Consumer group releases list of 10 worst toys for the holidays (laughing through tears)

Patch ^ | November 23, 2020 | AP

[DoodleBob]

BOSTON (AP) — Cute plastic animals with tiny accessories that pose a choking hazard, Black Panther-inspired claws with the potential to cause facial or eye injuries, and green slime that could be harmful if swallowed: These are just some of the items on an annual list of potentially dangerous toys released Monday by a consumer advocacy group.

"Although intended for fun and entertainment, many toys contain hidden hazards unnecessarily putting children at risk of injury or death," Boston-based World Against Toys Causing Harm Inc. said in a statement announcing its "10 Worst Toys" of the year.

With parents looking for ways to keep children occupied during the coronavirus pandemic, and with the 2020 Christmas shopping season approaching, toy safety awareness is critical, the group said.

"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," the organization said.

There are an estimated 240,000 toy-related injuries to children each year and a child is brought to the emergency room every three minutes for a toy-related injury, according to WATCH.
The Toy Association, which represents toy manufacturers, called the WATCH list needlessly alarmist.

"By law, all toys sold in the United States must meet 100+ rigorous safety tests and standards," the association said in a statement. "However, WATCH does not test the toys in its report to check their safety; their allegations appear to be based on their misrepresentation of the mandatory toy standards — and of the priority the toy industry puts on safe and fun play."

The Toy Association said parents and others should always choose age-appropriate toys, encourage safe play, and make sure they purchase toys from reputable manufacturers and sellers.

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The full "10 Worst Toys of 2020" list and their potential dangers from World Against Toys Causing Harm Inc.:

1. Calico Critters Nursery Friends. Potential choking hazards.

2. Missile Launcher. Potential for eye and facial injuries.

3. Marvel Avengers Vibranium Power FX Claw. Potential for eye and facial injuries.

4. Gloria Owl. Potential for ingestion.
5. WWE Jumbo Superstar Fists. Potential for blunt force and impact injuries.

6. Sci-Fi Slime. Potential for chemical-related injuries.

7. Boomerang Interactive Stunt UFO. Potential for propellor-related injury.

8. Boom City Racers. Potential for eye and facial injuries.
9. My Sweet Love Lots of Love Babies Minis. Potential choking hazard.

10. Star Wars Mandalorian Darksaber. Potential for blunt force and eye injuries.

[freedumb2003]

You'll shoot your eye out, kid!

[Yaelle]

No one but a hummingbird could choke on a calicocritters pacifier. It’s about as big as a grain of rice.

[Joe Bfstplk]

When I was young my friend & I broke a thermometer open & rolled the mercury around on the floor. Fun times.....
****
We would coat coins with mercury and they would
shine silvery bright for a while.

[SkyDancer]

Only if you want to see where the BB’s came from.

[NEMDF]

My parents were both from Lansing. My brother was born there, my dad died there. I was born in Grand Rapids. We used to visit all the relatives there, when I was a child. Summers, we would go to the grandparents’ lake cabin north by Sheridan at Holland Lake.

[EQAndyBuzz]

I was going to post that. Bravo!

[DigitalVideoDude]

[Joe Bfstplk]

Estes rockets with cherry bombs glued fuse down on the ejection charge provided tons of fun and honed our skills at timed fuses and calculating flight paths
><
We screwed a cap on one end of a short length of 1/2-in. galvanized
pipe. Lighting the fuse of a 2-in. salute, we dropped it into the
open end of the pipe and a marble on top and had a cannon.

We could easily hit the tin roof of a house a block away.

[HerrBlucher]

LOL! Give the kiddies a bag of glass and then send them to Irwin Mainway’s kiddie fun world. Make sure they wear a mask though, and social distance.

Back in the day when SNL was actually funny.

[EQAndyBuzz]

“ When I was a kid, I only had one toy and it was a dirt clod.

I named it Claude.”

We called them dirt bombs and had fights with them. Also itchy balls that fell from the trees.

Best thing was emptying the gun powder from the caps and making flash bombs. Fourth of July in my neighborhood was a war zone. But, if you managed to get to the block party unscathed, you got to watch the best fireworks show. RIP Mr. Gambino

[Betty Jane]

I guess a game of Hot Beans and Butter is forbidden. Fun times, welts and all. Kids today are so wimpy.

[\/\/ayne]

We decided to make parachute brakes for our bicycles. Man, they worked great - and we went flying over the handlebars! Good thing we hit the lawn instead of the sidewalk.

[mylife]

See, Math is fun kids!

[zeugma]

Big Wheels. All grown up! Want one bad.

[Scrambler Bob]

Cap Pistols?

Where are the AR’s???????

[Gamecock]

Glad these aren't on the list!

[grey_whiskers]

Stolen for use elsewhere.

[polymuser]

I looked...LOL!

[Boogieman]

[TangoLimaSierra]

That was one of the funniest lines SNL ever did.