'10 Worst Toys': Black Panther Claw, Cabbage Patch Doll, More

BOSTON, MA — A precarious pillow pet. A dicey disc shooter. A perilous panther claw. While these toys are (probably) not going to attack you in the middle of the night a la the Chucky doll, they're among 10 to avoid this holiday season according to toy safety experts, who unveiled nominees for their own FBI-style "Most UnWanted" list Tuesday.

Many of the toys appear innocuous enough at first glance. But kind and cuddly can result in choking and eye-gauging, not to mention strangulation or burning, according to the organization World Against Toys Causing Harm, known as W.A.T.C.H. The toys range in age recommendations from newborns all the way to 8 and up. Some come without warnings. Many are sold at major retailers including Target, Amazon, Walmart, eBay and Kohl's.

W.A.T.C.H. has been targeting what it calls dangerous toys for more than 40 years. This includes those with small parts, strings, projectiles, poisonous substances, rigid materials and inaccurate warnings and labels.

The group, citing the latest figures from the Consumer Product Safety Commission, said there were an estimated 240,000 toy-related injuries in the America in 2016 — 35 children even died from 2014 to 2016. Moreover, one child is treated in an emergency room every three minutes for a toy-related injury.

The Toy Association, the not-for-profit trade association that represents all businesses that make and deliver toys for kids, told Patch in a statement the list is put out every year to "needlessly" frighten parents and caregivers.

"By law, all toys sold in the United States must meet 100+ rigorous safety tests and standards," the organization said.

Here's the full list.

NICKELODEON NELLA PRINCESS KNIGHT PILLOW PETS SLEEPTIME LITES

Hazard: Can be ingested and cause battery-related injuries.

These soft, plush “Pillow Pets Sleeptime Lites” project colorful nightsky
images to make “night-time fun”. Marketed for infants as a nightlight for baby’s room,
remarkably the package cautions that the product is “not intended” for use in a crib. Nella
is adorned with small, felt-like flower and heart-tag accessories which, if removed, present
potential ingestion hazards. Additionally, the manufacturer identifies a “battery acid
leakage” hazard.

NERF VORTEX VTX PRAXIS BLASTER

Hazard: Could cause eye injuries.

Children as young as 8-years-old are invited to load the supplied ammunition and “fire 10 discs in a row with pump-action blasting!” The launch-force of the discs presents the potential for eye and facial injuries.

MARVEL BLACK PANTHER SLASH CLAW

Hazard: Can cause eye and face injuries.

These rigid, plastic claws, based on a popular comic book and movie character, are sold to 5-year-olds to “slash” like the Black Panther, while simultaneously advising not to “hit or swing at people.…”

POWER RANGERS SUPER NINJA STEEL SUPERSTAR BLADE

Hazard: Can cause blunt force and eye injuries.

Young children are encouraged to “power up” with this “Super Ninja Steel” spring-loaded plastic blade, with the potential to cause facial and other impact injuries.

CABBAGE PATCH KIDS DANCE TIME DOLL

Hazard: Could cause choking

“Dance Time Cabbage Patch Kids” wear brightly color tutus. Incredibly, even though the dolls are marketed for oral-age children, they are sold with a “removable” headband, which can be ingested.

ZOO JAMZ XYLOPHONE

Hazard: Can be ingested and cause choking.

This multi-colored, caterpillar-themed instrument is sold for babies as young as 1 ½ years old. The manufacturer provides no warnings regarding the slender, rigid, approximately 9-inch-long drumstick handle, which can potentially be mouthed and occlude a child’s airway.

NICI WONDERLAND DOLL: MINICLARA THE BALLERINA

Hazard: Can cause choking

The Miniclara ballerina doll, marketed for oral-age children as young as 2-years-old, is sold with her friend “little kitten” as an accessory. The soft, plush kitten, however, can detach, posing the potential for choking if ingested.

STOMP ROCKET ULTRA ROCKET

Hazard: Can cause eye, face and other impact injuries.

6-year-old children are advised to “Run. Jump. Stomp!” in order to launch a rocket “up to 200 FEET!” Many warnings appear on the package and package inset, in an effort to “prevent serious eye or face injuries.…”

CUTTING FRUIT

Hazard: Can cause puncture and blunt force injuries.

The magnetic apple, pear and orange are sold with a “slicing knife”made of hard plastic. The knife can potentially cause puncture wounds and other blunt trauma injuries.

CHIEN Á PROMENER PULL ALONG DOG

Hazard: Can become entangled with children and lead to strangulation.

Despite the industry’s standard requiring strings on playpen and crib toys to be less than 12 inches in length, manufacturers are still permitted to market “pull toys” such as “Pull Along Dog” with a cord measuring approximately 19 inches. No warnings are provided.

Photos credit: World Against Toys Causing Harm