Coin-size button batteries, “water beads,” and magnets from toys have been choking hazards for kids for years, but the emerging generation of robot companions now pose new threats to children as well, officials are claiming. That was the message from health officials, safety advocates and US Sen. Richard Blumenthal during the annual Trouble in Toyland news conference at Connecticut Children’s this week that reviews toys that may prove problematic this gift-buying season.
The 40th annual study of toys includes warnings that choking hazards and the presence of lead still exist, but the new generation of interactive computer-based toys mostly made in China can make inappropriate statements, feign disappointment when children try to put them away, and may be spying on families, advocates said.
Medical professionals also cautioned parents of safety precautions when giving e-bikes to children, and officials from the US Public Interest Research Group warned parents to avoid counterfeit toys.
Blumenthal, D-Conn., also argued that the interactive robot toys are reaching parents at a time when the Consumer Product Safety Commission is failing in part of its mission to protect the public.
“The toys sold in Connecticut are the toys sold in China or in this country,” Blumenthal said. “What we’re seeing really is a race to the bottom. We’re seeing a race to implement artificial intelligence in toys because they are supposedly the future. Not only do they invite children to look for matches and knives, but they also encourage self-harm, suicide.”
Here are some of the toys that prompted warnings as the holiday shopping season starts:
Miko 3
The US Public Interest Research Group tested four toys containing chatbots, including Miko 3, which sells for $189 and has wheels and a screen face. The company says the toy instills “feelings of companionship and social connection to help build confidence. It comes with dozens of emotions. It’s curious, expressive and surprisingly empathetic.”
But Rory Erlich, an associate with PIRG’s Economy Campaign, said the voice-activated, AI-equipped toys can have open-ended, sometimes inappropriate conversations.
“Some of these toys will try to keep you playing a little longer, so Miko the robot would act all disappointed if you have to go, or to just take it with you,” Erlich said.
Miko, which is based in Mumbai, India, did not return a request for comment.
The report found that toys such as Miko 3 are generally unregulated and can suggest where kids can find matches or knives, act sad when kids leave sessions, and contain few or no parental controls. Privacy concerns include voice recordings of children and facial recognition scans, the report shared.
The Miko robot gave parents misleading reports and made it seem that the child was playing with it less than it was actually used, Erlich said.
“These things will collect sensitive data, like recordings of the child’s voice,” Erlich said. “It just speaks to the speed and recklessness with which companies are trying to bring products to market and cash-in on this latest technological fad.”
Kumma, the Teddy Bear
Kumma, a $99 teddy bear marketed by Folo Toys, talks about a range of sexually explicit topics, Erlich said.
But Folo Toys reacted quickly to the report’s findings, took the toy off its website, and is performing a safety audit, Erlich said.
“This might just be the tip of the iceberg,” he said, stressing the need for adults to do their research before making a purchase and to set clear boundaries for kids.
None of the companies returned a request for comment.
AI-interactive toys are a worldwide issue, said Blumenthal, grabbing a Kumma.
“They also do surveillance,” he said. “They replicate kids voices. They collect information, which is OK in China, where everything you do is surveilled and privacy is not an operative word. But in this country, privacy means something. There is also the emotional harm that results from dependence on a nonhuman conversationalist.”
Blumenthal and US Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., last month introduced federal legislation aimed at banning AI companions for children, creating criminal penalties for sexual content, and requiring disclaimers that the AI voices are not human. But Blumenthal said the Trump administration is “dismantling” the Consumer Product Safety Council and other regulators that can protect children from dangerous toys.
The report also cited the dangers of two other toys that contain chatbots: Grok, a voice-activbated, plush $99 talking rocket from Curio, and the Little Learners’ Robot MINI with an oval screen for a face for $97. Those companies did not respond to a request for comment.
Counterfeit Labubu Dolls
Of the 3 billion toys and games sold in the United States annually, more than 280,000 counterfeit toys worth about $7.2 million were seized by federal customs officials in 2024.
But many other counterfeits have made it to the US market, particularly ones that resemble the plush collectible Labubu dolls, according to the PIRG study, citing a mid-August warning from the Consumer Product Safety Council of counterfeits.
The look-alikes are often made with substandard materials and can become choking hazards when pushed into kids’ mouths, where they can also break apart.
E-bikes
Amy Watkins, manager of the Injury Prevention Center at Connecticut Children’s, urged parents looking at e-bikes to keep in mind that kids who are 13 and younger might not have the skills to safely handle them.
“One hot topic this season is going to be e-bikes,” Watkins said. “Many kids are seeing their friends on bikes and they want to get in on the action. So while e-bikes are a very fun and efficient way to get around, we want to make sure that parents consider their child’s age and development abilities as well as their on-road and bicycling skills before they put them on an electric bike. They’re much much faster, they are heavier, they are a little bit harder to maneuver.”
Medical officials warned parents that if they are considering e-bikes as gifts, to make sure their children are able to maneuver the bulky machines, which can reach 28 mph, and that they have appropriate helmets.
Watkins also said state law requires all e-bike riders to wear helmets. And depending on the class of e-bike, a higher-rated helmet is required.
For other wheeled equipment, including skateboards, roller blades and scooters, safety gear should also be purchased, including helmets, knee pads, and elbow pads, Watkins said.
She warned that some e-bikes marketed online do not fit the specifications required in Connecticut and urged parents to check the recommendations at the Watch for Me CT website.
Cra-Z-Art Gemex Jewelry
During the first half of 2025, PIRG analyzed thousands of shipments of toys that were flagged with violation notices by US Customs and Border Protection. At least 100,000 contained toxic chemicals, said Jacob Mela, a consumer watchdog associate with PIRG’s Education Fund.
“While our work over the years has prompted an estimated 150 recalls and other regulatory actions involving unsafe toys, we found again this year that it is still easy to buy unsafe toys,” Mela said.
He underscored the need for shoppers to buy products from reputable companies and e-commerce websites that meet safety standards. He pointed to the March recall ordered by the the Consumer Product Safety Council of LaRose Industries’ Cra-Z-Art Gemex Jewelery kits because they contained dangerous chemicals. Mela said the item is still available on eBay.
Also, safety warnings were first issued in 2022 for water beads, tiny plastic spheres that can growth huge in water and other fluids, and new regulations are coming, Mela said, stressing that they can cause suffocation and intestinal blockages.
Dr. John Brancato, head of the emergency medicine division at Connecticut Children’s, said it’s important for parents to know the dangers of swallowing some items.
The button battery for personal electronics can burn through a child’s esophagus in two hours, he said. Water beads, which are available at garden centers and other retailers, can swell to 1,500 times their size and obstruct airways and require emergency surgery, he added.
Strong magnets used in craft-making and in some toys can also be life-threatening when swallowed, causing blockages or bowel damage.
“Toys with these magnets should only be marketed to kids 14 years old and up,” Brancato said.
-by Ken Dixon
© 2025 the New Haven Register (New Haven, Conn.). Visit www.nhregister.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
