Unsafe Christmas toys are every parent’s worst nightmare! But how do you know if your gifts have been deemed unsafe for children this festive season? Thanks to the Office of Fair Trading’s annual Operation Safe Christmas initiative (now in its 15th year!) family members buying toys as gifts this Christmas can be reassured that Queensland retailers are selling the safest batch of festive toys. Every year they inspect major shopping centres to make sure only safe and age-appropriate toys are on sale and remove dangerous Christmas toys from shelves.
Only a small number of toys are removed each year because they are considered dangerous. This is mostly because they have small or detachable parts that present a choking hazard. However, as always it is important that parents, carers and those buying gifts for children consider the gifts and think about their safety. Scroll down this article to see the current year’s list of toys of concern.
Follow the Six S’s of Toy Safety to prevent buying unsafe Christmas toys:
- Size – the smaller the child the bigger the toy should be (anything smaller than a 35 millimetre film canister or ping pong is too small for a child under three).
- Shape – be wary of products that, because of their shape, may be easily swallowed or have sharp edges or points.
- Surface – make sure all finishes are non-toxic (this should be stated in the packaging).
- Strings – anything over 30cm is a strangulation hazard for a small child and should be removed.
- Supervision – close supervision by a responsible adult is essential.
- Secure battery compartments – make sure that battery covers are secure and small children can’t access them.
Also keep in mind these safety tips when shopping for Christmas toys
- Projectile toys should be low force, with flexible shafts, soft-tipped parts and should not easily discharge dangerous, improvised projectiles like nails and stones.
- Avoid cap guns with no barrel plug as they can produce blasts of hot sparks.
- Avoid toys with loud noises which can damage the hearing of young children.
- Magnetic toys should be avoided for small children. If they are swallowed they can attract across the bowel and cause serious damage.
- Discard dead batteries in toys as they may leak corrosive fluid and burn skin.
- Use open boxes or cupboards at floor level to store toys as boxes with heavy top-opening lids which can crush children’s body parts.
- Be especially cautious when selecting toys from discount stores or markets, as the traders’ internal safety procedures may not be as sophisticated as mainstream toy suppliers.
- Don’t buy half a present. Bikes, skateboards and roller blades should be accompanied by appropriate helmets and other protective wear.
- Loose parts! Nothing smaller than a twenty cent piece – any smaller and it presents a choking hazard to small children.
Each year the Office of Fair Trading removes a number of unsafe toys from the shelves of shops to keep us safe.
According to the Office of Fair Trading, parents who have purchased an unsafe toy, including those on this year’s list, can return it to the place of purchase for a full refund.
Unsafe Christmas toys | Important information in 2024
In 2023, the Office of Fair Trading visited numerous Queensland stores and pop-up shops, checking thousands of products. They actually inspected a whopping 12,770 toy lines across 231 stores across Queensland!
On the whole, retailers and importers performed well this year, with a relatively small number of unsafe toys removed from shelves, which shows retailers are aware of their obligations around Australian safety standards.
Before you buy toys, check out Fair Trading’s advice here.
Here are just some of the recent toys that have been recalled in 2023…
Magic fairy wand toy
Magic fairy wand toy powered by button batteries.
Contains 3x AG13 button batteries.
Sensory glow tube toy
Promotional light-up sensory glow tubes in multiple colours.
Distributed at Santa photos sets in the following shopping centres in QLD:
- The Pines Elanora –16 November 2023 to 11 December 2023
- Capalaba Central shopping centre – 25 November 2023 to 11 December 2023
- Wynnum Plaza – 30 November 2023 to 11 December 2023
Each tube contains 3 button batteries (LR44).
Squeeze hand yo-yo ball toy
Silicone fist/hand shaped yo-yo ball toy with silicone cord.
Bell shaker
Wooden musical toy that contains a bell inside.
Mocka wooden play gym
Wooden activity play gym with hanging rope and threaded beads.
SKU: T03869 can be found on the packaging of the product.
Riff the Fox Teether
Only the ‘Riff the Fox’ teether is affected. The teether is shaped like a fox with an orange body and white and black colouring on the face and ears.
Adairs Kids play collection – Little Drive toy
Wooden activity toy in the shape of a car dashboard.
Fisher-Price Thomas & Friends Wooden Railway Troublesome Truck & Crates and Thomas & Friends Wooden Railway Troublesome Truck & Paint
Thomas & Friends wooden toy train cars for children aged 2 years and over. Each train car features a connector containing a high-powered magnet which allows the train car to be connected to other train cars.
Product and date codes are printed on the underside of the cars.
Affected product codes:
• HBJ89
• HBJ90
Janod Cocoon activity table
Wooden activity play table
SKU: J04402
Batch numbers: 10615, 10799, 10887, 11107
The batch number can be found on a small, white round sticker with the Janod logo in the middle on the underside of the table. The batch number may also be found near the barcode on the box.
Rainbow Road Board Book series – eight different titles and a book gift box
The affected products are children’s books bound together with plastic rings. The front of the affected products displays the Rainbow Road logo.
The titles are:
Dinosaur’s First Words – ISBN 9781803374772
Unicorn’s Colours – ISBN 9781803374796
Animal Counting – ISBN 9781803374819
Things That Go! – ISBN 9781803374833
Where’s My Bottom? – ISBN 9781803372730
There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly – ISBN 9781803371450
Old MacDonald Had a Farm – ISBN 9781803376806
ABC – ISBN 9781803378459
The Rainbow Road Book Box (gift box) – ISBN 9781803376288
You will find full details of the product recalls and a full list of items recalled in 2023 here.
Toys banned in 2022
Here’s an overview of the toys that were banned in Australia in 2022. Be sure to check batch numbers and product numbers on the Product Safety website here as these recalls relate to specific item numbers.
Tender Leaf Toys Sailaway Boat
A solid wood sailboat with two characters. Batch Numbers: 8382/302021, 8382/292021, 8382/422021. The product does not comply with the mandatory safety standard for toys for children up to and including 36 months of age. The ears may detach from the bunny and create a small part.
Tender Leaf Toys Bunny Tales
A set of three solid wood bunny characters. Batch Numbers: 8383/302021, 8383/292021, 8383/412021, 8383/052022. The product does not comply with the mandatory safety standard for toys for children up to and including 36 months of age. The ears may detach from the bunny and create a small part.
Early Learning Centre Little Senses Lights & Sounds Shape Sorter
Item Code 145795. A sensory shape sorter with six different coloured and textured shapes, for young children from 6 months to 36 months.
The product’s red sorting cube, which has a clear top, may break, releasing a small ball. The product may not comply with the size requirements of the mandatory standard for toys for children up to and including 36 months of age.
Shoot & Catch Set – 4 piece
Shoot & Catch Set with two plastic funnel shaped catching scoops, that fire two hollow plastic balls. Item number SPO-149 Barcode 9315892297638. The product does not comply with the mandatory safety standard for projectile toys that warns consumers that the toy should not be aimed at the eyes or face.
Little Tikes 3-in-1 Activity Walker
Batch Numbers: V40J091H, V40J271 and V40K271H only. The Batch Number is found on the underside of the walker close to the battery compartment. The locking pins to keep the A-frame shape of the walker may disengage.
Wooden Toy Playhouse Set
The set contains the following:
3 Wooden Balls
Wooden Hammer
7 Wooden Shapes
0-9 Wooden Numbers
The product does not comply with the mandatory safety standard for toys for children up to and including 36 months of age. The product can release small parts.
Wooden Bead Octagon Toy Set
Includes the following:
10 different puzzles and activities
2 dice and 16 tokens
4 animal shape blocks and 3 shape blocks
The product does not comply with the mandatory safety standard for toys for children up to and including 36 months of age. The product can release small parts.
Fantastic Sea Ocean Series Dolphin Swimming Bath Toy
The product does not comply with the mandatory safety standard for toys for children up to and including 36 months of age. The product can release small parts.
Le Toy Van Petilou Sensory Shapes
A wooden tray with nine different wooden shapes LEPL089. Each shape features a different sensory experience. The product does not comply with the mandatory safety standard for toys for children up to and including 36 months of age.
Luminous Star Fairy LED Wand
Battery operated fairy wand with luminous star shaped balloon, ribbon bow and LED flashing handle. The product’s button battery compartment is not adequately secured. Three button batteries are accessible.
Kangaroo and Koala Soft Toy
Kangaroo soft toy with cork hat accessory SKU HS4617C-7″ and koala soft toy with cork hat accessory SKU HS4833C. These products do not comply with the mandatory safety standard for toys for children up to and including 36 months of age. The corks may break off the toy’s hat.
Roly Poly Cockatoo
Roly poly hard plastic cockatoo-shaped toy with tinkling bell sound, measuring 13 cm by 11 cm. The product does not comply with the size and shape requirements of the mandatory safety standard for toys for children up to and including 36 months of age. The yellow component of the wing may detach, creating small parts. Batch number on packaging near barcode #21180
Smiggle Character Slapband Watch
Smiggle Fun Character Slapband Watch. The product’s button battery compartment is not adequately secured, and the button battery is accessible. Smiggle line number: 444313 Batch Number: 0821
Squeeze Bead Plush Animal Toy
A sensory plush toy with water expanding polymer beads inside the inner casing. The toy’s inner bubble casing may burst and release water-absorbing polymer balls. When exposed to liquid, the balls expand and swallowing is dangerous. Product code: 15058.
Magnetic Balls
A set of small, coloured magnetic balls. The product contains small, high-powered magnets that exceed the maximum allowable magnetic flux set by the permanent ban on small high-powered magnets. Serial number 6902021051747 Exhibit number F269423BF2.
Voice Changer
Voice Changer which, when spoken into, changes the tone of a voice. The product contains four button batteries. The button battery compartment is not adequately secured, and the button batteries are accessible.
Previous dangerous toys:
These dangerous toys from past recalls include:
Squishy Spider Yo-Yo Water Ball
Officers removed a squishy spider yo-yo water ball and toy drum set from sale due to small parts, strangulation and choking hazards. A further four plush toys and two foam puzzles were also taken off shelves by officers for testing.
Toy Drum Set
Wooden puzzle (numbers)
Small parts – choking hazard in children up to and including 36 months of age.
Wooden puzzle (alphabet)
Small parts – choking hazard in children up to and including 36 months of age.
Magnetic puzzle (numbers)
Small parts – choking hazard in children up to and including 36 months of age.
Rainbow circle stacker
Small parts – choking hazard in children up to and including 36 months of age.
Paw Patrol toy
Paw patrol toy (not official merchandise) released stuffing from seams on back and stomach. Small parts – choking hazard in children up to and including 36 months of age.
Squirrel toy nut
Squirrel nut was released and fits entirely into small parts cylinder. Small parts – choking hazard in children up to and including 36 months of age.
If you have seen any of these toys for sale, please contact the Office of Fair trading.
Baby products are tough for new importers because there are so many safety related restrictions and standards. For shoppers the key is to not buy high risk products I.e dummies and sleepwear from less reputable retailers.