Toy Archives - Page 2 of 4

Discovery Kids 2017 DCL “MerchSource” Magnetic Tile Toys: 18 +/- 2 ppm Arsenic (in the metal hollow rivets.)

March 25, 2019December 28, 2021

Originally published: March 25, 2019 Updated: March 18, 2020 Discovery Toys MagnaTile® knockoffs When tested with an XRF instrument, the metal hollow rivets on these MerchSource MagnaTile® knockoffs (by Discovery Toys / DiscoveryKids) are positive for Arsenic. This is consistent with all magnetic tile toys of this nature that I have tested (all of the…

1989 DC Comics Superman Figurine: Lead-Free, Cadmium-Free, Arsenic-Free!!! :-)

January 5, 2019May 26, 2019

Given the amount of wear on this Superman figurine (along with the year made – 1989, and the fact that it was made in China) it makes sense that the owner was concerned that it may test positive for Lead. However a pleasant surprise … this little guy was negative for Lead, Cadmium, Arsenic and…

Giant Blue Glass Marble: 60 ppm Cadmium, 366 ppm Arsenic

November 11, 2018December 28, 2023

2 Comments

This is a newer (c. 2015) large translucent blue glass marble with an iridescent rainbow finish. Given the nature of the way most colored glass is commonly produced, many marbles (and especially those with iridescent finishes) do have at least some level of detectable toxicants when tested with an XRF instrument. Some actually have quite…

XRFTesting: Plastic Doctor Toy Purchased On Amazon in 2018

September 19, 2018

2 Comments

XRF Test Results for: Plastic Doctor Toys Purchased On Amazon in 2018 Here is my Amazon affiliate link for this toy set.* Words printed on Stethoscope: “Made In China” and “Dongguan”. No other mark or brand info printed on toy. Tests were done without disassembling toy, so results are accurate taking that consideration into account…

Reminder: A Thomas the Tank Engine wooden toy was recalled in June 2007. Do you still have these trains at home?

September 9, 2018February 28, 2024

27 Comments

For those new to the Lead Safe Mama website: Tamara Rubin is a multiple-federal-award-winning independent advocate for childhood Lead poisoning prevention and consumer goods safety, and a documentary filmmaker. She is also a mother of Lead-poisoned children (two of her four sons were acutely Lead-poisoned in 2005). Tamara owns and runs Lead Safe Mama,…

Should I be worried about the possibility of lead in the sandbox toys at my child’s school? [Vintage toy dinosaur pictured: 8,000 ppm Lead].

September 8, 2018December 17, 2021

2 Comments

Introduction: Tamara Rubin is a Federal award winning independent advocate for consumer goods safety and childhood Lead poisoning prevention. She is also a mother of Lead-poisoned children. She began testing consumer goods for toxicants in 2009, and was the parent-advocate responsible for finding Lead in the popular fidget spinner toys in 2017. She uses XRF testing (a scientific…

Hape Wooden Railway Kid’s Xylophone Melody Track

September 6, 2018July 20, 2022

3 Comments

When I coordinate XRF testing of consumer goods for my friends and followers I ask them to send me a box with one complex item and up to nine simple items. I usually test these ten personal items for people in thanks for their $150 contribution that helps to cover the costs of the XRF…

#AskTamara: Do Glass Dragon Tears Have Lead? (Aka: Squashed Marbles, Glass Drops or Mancala Stones?)

August 13, 2018March 12, 2020

6 Comments

#AskTamara Question: Do dragon tears have lead? Answer: Some do and some do not. Given the nature of the way most colored glass is commonly produced, many dragon tears do have at least some lead, and some have quite high amounts of lead — at levels considered dangerous for children by current/modern regulatory standards. [Even…

#LeadFree: 1967 Pontiac Firebird Hot Wheels Toy Car by Mattel

June 19, 2018

3 Comments

#LeadFree • #HotWheels • #Mattel Made in Malaysia c. (Year made): ? Tested with an XRF instrument in 2017. Most newer toy cars like this that I have tested have been lead-free. I think new Hot Wheels cars are a really good toy choice across the board! To see more toy cars I have tested, click…

#LeadFree: 2014 Pullback Toy School Bus, Made In China

June 19, 2018June 19, 2018

Pullback toy; school bus by “KinsFun”. Tested with an XRF instrument in 2014: No lead, mercury, cadmium or arsenic BUT (most toy cars I test are like this) as high as 36,600 parts per million GOLD! In the yellow paint! WTH!? Made in China. Here is my Amazon affiliate link to this exact toy. If you…

#Leaded: Vintage/Antique Glass Marbles, Yellow and White Swirl

June 17, 2018June 17, 2018

1 Comment

Yellow and White Swirled Glass Vintage Marble: 2,364 ppm Lead! The amount of lead that is considered toxic in the substrate of a newly manufactured item intended for use by children is anything 100 ppm lead or higher. Tested in 2014 with an XRF instrument. Year of manufacture and brand: unknown. Once I learned that even…

#Leaded: Glass Pokeman Marble, c. 2013

June 17, 2018June 17, 2018

Pokeman Marble. Tested with an XRF instrument in 2013. Apprx 36,000 ppm lead (on the “painted” design). The amount of lead considered toxic (and therefore illegal) in a newly manufactured item intended for children (after 2010) is anything with paint or coating testing positive for lead at 90 ppm or higher. I don’t know what…

#Leaded: Vintage Fisher Price Motor Boat Toy (c. 1970?)

June 11, 2018

2 Comments

Vintage Fisher Price Motor Boat Toy. Tested with an XRF instrument: Green Plastic Arsenic (As): 113 +/- 23 ppm Yellow Plastic Cadmium (Cd): 1992 +/- 41 ppm White Plastic Lead (Pb): 148 +/- 11 ppm Most plastic vintage Fisher Price toys are positive for some level of lead, cadmium or arsenic. There is no place…

#Leaded: Vintage Fisher Price “Count” Doll,

March 9, 2018March 9, 2018

Vintage Fisher Price Sesame Street “Count” Doll. Green body: 764 +/- 27 ppm lead. Black hair: 30 +/- 6 ppm lead. Face: 15 +/- 7 ppm lead. – Thanks for reading! Tamara Check out the test results of more things I have tested here: https://tamararubin.com/2018/01/index/

#LeadFree: Melissa & Doug Wooden Toy Train Set

December 29, 2017December 29, 2017

2 Comments

I tested this Melissa & Doug wooden train set back in 2014 and it was non-detect (ND) for lead (Pb) when tested with an XRF instrument! Here’s my affiliate link for this product on Amazon!* All of the Melissa & Doug products that I have tested have been negative for lead. The nice thing about Melissa…

#LeadFree: Sophie The Giraffe Baby Toy

December 29, 2017

Sophie the Giraffe baby toy was negative for lead (Pb) when tested with an XRF instrument! Tested in 2017. Here’s my affiliate link for this product on Amazon!* Would you like to see more test results like this? Please help me rent (or eventually buy!) an XRF instrument to continue this work. You can support my…

#LeadFree: Melissa & Doug Fish Colors Puzzle

December 29, 2017December 29, 2017

1 Comment

Melissa & Doug, “Crafted by hand” Fish Colors Puzzle. Lead free! (Non-detect for lead as tested with an XRF instrument.) Made in China. Here’s my affiliate link for this product on Amazon!* All of the Melissa & Doug products that I have tested have been negative for lead. The nice thing about Melissa & Doug is…

#Leaded: Vintage MatchBox Car Vinyl Case

December 29, 2017January 27, 2018

1 Comment

Vintage vinyl MatchBox car case. Made in Canada. Tested positive for as much as 310 ppm lead. In 2017 the amount of lead that is considered toxic in a modern/newly manufactured item intended for children is 90 ppm lead (or higher) in the coating or 100 ppm (or higher in) the substrate. – Would you…

#LeadFree: HotWheels c. 1988 Toy Ambulance

December 28, 2017December 29, 2017

#LeadFree #HotWheels #Mattel Made in Malaysia c. 1988. – This toy belongs to my family. ALL of our toy cars were acquired after our house-fire in 2002… so year stamped on the bottom of the toy MAY be the “original production year” and not the “year of manufacture.” This toy was tested using an XRF…

Child’s toy China Tea Set, Victoria’s Garden: 20,600 ppm Lead

December 24, 2017May 17, 2024

Victoria’s Garden toy China Tea Set: 20,600 ppm Lead (Lemon included to show size!) For those new to the Lead Safe Mama website: Tamara Rubin is a multiple-federal-award-winning independent advocate for childhood Lead poisoning prevention and consumer goods safety, and a documentary filmmaker. She is also a mother of Lead-poisoned children (two of her…

Vintage toy Ford “Front Drive” car, painted with red Lead paint: 723 ppm Lead (90 ppm & up is unsafe for kids)

December 24, 2017July 13, 2023

Introduction (for those new to this website): Tamara Rubin is a federal-award-winning independent advocate for consumer goods safety and a documentary filmmaker. She is also a mother of Lead-poisoned children, her sons were acutely Lead-poisoned in 2005. Since 2009 Tamara has been using XRF testing (a scientific method used by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission)…

This vintage (c. 1970) “Malibu Francie” Barbie tested positive for unsafe levels of Lead and Cadmium

December 20, 2017July 19, 2023

10 Comments

For those new to this website: Tamara Rubin is a multiple-Federal-award-winning independent advocate for childhood Lead-poisoning prevention and consumer goods safety, and a documentary filmmaker. She is also a mother of Lead-poisoned children (two of her sons were acutely Lead-poisoned in 2005). Since 2009, Tamara has been using XRF technology (a scientific method used by…

#LeadFree: 1958 New Year Baby Kewpie Celluloid Doll “Irwin” #Cadmium

December 19, 2017May 29, 2024

2 Comments

For those new to the Lead Safe Mama website: Tamara Rubin is a multiple-federal-award-winning independent advocate for childhood Lead poisoning prevention and consumer goods safety, and a documentary filmmaker. She is also a mother of Lead-poisoned children (two of her four sons were acutely Lead-poisoned in 2005). Tamara owns and runs Lead Safe Mama, LLC…

#Cadmium: Vintage 1940s Nancy Ann Storybook Doll, Princess/ Bride

December 16, 2017July 13, 2023

2 Comments

Introduction (for those new to this website): Tamara Rubin is a federal-award-winning independent advocate for consumer goods safety and a documentary filmmaker. She is also a mother of Lead-poisoned children, her sons were acutely Lead-poisoned in 2005. Since 2009 Tamara has been using XRF testing (a scientific method used by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission)…