'Trouble in Toyland' report details dangerous playthings

MOBILE, Ala. (WALA) - As you shop for your kids this holiday season, you might want to take a minute and take a closer look at the toys you are putting in your cart.

That's because, according to the U.S. Public Interest Research Group, there are some hidden dangers in children's toys.

The group has released its 27th annual Trouble in Toyland Report , just in time for the holiday shopping season. The report offers safety guidelines for purchasing toys for small children, and it gives examples of toys currently on store shelves that pose potential safety hazards.

The researchers tell us we may want to think twice before we put magnets under the tree.

Arlene Caldwell with the Public Interest Research Group explains, "They're very easy to swallow. And, it's found that magnetic toys actually cause the most damage, internal damage, to children if swallowed."

The researchers say there is a way to test for choking hazards:  take an empty toilet paper roll, and if the toy fits inside the tube, it's too small for children under the age of three.

They say we should also watch out for noisy toys. A number of the things tested were cited for being excessively loud.  And, that can be a big problem for our kids.

Experts say that one in five kids is going to have hearing damage by the age of five.

Researchers are also concerned about dangerous chemicals. Phthalate levels, for example, were detected in one product for kids. That chemical has been linked to reproductive defects and other health problems.

For a look at the entire Trouble in Toyland Report, click here.

It's always better to be safe, as we decide on the newest things our children will play with!