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Top Toy Recalls of 2017
Safety can be a wonderful gift this holiday season, and we’re here to help you. That’s why Safe Kids has put together this special edition recall report of toys recalled in 2017. We chose them based on their danger and number of units. Included are several models of self-balancing scooters/hoverboards, plush toys, and light-up spinners. In total, this list represents 3,605,310 units of toys.
From our family to yours, Safe Kids wishes you and your loved ones a safe and happy holiday season!
March 2, 2017 CPSC; Kids II recalls its Oball rattles because a plastic disc on the rattle can break open releasing small plastic beads, posing a choking hazard. Units: 680,000 (17,000 in Canada).
October 19, 2017 CPSC; Kids Preferred recalls wind-up musical plush toys because the metal post and/or handle of the wind-up mechanism can detach, posing a choking hazard to young children. The recall involves the following brands: Carter’s®, Child of Mine®, Guess How Much I Love You® and Just One You®. Units: 587,000 (in addition, about 1,000 were sold in Canada).
April 13, 2017 CPSC; Target recalls Hatch & Grow Easter Eggs, Easter Grow Toys and Hatch Your Own Dino Toys because if the small toy is ingested, it can expand inside a child's body and cause intestinal obstructions, resulting in severe discomfort, vomiting, dehydration and could be life threatening. Units: 560,000.
February 23, 2017 CPSC; Little Tikes recalls its Snug ‘n Secure Pink toddler swings because the plastic seat can crack and break, posing a fall hazard to the child. Units: 540,000.
February 22, 2017 CPSC; Moose Toys recalls its brightly colored plastic Little Live Pets Lil Frog and Lil Frog Lily Pad toys because the button battery’s cap can become a projectile and the battery’s chemicals can leak, posing chemical exposure and poisoning hazards. Units: 427,000 (an additional 17,800 were sold in Canada)
August 1, 2017 CPSC; MixBin Electronics recalls liquid glitter iPhone cases because liquid and glitter can leak from the cases, causing skin irritation and burns to consumers. Units: 263,000 (an additional 11,400 were sold in Mexico.)
March 14, 2017 CPSC; Performance Designed Products recalls Energizer XBOX ONE 2X Smart Chargers used to charge XBOX ONE video game controllers because the battery chargers can overheat and damage the controller, posing a burn hazard. Units: 121,000 (an additional 7,250 were sold in Canada and 2,560 were sold in Mexico).
September 7, 2017 CPSC; Studio Fun International recalls slap bracelets sold with “DreamWorks Trolls: It's Hug Time!” children's storybooks because the metal band can wear through the fabric covering posing a laceration hazard. Units: 79,000 (an additional 7,000 were sold in Canada).
October 24, 2017 CPSC; Fisher Price recalls Soothing Motion Seats because the motor housing can overheat, posing fire and burn hazards. Units: 63,000 (an additional 2,000 were sold in Canada).
May 23, 2017 CPSC; Hobby Lobby recalls July 4th and Easter spinner light toys because the battery cover can detach and expose three small button batteries, posing choking and battery ingestion hazards to young children. Units: 43,400.
February 9, 2017 CPSC; Feld Entertainment recalls light spinner wands, which have a brightly colored plastic handle with a power switch and a metal bar that is capped with another plastic piece with a Disney character on top. Sold exclusively at Disney on Ice and Disney Live Shows. The wands were recalled because the top component can detach and expose the eight-inch metal rod, posing an injury hazard to young children. Units: 30,100.
October 5, 2017 CPSC; Toys “R” Us recalls Bruin infant wiggle balls because the rubber knobs and plastic back can detach, posing a choking hazard to infants. Units: 29,700 (an additional 3,000 were sold in Canada).
May 17, 2017 CPSC; Douglas recalls Oliver the Bear, Chewie the English Bulldog and Charlotte the Fox plush toys because the plastic eyes on the toys can detach, posing a choking hazard. Units: 25,000.
May 23, 2017 CPSC; Dynacraft recalls Surge and Tonka ride-on toys because the acceleration pedals on the toys can stick, posing fall and crash hazards to the rider. Units: 20,000.
March 29, 2017 CPSC; Target recalls magnetic tic tac toe games with “X” and “Heart” game pieces because the magnets on the pieces can fall off, posing a choking hazard. In addition, if two or more magnets are swallowed they can link together inside the child’s intestines, posing a risk of life-threatening internal injuries. Units: 19,000.
May 19, 2017 CPSC; Pulse Performance recalls its Krusher Pro Freestyle Scooters because the tube that connects to the base can break, posing a fall hazard. Units: 18,700.
July 20, 2017 CPSC; Manhattan Toy recalls its Winkel Colorburst activity toys because the colored plastic tubes on the product can become brittle and break, posing a choking hazard to infants. Units: 14,400. (An additional 1,000 were sold in Canada).
More Holiday Shopping Alerts
Hoverboards: Throughout the last two years, there has been a significant concern about hoverboards and similar scooters. In March 2017, two children died in a Harrisburg, PA fire caused by a hoverboard that was being charged. On November 14, the CPSC announced the recall of seven models of hoverboards because the lithium-ion battery packs in the self-balancing scooters/hoverboards can overheat, posing a risk of smoking, catching fire and/or exploding. The models are as follows:
- Smart Balance Wheel self-balancing scooter.
- Drone Nerds self-balancing scooters.
- Go Wheels self-balancing scooters/hoverboards, sold exclusively at Village Mart stores.
- iHoverspeed self-balancing scooters.
- iLive self-balancing scooters.
- Tech Drift self-balancing scooters.
- Sonic Smart Wheels self-balancing scooters.
Child Consumer Safety Trends
Children’s Clothing – fire and detachable parts
This year one of the most significant risks in children’s clothing involved noncompliance with flammability standards. Most recently we saw a recall by Woolino of children’s pajamas for just this reason. There was also a major recall in November of baby jackets sold by Oshkosh due to the common recall risk posed by buttons and snaps which can detach from the garment, posing a choking hazard to young children.
Bicycles
This year there were a number of bicycle and bicycle part recalls. The most common trend among bike recalls this year were faulty welds at key joints and junctures that resulted in parts such as handlebars breaking off under the stress of normal use. This puts children riding these bikes at serious risk for falls and crashes causing serious injury.
Furniture
Tip-overs remain the most common product risk to children of furniture this year. In one of the largest and most long-ranging recalls of the year, Ikea has been recalling its Malm dressers after multiple kids have died because of the dressers tipping over on them. This danger is why it’s so important to ensure that top-heavy furniture like dressers is anchored to a wall to prevent tipping.
Listeria
Contamination with the listeria bacterium continues to be one of the most common food risks. Consumption of food products contaminated with Listeria can cause an infection resulting in serious illness. Some foods are at a higher risk of Listeria contamination, such as raw produce and unpasteurized dairy products (like soft cheeses and raw milk). Groups which are especially vulnerable to Listeria include pregnant women, newborns, older adults, and people with weakened immune systems.
Lasers
The Food and Drug Administration has issued a warning to parents about the potential dangers of laser toys as gifts for children. Kids and parents alike see lasers all the time in movies and on TV, and they are fascinating devices. However, when used improperly those cool toys can cause serious eye injuries or blindness. If you choose to purchase a toy with laser components for a child, make sure they know how to use them safely and never to point them at a person or animal.