Worst Toys List for 2025 Highlights Focus on Choking, Ingestion Risks

More than 230,000 toy-related injuries occurred in 2023, prompting consumer safety advocates to warn shoppers about hidden hazards ahead of the holiday shopping season.

With toy-related injuries sending U.S. children to emergency rooms about once every three minutes, a consumer watchdog group has released its annual list of the 10 most dangerous toys on the market, warning that some could cause serious injuries or death.

The World Against Toys Causing Harm Inc. (W.A.T.C.H.) released its 53rd annual list of the 10 Worst Toys in advance of the 2025 holiday shopping season last month, once again highlighting plush toys that pose suffocation risks, products with small parts that create choking hazards, and projectile toys capable of causing serious eye injuries.

W.A.T.C.H. is a nonprofit organization made up of trial attorneys, authors and consumer advocates dedicated to raising awareness about hidden dangers in toys and other children’s products.

An estimated 231,700 toy-related injuries occurred in 2023, increasing from approximately 209,000 in 2022. Additionally, at least 40 toy-related deaths occurred among children aged 14 and younger between 2021 and 2023. W.A.T.C.H. indicates that many of these injuries and deaths are preventable.

In response to these risks, W.A.T.C.H. is urging parents to closely inspect toys and packaging for hidden hazards before giving them to children this holiday season. The group also noted that last year’s 10 Worst Toys list included products sold by major retailers such as Amazon, Walmart, and Target.

The top 10 worst toys on this year’s list include:

• Goo Slingers — Potential for eye injuries
• Marvel Avengers Hulk Gamma Smash Fists – Poses blunt force and impact injury risks
• Shape Sorter Xylophone – Potential for ingestion injuries
• Nerf Pro Gelfire Ignitor Blaster – Potential for eye injuries 
• Gigglescape Snack Play Set – Risk of puncture and ingestion injuries
• Sheepdog Puppet – Potential for ingestion injuries
• Snackles: Disney Minnie – Suffocation risks
• Little Cuties Doll – Choking hazards
• Ultimate Makeup Kit – Potential for allergic reactions
• Blox Fruits Ember Dragon Ultimate Bundle – Risk of blunt force and puncture injuries

Toy Ingestion, Choking Hazard Risks

According to the W.A.T.C.H. press release, choking is a leading cause of toy-related injuries and deaths. In the first ten months of 2025, at least 20 toys were recalled in the U.S. due to choking and ingestion hazards, affecting more than 230,000 units with risks from detachable small parts and high-powered magnets.

A study conducted last year found that after a U.S. ban on high-powered magnet toys was overturned in 2016, injuries from children swallowing magnets have increased by 444% annually.

“Over the years, W.A.T.C.H. has warned about toy hazards that can cause injuries such as suffocation, choking, or ingestion. Nonetheless, hazards persist.”

— W.A.T.C.H., Top 10 Worst Toys Press Release

This year, nearly half of the toys on the W.A.T.C.H. list present ingestion and choking hazard risks, including the Shape Sorter Xylophone, Gigglescape Snack Play Set, Sheepdog Puppet and Little Cuties Doll. 

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