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(Photos courtesy World Against Toys Causing Harm)
BRIGHTON (WBZ-AM) -- With Black Friday just over a week away, a local toy safety advocacy group is urging parents to beware of what you buy for your children.
World Against Toys Causing Harm, or WATCH, released its annual "Ten Worst Toys" list Tuesday, a report listing toys available online and in stores that the group has deemed hazardous.
They include the Marvel Black Panther Slash Claw and the Power Rangers Super Ninja Superstar Blade--both are made of rigid plastic with retractable parts. Watch believes these toys could potentially poke children's eyes and cause other injuries.
"Our advice? Shop defensively," WATCH President Joan Siff said. "Do not be lulled into a false sense of security that a toy is safe because it has a familiar brand name."
It also includes the VTech Zoo Jamz Xylophone and Cabbage Patch Dance Time Doll. James Swartz, WATCH's director, says these types of toys come with removable parts that could potentially choke young children.
"One of the most important takeaways is not to assume that because a toy is sold for a certain age group, that it is necessarily safe for that child," he said.
But Jennifer Gibbons of the Toy Association says the toys on the list have passed toy safety standards.
"Every year we see this list come out, and every year it's full of innaccurate and misleading information," she said. "They are not testing toys for safety, and it just shows their misunderstanding of the toy safety standards here in the U.S."
WBZ NewsRadio's Bernice Corpuz (@BerniceWBZ) reports