “Worst Toys” list at this time of year, to help parents know which toys pose the most harm and what to watch out for in all toys.

10 Worst Toys for 2016

The list includes:

1. Peppa Pig’s Muddy Puddles Family, which is listed because of choking hazards.

2. The Kids Time Baby Children’s Elephant Pillow, because it does not have a warning for the risk of suffocation.

3. The Slimeball Slinger, which WATCH says poses a risk of eye injury from the slingshot type toy, that can be fired over 30 feet.

4. The Banzai Bump n’ Bounce Body Bumpers were included on the list because of the potential to cause impact hazards or bodily harm, but do not come with protective equipment like helmets or knee guards.

5. The Nerf Rival Apollo XV-700 Blaster, which has the potential to cause eye injuries.

6. The Good Dinosaur Galloping Butch was included because it failed to warn that the pointy, rigid tail of the dinosaur can puncture children’s skin.

7. Peppy Pups, which could cause strangulation in young children due to a pull string measuring 31 inches.

8. The Flying Heroes Superman Launcher also poses a hazard from eye injury from the items launched from the toy.

9. The Baby Magic Feed and Play Baby which comes with small pieces that pose a choking hazard, but carries no warning.

10. The Warcraft Doomhammer which is included because it is a heavy, rigid hammer than can inflict bodily harm if children use the toy as a weapon, similar to seen in the video game or in the movie.

WATCH urges parents and caregivers to take precautions when buying toys for the upcoming holiday season, as hazardous toys are available in retail stores and online. They call on parents to watch out for toys with inconsistent and inadequate warnings or age recommendations and to look for the hazards represented in the top 10 list.