"Baby's First Squeeze Toys," "Baby's First Playball" squeeze toys, and "Telephone Receiver Rattle...
CPSC Recall #88-083 - October 10, 1988
Recall Summary
| Recall Number | 88-083 |
| Recall Date | October 10, 1988 |
| Remedy Type | Refund |
| Units Affected | Approximately 81,000 "Baby's First Squeeze Toys," 75,000 "Baby's First Playball" squeeze toys, and 33,000 plastic "Telephone Receiver Rattles" |
Where It Was Sold
| The "Baby's First Squeeze Toys" and "Baby's First Playball" squeeze toys sold for less than $1.00 at K Mart stores since November 1987 |
| and the "Telephone Receiver Rattles" sold for less than $2 in stores since December |
| 1987. |
Product
"Baby's First Squeeze Toys," "Baby's First Playball" squeeze toys, and "Telephone Receiver Rattle" toys
Description
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- K Mart Corporation of Troy, Michigan, is voluntarily recalling an estimated 81,000 "Baby's First Squeeze Toys" and an estimated 75, 000 "Baby's First Playball" squeeze toys, which sold for less than $1.00 at K Mart stores since November 1987, and also an estimated 33,000 plastic "Telephone Receiver Rattles" which sold for less than $2 in stores since December, 1987. Consumers should immediately take the squeeze toys and rattles away from infants and return them to any K Mart store for a full refund of the purchase price. The squeakers in the squeeze toys may come out and could present a potential choking hazard to children under three years of age. The "Baby's First Squeeze Toys" came in three shapes: a telephone receiver, a barbell, and a dumbbell. The package was labeled "Baby's First Squeeze Toys", product code "#28-17-93." The playball squeeze toys came in the form of a baseball, a basketball, and a soccer ball. The package was labeled "Baby's First Playball," product code "#28-17-96." The rattles are shaped like a telephone receiver. They may break and produce plastic pieces and beads, which could present a choking hazard and may cut infants. The package was labeled "Plastic Telephone Receiver Rattle," product code "#28-17-86." U.S. Customs Service and the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission identified the rattles and squeeze toys during their joint surveillance program at the ports of Charleston, Dallas and Savannah.
Hazard
The squeakers in the squeeze toys may come out and could present a potential choking hazard to children under three years of age. The rattles are shaped like a telephone receiver. They may break and produce plastic pieces and beads, which could present a choking hazard and may cut infants.
Remedy Instructions
Consumers should immediately take the squeeze toys and rattles away from infants and return them to any K Mart store for a full refund of the purchase price.
What Should You Do?
Stop using this product immediately. Contact the manufacturer for a Refund at no charge. If you experienced an injury, report it at SaferProducts.gov.
Frequently Asked Questions
Follow the consumer action instructions in the recall notice above. Most recalls require you to stop using the product and contact the manufacturer directly, either by calling the toll-free number listed in the official CPSC notice or by visiting the manufacturer's website. You generally do not need a receipt or original packaging to claim a remedy. The manufacturer is legally required to provide the remedy (Refund) at no cost to you.
Federal law prohibits the sale of toys with small parts for children under age 3. CPSC uses a standardized small parts cylinder to test whether pieces from a toy can fit entirely inside, if they can, they are considered a choking hazard. Products marketed for children under 3 must not contain any small parts. Beyond the legal requirements, the CPSC and pediatricians recommend keeping all small objects away from children under 4, as the risk of choking extends beyond the formal legal age threshold.
In most cases, no. CPSC-coordinated recall remedies are designed to be accessible without proof of purchase. Manufacturers typically ask consumers to self-certify ownership and may ask for photos of the product or its serial number. Some manufacturers request that you mail in a portion of the product (such as a cut cord or removed component) as proof of disposal. Check the specific remedy instructions for this recall for exact requirements. If you registered your product at the time of purchase, the process is usually even simpler.
If the original manufacturer has gone out of business, the recall remedy may no longer be available through them. In this case, contact CPSC directly at 1-800-638-2772 or cpsc.gov for guidance. If the brand was acquired by another company, the acquiring company may have assumed recall obligations. In some cases where a remedy is unavailable, CPSC advises consumers to safely dispose of the product. If you were injured by the product of a defunct company, consult a product liability attorney, parent companies, distributors, and retailers may still bear liability in some circumstances.