Trouble in Toyland: Toys parents should watch out for
As you get ready to find Black Friday deals, a local group is releasing a list of toys they think you should not have under your Christmas tree.
They've got bright colors, happy sounds, and some look like bargains to gift shoppers. However, beware - these toys can be harmful, evening fitting inside little throats.
"This ball fails this test because it fits through this toilet paper roll," said Dan DeRosa with the consumer group NCPIRG.
That's one finding of a safety report called Trouble in Toyland, conducted by NCPIRG. The 30th annual list was unveiled Thursday.
The organization showed some toys the report highlighted as having inadequate warning labels.
They say toys that make sounds could damage the hearing of young children if parents don't pay attention when buying.
Even a Slinky Jr., which you may recall playing with when you were a child, can pose a potential hazard to today's kids.
Research found high levels of the heavy metal chromium in this and other toys - enough, they say, to merit further testing by the consumer product safety commission.
NCPIRG urges active participation by parents or caregivers in the purchase and use of all toys.
"Active supervision doesn't just mean being in the same room as children," said Andy Jakubowicz with Wake Med Children's Emergency Department. "It means keeping them in your sight, keeping them in reach and them having your attention."
