Dangerous Toys of 2012

The report is out for this year, and choking is not the only hazard to keep in mind when shopping for safe toys. Magnets are causing problems and can even be fatal to kids!

The California Public Interest Research Group (CalPIRG) releases a report each year, listing the most common hazards presented to children through toys. Choking is always at the top of the list. The experts recommend keeping anything that can't fit inside a toilet paper tube away from children.

But magnets are new on the hazards list. These novelty items can be as small as a pea and swallowed very easily. Researchers say that even if the magnet is swallowed successfully, it can cause problems with internal organs that could be fatal later on. One novelty item that's especially troubling is a set of small magnets that simulate a tongue piercing. They are strong enough to stick together, even through the tongue, and so would be extremely dangerous if ingested.

Loud toys are also something to be avoided. The National Institute on Deafness recommends that continuous sound should be kept below 65 decibels. CalPirg's research, however, shows that the Dora-Tunes guitar from Fisher Price puts out audio levels that hit 90 decibels.

Click on the teddy bear for the full CalPIRG report. And here's wishing you a safe and Merry Christmas!