About 2,600 Shakespeare Casting Game and Fish Kit have been manufactured and distributed since November of 2008. A recall was issued on March 12, 2009 for high content lead containing paint on the surface. These toys were manufactured in China and distributed by a company in South Carolina. If you have this toy, the distributer, Pure Fishing, will replace the product for free if you call 800-466-5643 EST during business hours or by visiting their website at www.purefishing.com

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Infantino has expanded the recall of its Lion and Lamb Grabby Rattles. Ten reports of the tail piece of the rattle detaching have been received, and the piece if ingested, can be a choking hazard. The rattle is shaped either like a lion or lamb, with a ring shaped body and has the Infantino logo stamped on the right foot. Rattles without tails or that have a production code (printed behind the ear) are not affected. The rattles were sold between May 2007 and March 2008 at various retailers. Parents are being urged to immediately remove the rattle from their child’s possession and contact Infantino for a replacement.

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A toy xylophone is being recalled by manufacturer The Land of Nod, because the pegs on the xylophone can break off causing a choking hazard.

The xylophone, manufactured in China, was sold nationwide and through their catalog for approximately $45. ($45 for a toy xylophone?!) It’s a rolling xylophone with the name “Janod” printed on the sides. If you have one of these musical instruments of doom, you can return it to the company for a credit, as well as an extra $10 gift card. Least they can do, since apparently they won’t just give you your money back. More info can be found at the Land of Nod website.

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It’s funny! It’s realistic! It’s poisonous!

The latest lead-tainted toy from the Far East is OKK Trading’s Mini-Televisor toy TV. Sold on OKK Trading’s website for about a buck, the toy is being recalled because it contains excessive amount of lead paint, and violates federal standards. Consumers are being advised to immediately remove the toy from their childrens’ grubby little grasp and contact OKK Trading for a refund or exchange.

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We’re starting to think that maybe you should stay away from dollar store toys all together. The latest lead-laden plaything is a toy xylophone from King Import Warehouse. The xylophones are being recalled because they are in violation of the lead paint standard. We know what you’re saying — “How can a cheaply produced toy made in China contain lead?” Shocking, isn’t it.

The toy was sold at various dollar stores in Texas between December 2007 through February 2008. The price of the toy? Take a wild guess. You should take this toy away from your kids immediately and either discard or bring back to place of purchase for an exchange (yeah, that sounds like a good idea). Any questions, consumers can call King Import Warehouse collect at 972-241-5464.

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Earth Friendly of Beaverton, Oregon is recalling several of their wooden toys. The toys have small parts that can break off and can be a choking hazard. Their rattle handle also does not meet voluntary rattle standards.

The toys were sold in several western states including Alaska, California, Colorado, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, and Washington between April 2008 and September 2008 for $12 - $22. The recall affects three of their toys — Moee the Car, Cubby the Stackable Bear, and the Bell rattle. Consumers are being advised to remove the recalled toys and contact Earth Friendly to get an exchange or refund. Earth Friendly can be reached at 888-360-6292. More information can be found on the company website.

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LeapFrog has issued a recall for their Didj game system batteries and recharging station. If the game system is placed into the charger upside down — and we know how easily a kid could do that — the batteries can overheat, causing a burn hazard. Not to mention that it can’t be too good for the toy, either.

The Didj recharger was sold nationwide between July 2008 through October 2008 for about $35. Consumers should contact LeapFrog for a refund, or visit LeapFrog’s website for more information.

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The Master Toys and Novelties company have mastered putting lead paint on their Little Rider toys. Paint on certain parts of the toy exceed recommended lead levels, which as we all know by now can be hazardous to children if the paint flakes and is ingested even in small quantities.

About 6,000 of these toys were sold between April 2007 and January 2008 nationwide in dollar stores for $5-$7 (wait a minute…). Parents are being advised to rip those suckers right out of their kid’s hands and return it to where they bought it for a refund. More information about this recall can be found on the Master Toys website.

You’ll never guess where they were made.

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Out of all the things that put our kids in harm’s way, we didn’t think they’re blankie would be one of them. But apparently they can be just as deadly as any of them, and Douglas is recalling their line of Lil’ Snugglers children’s blankets, because of reports that the satin edge can come loose, presenting a strangulation hazard.

These blankets were sold at specialty stores nationwide between April 2005 and December 2007 for around $12. A complete list of the style numbers involved in the recall can be found on the Douglas website.

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We’ll admit that sometimes when certain items are recalled for lead paint, we question anyone chewing on said item in the first place. But then there are slam dunks like these “Hillbilly Teeth” from Funtastic that, you know, go directly in your kid’s mouth, so it might be a good idea to make them lead free!

We always thought these were incredibly gross and unsanitary to begin with, so we’re glad for a good reason to get rid of them. About 26,000 of these Appalachian-resident-insulting gems were sold between March 2005 and March 2008 at grocery stores, drug stores, convenience stores, etc., etc., nationwide. The manufacturer advises taking the fake teeth away from children immediately and contacting Funtastic for information about a refund. But you may want to spare some poor underpaid schmuck at their factory from having to handle the spit laden returns and just toss them instead.

And hey, guess were these things were made? Since everyone seems to be in a boycott China kind of mood, maybe we should start with their toys.

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Out of all the ways warrior robots have to kill, poisoning you slowly with lead paint while you play with it doesn’t seem the most efficient. New from OKK Trading, it’s Passive Aggressive Robot!

These lead paint laden playthings were sold between October and November, 2007 under the “Interchange Robots” label at dollar stores nationwide for, yep, one dollar. Side note: next time you’re in a dollar store, constantly hold things up and ask the clerk how much it costs. They LOVE that gag!

And no big surprise, they were made in China. The robots can be returned to place of purchase for a full refund, or have them conquer the inside of your garbage can. You can visit the OKK Trading website for more information.

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One doesn’t normally equate the words “book” and “choking hazard”. But in this day and age where reading apparently isn’t an entertaining enough activity, books come with toys, and in this case, the toys have parts that can detach and are small enough to be swallowed.

17,000 Little Builder Children’s Board Book Sets from Dalmatian Press were sold at Wal-Mart and other retailers nationwide, as well as online at Amazon and Barnes & Noble for around nine bucks between August 2007 and February 2008. They came with a concrete mixer and dump truck, both with the aforementioned loose parts.

Consumers are being advised to rip those suckers out of your kid’s grasp immediately and return the whole set to where you bought it for a full refund or exchange. More info is available at the Dalmatian Press website.

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We don’t know if “magnet hazard” is even an official phrase, but we’re going with it.

A magnetic dart board sold at Family Dollar stores between 2002 and 2008 for, uh, $1 is being recalled because the magnets in the darts can come loose. If the magnets are swallowed, it poses a danger because they can attract each other and cause potentially fatal intestinal perforations or blockages. We thought that only applied to those high powered magnets in things like Magnetix toys, but hey, we’re not here to start questioning the CPSC.

The dart boards can be returned to the manufacturer, Henry Gordy International Inc., by mailing them to 809A Market Street, Hermann, MO 65041. They will provide a full refund plus tax and shipping costs. Or, you know, if you have things to do and can’t really be dealing with all that nonsense just to get back a buck, toss it.

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Psst! I’m not sure if you know this, but there’s shoddy merchandise at the dollar store. I KNOW! Shocking, I could hardly believe it myself when I found out. And now I hear it’s even worse, the Dollar Tree chain is recalling toys. I gotta think that’s the first time that’s happened in the history of the buck priced marketplace!

The toys in question are the “Cuddly Cousin” line of plush insects, sold nationwide at Dollar Tree, Dollar Bill$, Dollar Express, Greenbacks, Only One $1, and Deal$ stores between March 2007 and December 2007 for — you guessed it — $1. They are being recalled because they contain small parts which present a choking hazard. What did they stuff them with, BBs?

The designs are Lady Bug, Bumble Bee, Caterpillar, Snail and two Butterflies, have a product code of 903995 and the UPC is 6 39277 03995 8 with a date code of 71. Dollar Tree says that you can return the toy to one of their stores for a full refund, but unless you have a box full of them, with current gas prices you would spend more to get there and back. More information is available at the Dollar Tree website.

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One would think that a baby toy primarily made up of beads would have said beads properly secured. Apparently that’s not the case with the Imaginarium Multi-Sided Activity Centers and Jungle Activity Centers, which are being recalled because their small parts can come loose, posing a choking hazard.

The toys were sold at Toys ‘R Us stores nationwide for $20-$50 between August 2007 and February 2008. The items affected by the recall have either item number 69042 or 69083 on the back of the box by the bar code, which is really helpful because we all keep the box, right? If you’re one of those freaks that throw away the packaging after giving your kid a toy, you can go to the Toys ‘R Us website for more information.

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