'Trouble in Toyland' report warning parents of unsafe kids' toys

CHICAGO (WLS) -- A new report is warning parents about toys that are unsafe.

The report is called "Trouble in Toyland."

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The Public Interest Research Group has been putting it together for nearly 40 years to help parents and caregivers make safer and informed choices during the holiday season.

The big focus this year is on toys that are shipped from overseas, particularly toys that are bought online from overseas.

Experts say, when you buy a toy or any product online and it's shipped directly from another country, it generally doesn't get inspected before it gets to your mailbox.

Parents are urged to watch from where they are buying toys because some of the products can be counterfeit, unsafe or even deadly.

"Over the last decade, the amount of these shipments have increased incredibly. It used to be 140 million per year, now it's roughly a billion per year," said Abe Scarr, with Illinois Public Interest Research Group. "It's good to purchase products from known, trusted sellers or the trademark holder themselves. Companies you've never heard of warrant more research."

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Safety advocates also want to warn parents about water beads: another big concern this year.

They are colorful, squishy sensory toys that grow in size significantly when exposed to water.

According to PIRG, last year there were 6,000 emergency room visits related to the toy, and one death.

"This could be a super ball, right? Something small. The kids put it in their mouth, chokes, block their airway, and this is what causes suffocation deaths," said Dr. Elizabeth C. Powell, with Lurie Children's Hospital.

The report covers a wide range of concerns.

There's even a section in there about Amazon.

Visit https://pirg.org/edfund/resources/trouble-in-toyland-2024-unsafe-toys-that-slip-through-border for the full report.