Toy cars sold at Kohl’s Department Stores and specialty retailers for about $12 have been recalled.

The US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) in cooperation with Kids Preferred today announced a recall of approximately 3,500 Primary Sounds Vehicles, according to the CPSC. “The hubcaps on the toy’s plastic wheels can detach posing a choking hazard to young children. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed.”

“The recalled toys are soft, stuffed yellow taxis, black and white police cars and red fire engines, each with four plastic wheels. They measure about 6 inches in length and 5 inches in width. The toys have a silver-colored button on top that makes sounds when pushed. The police car and the fire engine make a siren sound. The taxi makes engine and horn sounds. “Kids Preferred” is printed on an attached fabric tag.”The cars were sold from September 2005 through January 2006 at Kohl’s Department Stores and specialty retailers nationwide, according to the CPSC.

There has been one report of an incident in which the wheel and hubcap detached from the toy while a child was playing with it. No injuries have been reported.

Consumers should stop using the recalled toy immediately and contact Kids Preferred LLC for a full refund. For additional information, contact Kids Preferred LLC toll-free at (866) 763-8869, anytime, or e-mail the firm at nicole@kidspreferred.com

Child’s death, four serious injuries to children result in nationwide recall of Magnetix magnetic building sets.

3.8 million magnetic building sets have been recalled in the U.S. after 34 children became ill - including the death of a 20-month old toddler, the Consumer Product Safety Commission said today.
The magnetic building sets, sold from September 2003 through March 2006 at Wal-Mart, Target, Toys R Us, Fred Meyer, Design Science Toys Ltd., A.C. Moore, and other toy and arts and crafts stores nationwide, have tiny magnets inside plastic building pieces. ‘The rods inside these pieces can fall out,’ the CPSC said. ‘Magnets found by young children can be swallowed or aspirated. If more than one magnet is swallowed, the magnets can attract to each other and cause intestinal perforation or blockage, which can be fatal.’

A 20-month-old boy died after he swallowed magnets that twisted his small intestine and created a blockage, the CPSC said. Three children ages ranging from 3 to 8 had intestinal perforations that required surgery and hospitalization in intensive care and a 5-year-old child aspirated two magnets that were surgically removed from his lung, the CPSC said. 34 incidents have been reported involving the small magnets. All Magnetix magnetic building sets including the X-treme Combo, Micro, and Extreme sets are included in the recall, the CPSC said. The sets contain 20 to 200 plastic building pieces and 20 to 100 1/2-inch diameter steel balls. The building pieces are red, yellow, blue and green, and are shaped in 1 1/2-inch squares, 1-inch triangles and cylinder rods. Some plastic building pieces have “Magnetix” imprinted on them.

‘This product is unsuitable for young children,’ the CPSC said. ‘Consumers should stop using the magnetic sets and return the sets to Rose Art for a free replacement product suitable for young children under the age of 6. Consumers should be sure to keep all small magnet parts out of the hands of children who mouth objects, especially children under the age of three.’

For additional information, the CPSC suggests contacting Rose Art at (800) 779-7122 between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. ET Monday through Friday, or on their website www.roseart.com.

Mood Necklace and Ring, Glow-in-the Dark Necklace and Ring, and UV Necklace and Ring recalled from Dollar Tree Stores.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with Dollar Tree Stores Inc, announced a voluntary recall of Mood Necklace and Ring, Glow-in-the Dark Necklace and Ring, and UV Necklace and Ring due to lead poisoning hazard.The recalled jewelry contains high levels of lead, posing a serious risk of lead poisoning and adverse health effects to young children. Consumers should immediately take this jewelry away from children and return the recalled jewelry to the store for a refund, according to the CPSC.

The rings are silver in color, adjustable, and have one of a variety of designs with a toy “gem” in the center. The necklaces have a black string with silver colored clasps and a silver charm with a “gem” in the center. The following are printed on the charms’ packaging: “Mood Necklace,” Mood Ring,” “Glow in the Dark Necklace,” “Glow in the Dark Ring,” “UV Necklace” or “UV Ring.” The “UV” jewelry packaging reads, “The Sun’s Energy Will Change The Color.” On the reverse of the packaging is “SKU#815485″ and the name “Mannix,” according to the CPSC.
The jewelry was sold at: Dollar Tree, Dollar Bill$, Dollar Express, Greenbacks, Only $1 and Super Dollar Tree stores nationwide from September 2003 through February 2006 for $1.

For additional information, contact Dollar Tree Stores Inc. at (800) 876-8077 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday, or visit the firm’s Web site at www.dollartree.com.

For the past three weeks I challenged you to start tackling your closets. If you finished all the clothing closets you may be eager to start the dressers. Use the same sorting system and it should go fairly smooth. In the event that you have not finished the closet sorting, spend this week cleaning out the clothing clutter that remains in the closets. I once read an interesting study that claimed most women wear 10% of what is in their closet 90% of the time and the other 90% of their clothes only gets worn 10% of the time. Before you buy anything during the winter clearance season, make sure you are not adding to the quantity of your clothing…rather the quality. Please keep in mind that it is not a great deal if you don’t wear it! Read the rest »

Sid’s Current List of Favorite Books

1. I Stink!, by Kate McMullan, Jim McMullan (Illustrator) - $10.39 for the hardcover, $6.99 for the board book on Amazon.
2. Richard Scarry’s Busytown, by Richard Scarry
3. Peek! : A Thai Hide-and-Seek, by Minfong Ho - $11.04 for the hardcover on Amazon.
4. Tough Trucks, by Tony Mitton
5. Magic Vessels, by Vaya Naidu

(Not necessarily in that order)

Sid, almost 4, is the son of Dave Pinto and Surya Sajnani, owners of Wee Gallery - www.weegallery.com. See the Wee Gallery interview and parentrepreneur profile.

Clever Parents is very excited to introduce a new column by one of our favorite Clever Parents, Coach Troy Jacobson. Troy is an accomplished triathlete, businessman, and trainer to elite professional and Olympic athletes (see his Clever Parents spotlight). Read the rest »

Feeling overwhelmed with the number of products available for your newborn or infant; bewildered by the options, but afraid of holding back the inner genius in your little one if you don’t buy the right toys? There are two reasons you can relax: most of the toys marketed to newborns and infants are useless and the folks at Wee Gallery have come up with an elegant solution. Wee Gallery, which sells beautifully designed animal prints for small children, is the brainchild of Dave Pinto and Surya Sajnani, Clever Parents to Siddu, almost 4, and Anya, 1, of St. Petersburg, Florida. Read the rest »