Eight children’s toys and a common cooking ingredient have been the subject of urgent health alerts after they were all found to pose a toxic danger to little ones
A host of children’s products for designed for babies and tots have been the subject of an urgent recall notice, as well as a common cooking ingredient that nearly killed a 14-month-old in recent weeks.
Parents are being urged to bin the below listed items immediately and to contact the manufacturer for refunds as all items pose a serious risk to families. Eight items all sold by US-based children’s educational toy maker TheKiddoSpace have been subject to the urgent recall notice for items sold across the world and online.
Such items include:
Children’s sensory swing
The swing’s stretchable fabric can form loops that can wrap around a child’s head or neck, posing a strangulation risk.
Children’s finger-painting kits
Parents are warned that the finger-painting kits contain methanol, ethylene glycol, and a phthalate; substances all deemed to be hazardous and/or toxic.
As per the Australian recall notice, the toy poses a serious health and even death risk if children ingest the finger paint. If touched, skin irritation and swollen lymph nodes can occur.
Children’s talking flashcard toys – animal shaped and rectangular
TheKiddoSpace-branded talking flashcard toys were issued between were sold between February 2024 to February 2025 for the rectangular variety, and from December 2023 to February 2025 for the animal shaped kind.
The USB cable supplied with the rectangular style flashcard toy does not comply with bans in some countries son the use of Di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP) in children’s plastic items. This poses a risk of reproductive toxicity if they extensively chew or suck on an object containing DEHP.
DEHP is severely restricted in childcare articles and toys in the UK, where it cannot be present in concentrations exceeding 0.1%.
The batteries found in the animal style flashcard toy can short circuit, posing a risk of serious injury or property damage from fire and burns. An incident with the cable overheating has occurred.
Children’s Christmas Tree Play Set
The felt play set consisting of a two-sided Christmas tree, a set of holiday-themed felt ornaments and a storage box. The Christmas tree component contains a music box powered by button batteries.
It has been recalled due to the button batteries, which pose a choking risk, as well as risks of internal burns of death if they swallow the batteries. There is also risk that the batteries may short-circuit during use, which may cause injury.
Children’s Montessori Egg Puzzle
The toy – a set of six or 12 puzzle egg toys with different coloured geometric shapes that come in a yellow storage egg carton case – pose a risk of serious injury or death by choking or suffocation if the toy is placed inside a child’s mouth.
Children’s Peg Dolls in Cups
The product does not comply with the mandatory standard for toys for children up to and including 36 months of age as per the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission. The toy contain small parts that are a choking hazard to children.
Children’s sensory story book
The book’s small felt parts can detach, posing a risk of serious injury or death by choking or suffocation if a child places the small felt parts in their mouth.
LED soccer hover ball (small)
This indoor toy for kids that features an LED soccer ball that hovers on a cushion of air. Only the small variety with a football size of 5.5” are affected by the recall, with the batteries used in the toy at risk of overheating. There have been reports from consumers of the product overheating or having a burning smell, with serious injury from burns and/or property damage from fire possible if the batteries ignite.
Advice for parents
Parents are advised to confiscate the toys from their kids immediately. To get a refund from TheKiddoSpace, take a photograph of the defunct toy with ‘recalled’ written on the toy in marker before disposing of the item. Parents can email said photograph to TheKiddoSpace to receive a full refund.
In the event of the swing toy, destroy the swing by cutting the swing’s fabric in half and submit a photograph of the destroyed item TheKiddoSpace via email to receive a full refund.
Metallic cake decorating powder – various colours – by Crumb Australia
As well as the eight dangerous items sold by the US-based toymaker, a metallic cake decorating powder by Crumb Australia has been the subject of a recall notice in all colours after 14-month old Dustin Wildman inhaled the baking ingredient.
He was placed into a medically induced coma after inhaling the toxic ingredient and had to undergo surgery to remove the substance from his lungs as the dust solidified into a paste-like substance after being inhaled.
Medical testing later confirmed the powder contained both copper and zinc compounds, sparking concerns and raising questions over the product’s labelling, as well as its retail placement alongside edible decorating ingredients.
As per the ACCC, “these cake decorating powders may contain copper and zinc dust which can be toxic if inhaled or ingested”. Anyone with the product at home should dispose of it immediately, regardless of date of purchase or colour. The products were sold in Australia as well as internationally and online between August 1, 2019 and May 6, 2026.
Dustin is now awake, breathing by himself, and is recovering at home, as per his mum who made the welcome announcement in a social media post on Monday that revealed he had been discharged from hospital.
He has been left with lifelong lung injures as a result of the nightmare ordeal.
