Magnetic toys are a popular staple product at book fairs and conventions and make for great educational toys for children.

However, a few of such toys have been found to pose a risk to children.

In a media advisory issued by safety regulator Enterprise Singapore on Sept. 2, 10 samples of magnetic toys were tested, and all were found to be unsafe.

High-powered magnet poses safety risk

The mechanical properties of the toys were found to not comply with the safety requirements by the International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO).

For instance, a number of these toys contain high-powered magnets, and it can cause internal injuries if ingested by children, such as perforation, scarring or infection.

Enterprise cited the cases of a four-year-old child in the US who swallowed 13 magnets after a magnetic building block toy broke open, and a 14-month-old boy in China who swallowed 21 magnetic balls, and had to undergo surgery.

These toys were found on e-commerce platforms such as Lazada, Shopee, Ezbuy, SGShop and Qoo10.

Suppliers of the tested toys have since removed the toys for sale.

Other concerns include:

• Small parts that could be ingested by young children.
• Age specifications on the product or packaging.
• Accidental suffocation in young children via plastic bags.
• Protruding parts and improper toy design that could trap fingers.

List of unsafe magnetic toys

1, Keaihao Magnetic Building Blocks

Safety concerns:

• Contains small parts
• The product and packaging do not have warning information provided in English.

(Note: The supplier has since rectified the safety concern by including a warning label on the small parts.)

2. Tensoger Magnetic Building Blocks

Safety concerns:

• Contains small parts such as small balls.
• Product and packaging do not have the warning information provided in English.
• Toy contains high-powered magnets and may cause intestinal injury if ingested.
• Plastic bag without requisite holes used to store components of the toy may pose a suffocation hazard

3. Tongyuan Magnetic Building Blocks

Safety concerns:

• Contains small parts such as small balls.
• Product and packaging do not have the warning information provided in English.
• Toy contains high-powered magnets and may cause intestinal injury if ingested.
• Plastic bag without requisite holes used to store components of the toy may pose a suffocation hazard

4. Zhong Toy Magnetic Building Blocks

Safety concerns:

• Contains small parts such as small balls.
• Product and packaging do not have the warning information provided in English.
• Toy contains high-powered magnets and may cause intestinal injury if ingested.
• Improper toy design may trap the fingers of children.

5. Mag-Fun Magnetic Building Blocks

Safety concerns:

• Detachable protruding parts may puncture a child's skin.

6. 216 pcs 5mm Buckyballs Neocube Magnetic Balls

Safety concerns:

• Contains small parts.
• Toy contains high-powered magnets and may cause intestinal injury if ingested.
• Age grading information is not provided.

7. 125pcs 5mm Creative Building Block Magic Cube Magcube Magnetic Cubes

Safety concerns:

• Contains small parts.
• Toy contains high-powered magnets and may cause intestinal injury if ingested.
• Age grading information is not provided in English

8. 216pcs 3mm Magnetic Buck Balls MAGCUBE Magnetic Balls

Safety concerns:

• Contains small parts.
• Toy contains high-powered magnets and may cause intestinal injury if ingested.

9. 216pcs 5mm Bucky Balls Rare Earth Magnetic Balls

Safety concerns:

• Contains small parts.
• Toy contains high-powered magnets and may cause intestinal injury if ingested.
• Age grading information is not provided.
• Plastic bag without requisite holes used to store components of the toy may pose a suffocation hazard

10. 216pcs 5mm Magnetic Magic Cube Puzzle Magnetic Balls

• Contains small parts.
• Toy contains high-powered magnets and may cause intestinal injury if ingested.
• Age grading information is not provided.

Consumers who have bought the following toys should stop using them immediately.

Meet the standards, or else

Under the Consumer Protection (Consumer Goods Safety Requirements) Regulations (CGSR), suppliers and manufacturers of all toys have to meet applicable international safety standards such as ISO 8124, EN 71 and ASTM F963.

These cover the safety aspect of toys, such as mechanical hazards toxicity from hazardous chemicals.

Any person found guilty of not complying with Enterprise Singapore’s directions to stop the sale of unsafe products will be liable to a fine not exceeding S$10,000 or face imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years, or to both.

Top image adapted via Shoppe and Lightinthebox's website