Why I don't typically buy my kids "new release toys"

or any toys for that matter except at Christmas or birthdays. Oh don't look at me like that. You don't know my kids. They don't even play with toys. They dump them out so they can play in the toy chest. My kids have these things called "imaginations" they don't need preprogrammed toys that do all the mental work for them. Give my boys some dirt, spoons, pots and pans, a couple squirt guns, and a really simple race car or two (no remotes, no sounds!) and they are good to freakin' go! They don't need Elmo to sing and dance for them!

Anyway:
News from CPSC
U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission
Office of Information and Public Affairs Washington, D.C. 20207
For Immediate Release Firm’s Recall Hotline: (800) 916-4498
August 2, 2007 CPSC Recall Hotline: (800) 638-2772
Release #Final 8/2/2007 CPSC Media Contact: (301) 504-7908
Fisher-Price Recalls Licensed Character Toys Due To Lead Poisoning Hazard
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer products. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed. (To access color photos of the following recalled products, see CPSC’s Web site at www.cpsc.gov.)
Name of Products: Sesame Street, Dora the Explorer, and other children’s toys
Units: About 967,000
Importer: Fisher-Price Inc., of East Aurora, N.Y.
Hazard: Surface paints on the toys could contain excessive levels of lead. Lead is toxic if ingested by young children and can cause adverse health effects.
Incidents/Injuries: None reported.
Description: The recalled involves various figures and toys that were manufactured between April 19, 2007 and July 6, 2007 and were sold alone or as part of sets. The model names and product numbers for the recalled toys, which are all marked with “Fisher-Price,” are listed below. The toys also have a date code between 109-7LF and 187-7LF marked on the product.
Sold at: Retail stores nationwide from May 2007 through August 2007 for between $5 and $40.
Manufactured in: China
Remedy: Consumers should immediately take the recalled toys away from children and contact Fisher-Price. Consumers will need to return the product and will receive a voucher for a replacement toy of the consumer’s choice (up to the value of the returned product).
Customer Contact: For additional information visit the firm’s Web site at www.service.mattel.com or contact Fisher-Price at (800) 916-4498.
Product List:
33662 ELMO LIGHT UP MUSICAL PAL 33663 ERNIE LIGHT UP MUSICAL PAL
33664 BIG BIRD LIGHT UP MUSICAL PAL 34658 ELMO STACKING RINGS
39038 ELMO TUB SUB 39054 SESAME STREET SHAPE SORTER
87946 ELMO KEYBOARD 90267 ERNIE SPLASHIN' FUN TRIKE
90609 ELMO COLLECTIBLE 90611 COOKIE COLLECTIBLE,
90612 ZOE COLLECTIBLE 90613 ERNIE COLLECTIBLE
90614 BIG BIRD COLLECTIBLE 90745 CONSTRUCTION PLAYSET
93068 ELMO BOOM BOX 93107 ACTION FIRE ENGINE
93307 PRESS N GO ELMO 93308 REV & GO COOKIE MONSTER
93492 COOKIE SAXOPHONE 93493 ELMO'S GUITAR
93615 SPLASH TUB PUZZLE 93780 MUSIC AND LIGHTS PHONE
B7554 COUNT TO BEAT ELMO B7888 SHAKE, GIGGLE & ROLL
B7987 ELMO IN THE GIGGLE BOX B7989 SILLY PARTS TALKING ELMO
B9620 DORA'S TALKING HOUSE
C6908 DORA, BACKPACK, PERRITO FIGURE PACK
C6909 DIEGO FIGURE PACK C6910 SWIPER FIGURE PACK
C6911 BOOTS, TICO FIGURE PACK G3825 DORA TALKING VAMONOS VAN
G5112 SING WITH ELMO'S GREATEST HITS G9717 GIGGLE DOODLER
H2943 GROW WITH ME ELMO SPRINKLER H3343 COUSIN DAISY
H3344 BIRTHDAY DORA H5569 ELMO & PALS (ELMO, COOKIE, ERNIE)
H5570 ELMO & PALS (ELMO, ZOE, BIGBIRD) H4187 DORA FIGURES IN TUBE,
H4628 WATER FUN TOTE H8236 DORA 3 PACK FIGURES IN TUBE,
H8237 BLUE 3 PACK FIGURES IN TUBE H8238 SPONGE BOB 3 PACK FIGURES IN TUBE
H9124 CHEF DORA H9125 BEDTIME DORA
H9186 GIGGLE GRABBER ERNIE H9188 GIGGLE GRABBER OSCAR THE GROUCH
J0338 DIEGO TALKING FIELD JOURNAL J0343 GO DIEGO GO ANTARCTIC RESCUE
J0344 GO DIEGO GO DEEP SEA RESCUE J0345 GO DIEGO GO MOUNTAIN RESCUE
J0346 GO DIEGO GO TALKING RESCUE 4 X 4 J5935 GIGGLE GRABBER SOCCER ELMO
J5936 GIGGLE GRABBER CHEF COOKIE MONSTER
J6537 SESAME STREET GIGGLE TOOLBELT J6762 QUEEN MAMI
J6763 ROYAL BOOTS AND TICO J6765 PRINCE DIEGO
J7983 SESAME STREET TUB POTS & PANS J9518 SESAME STREET GIGGLE DRILL
J9692 DORA'S TALKING PONY PLACE K0617 TWINS NURSERY
K3414 DIEGO - TALKING GADGET BELT K3571 GO DIEGO GO MOBILE RESCUE UNIT
K3580 FAIRYTALE ADVENTURE DORA K4139 GO DIEGO GO DINOSAUR RESCUE
K4140 TOUCAN MOTORCYCLE RESCUE L0305 DORA FIGURE
L3194 SURPRISE INSIDE DIEGO EGGS L3215 SESAME STREET ELMO JACK-IN-THE-BOX
L3488 SESAME STREET BIRTHDAY FIGURE PACK
L3507 SESAME STREET - SUPER BOOM BOX
L5202 BIRTHDAY DORA L5813 DIEGO TUB TRIKE
L8905 PABLO & PALS M0351 DORA FIGURES DORA & KITTY
M0352 DORA FIGURES DIEGO & BEAR M0524 GO DIEGO GO TALKING GADGET
M0527 SESAME STREET GIGGLE DOODLER M0732 DORA'S TALKING HOUSE
M2051 LETS GO RESCUE CENTER M2052 FAIRYTALE CASTLE
Above are three examples of the recalled products
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission is charged with protecting the public from unreasonable risks of serious injury or death from more than 15,000 types of consumer products under the agency’s jurisdiction. Deaths, injuries and property damage from consumer product incidents cost the nation more than $700 billion annually. The CPSC is committed to protecting consumers and families from products that pose a fire, electrical, chemical, or mechanical hazard. The CPSC’s work to ensure the safety of consumer products - such as toys, cribs, power tools, cigarette lighters, and household chemicals – contributed significantly to the 30 percent decline in the rate of deaths and injuries associated with consumer products over the past 30 years.
To report a dangerous product or a product-related injury, call CPSC’s hotline at (800) 638-2772 or CPSC’s teletypewriter at (800) 638-8270 or visit CPSC’s Web site at www.cpsc.gov/talk.html. Consumers can obtain this release and recall information at CPSC’s Web site at www.cpsc.gov.