Top 10 toys to avoid this holiday season

Group releases list of most dangerous toys

BOSTON, Mass (KYMA, KSWT, KECY/NBC News) - A prominent consumer group has released its annual lineup of the most dangerous toys on the market.

World Against Toys Causing Harm (WATCH) unveiled its holiday warning list Tuesday in Boston.

A realistic toy machine gun, ice cream-scented Nickelodeon slime, and a plastic Power Rangers claw topped the rankings for risky toys. A Nerf dart gun, Pogo Trick Board, Yeti teddy bear, and a pull-along caterpillar also got a thumbs down from the consumer advocates.

Many of the toys named present choking hazards. Others pose the threat of eye injury. Still others have inconsistent or inadequate warning labels.

One toy raising particular concern is a realistic looking machine gun. James Swartz, the director of WATCH, says the plastic gun could actually get a child killed.

Swartz says, " In addition to being a projectile weapon, it's a realistic looking toy weapon and there have been scores of deaths and injuries over the years because so-called toys like this have been mistaken for the real thing. And police officers, law enforcement officials have split second decisions to make out in the world, in the field. This kind of thing has no business being sold as a toy."

The Toy Association is the trade group that represents most of the toy makers named on the list. It dismisses the group's annual report as misleading. The Association says the group doesn't do adequate testing before giving toys a negative rating.

In a statement, the Toy Association writes:

"By law, all toys sold in the United States must meet 100+ rigorous safety tests and standards. On the other hand, W.A.T.C.H. does not test the toys in its report to check their safety; their allegations appear to be based on their misrepresentation or misunderstanding of the mandatory toy standards."

But Swartz says his group's goal is raising awarness.

He says, "We're hopeful that shoppers, caregivers, family members, parents will be armed with knowledge. Knowledge about what these hazards are, knowledge about the potential defects, the inconsistent warnings and labels, so that when they go shopping, they can identify what these issues are, what these hazards are and make informed and safe choices for their children."