Now that Thanksgiving has arrived, parents all over the Garden State are ready to begin their holiday shopping.

The Captain America Soft Shield tops the list of dangerous toys. (Alex Wong, Getty Images)
The Captain America Soft Shield tops the list of dangerous toys. (Alex Wong, Getty Images)
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And not coincidentally, the New Jersey Public Interest Research Group is out with its annual Trouble in Toyland Report to help moms and dads avoid potentially dangerous and hazardous toys.

"Our researchers found four hazards in toys, with toxic materials, choking hazards, magnetic toys and excessively noisy toys," said NJPIRG Program Associate Peter Skopec.

He pointed out some of the most dangerous hazards in toys are invisible because they contain poisonous metals.

"This year we found a vinyl toy - the Captain America soft shield - to contain 2,900 parts per million of lead. This toy violates the federal standard," Skopec said.

In addition NJPIRG found the Ninja Turtles pencil case to contain 600 parts per million of cadmium, which is a highly toxic heavy metal.

Skopec stressed parents must be on guard for toys that could become choking hazards for their younger children.

"We all know that toddlers like to put a lot of things into their mouths, and between 2001 and 2011, over 80 children choked to death on balloons, balls, toys or parts of toys," he cautioned.

The bottom line, said Skopec, is that we still need to protect our littlest consumers from unsafe toys, which means parents and caregivers need to watch out for hazards when shopping for toys this holiday season.

"Work by NJPIRG has led to more than 150 recalls and other actions to get dangerous toys off store shelves," he said. "Parents should always carefully examine toys for potential dangers before they make a purchase, and always read and heed labels."

For more information on toy safety, he recommended you visit the Safer Products website.

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