December 02, 2003

Toys That Kill! W.A.T.C.H. (World Against Toys Causing Harm) has published their 2003 "10 Worst Toys" list. Number 10 this year, you ask?: MICHELANGELO'S NUNCHUKUS! Unable to find the archive lists, I wonder if the Harry Potter vibrating broom was on the 2002 list?
posted by naxosaxur 20 years ago
  • While warnings about toys that might pose choking hazards to small children are appreciated, most of the other warnings seem to be the common-sense variety. Like don't let your kid look at the sun. Or don't let your kid attack people with plastic nunchuks. Do we really need to tell people these things?
  • Even with the possiblity of certain accessories being choking hazards as with bracelets in the Ribbets the Rhythm Frog it's so easy to just remove those items and the child could still enjoy the toy. I agree a lot of these items are "common sense" danger type of stuff.
  • I totally agree about the "common sense" provision. Um, they put a frikking SLING SHOT as one of the dangerous toys. Sling-shots are a potential danger? Since when? /obvious. It's like they're not even trying!
  • WATCH: Ruining your children's fun so you don't have to. Is a small metal bell really the most terrifying threat that today's youths face?
  • But if we didn't have organizations like WATCH looking after our children's well-being, then we would have to do all the work ourselves... /sarcasm
    Seriously, if I was a parent I would only use their list as a guide to see what kind of dangers some toys can have (saves from reading labels as the rest of the crowd tramples over you to get their $29 dvd player) but I wouldn't live by this list by any means.
  • You know, if you take all the dangerous toys (and "unsafe" playgrounds and anything that might be potentially exciting) away from your children, they will just go and find cliff faces or rickety trees to climb, and break their arms or legs. I know I did. Be safe, but don't keep your kids in a padded room, or they will need a padded room. (Sharp corners on a stack it toy, sheesh! Everyone knows coffee tables are the toddler's worse nightmare).
  • I don't know what to say about the fact that they recommend cutting the cord off the yo-yo toy for safer play.
  • They tried to take away my Battlestar Galactica toys when I was a kid because the lasers shot little orange pellets, but somehow I survived without choking.
  • If you take all the dangerous toys away, the dumb children will survive. Don't fight evolution!
  • I keep on being bummed by getting toys for friends' newborn kids and tots, because all the toy packages say "Not safe for kids under 3: they will explode" or something like that. But once the age of three is attained, bring on the Playmobil and Lego!
  • I love getting kids toys that I know will hurt them. Because, you see, THEY'LL REMEMBER!