Maine firm recalls toddler activity sets, puzzles

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, Lauri Inc. of Phillips-Avon, Maine, is voluntarily recalling about 110,000 “Toddler Tote” toddler activity sets and about 11,000 “Familiar Things” toddler puzzles. The dog puzzle included with both of these products and the rubber handle on the box of the activity set can tear apart into small pieces and pose a choking hazard to small children.

There have been no reports of incidents or injuries with these puzzles or handles. The recall is being conducted to prevent the possibility of injury.

The “Toddler Tote” travel activity sets have three animal puzzles, seven stacker pegs of various colors, a geometric shapes puzzle and four basic shape minipuzzles. All the contents are packaged in a blue box with a rubber handle that acts as a carrying tote. The 9-inch square box has “Lauri” and “LR-2116” written on it.

The puzzle set is called “Familiar Things.” It is a boxed set of 12 two-piece puzzles. The puzzles include cutouts of fish, planes, boats and cars. The purple box has “First Puzzles for Little Ones” and “LR-2113” written on it. Specialty toy stores, Web retailers and school supply catalogs sold the recalled puzzle and activity sets from January 1999 to July 2002. Toddler Totes were sold for about $15 and Familiar Things were sold for about $20.

Consumers should take these toys away from children immediately and call Lauri for free replacement pieces. For more information, contact Lauri toll-free at (800) 451-0520 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday.

BRIO Corp. of Germantown, Wis., a subsidiary of BRIO AB of Sweden, and Small World Toys of Culver City, Calif., are voluntarily recalling about 3,000 Plan Toys pull-along snails. The eyes on the pull toy can detach, posing a choking hazard to young children.

BRIO and Small World Toys are not aware of any incidents or injuries involving the pull toy. This recall is being conducted to prevent the possibility of injury.

The recalled Plan Toys pull-along snail is a bright green, yellow and red wooden pull toy. The snail measures 10-inches long and 4-inches high and is pulled by a nylon string attached to the underside of the toy. On the snail head are two yellow protruding pegs that extend about 1-inch from the body. The pegs are painted black and white to depict eyeballs. A stamp on the bottom of the head displays the Plan Toys logo and the words “Made in Thailand.”

Specialty toy stores, Internet retailers and mail order catalogs sold the recalled pull-along snails nationwide from June 2001 through June 2002 for about $15. Consumers should take these pull toys away from children immediately and contact BRIO at (888) 274-6869 between 8:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. CT Monday through Friday. Consumers may return the recalled pull toys to BRIO Corp., SAFETY RECALL – Snail, N120 W18485 Freistadt Road, Germantown, Wis. 53022 for a refund.

COMBAT’s Maine Center for the Public Interest will soon make complaint mediation and consumer education services available on the Internet. Even without a public announcement, the Center already has received inquiries from consumers in England, Spain, and Australia. The need for community volunteers to help resolve customer problems will surely grow. If you have good problem-solving and communications skills, we can train you to be a consumer advocate. COMBAT is also looking for a secretary to take and prepare minutes for its community board of directors. If you are within driving distance of COMBAT’s office, you can make a difference. Call 947-3506 for volunteer opportunities.

Consumer Forum is a collaboration of the Bangor Daily News and Northeast COMBAT/The Maine Center for the Public Interest, Maine’s membership-funded nonprofit consumer organization. For help or to request individual or business membership information write: Consumer Forum, Bangor Daily News, P.O. Box 1329, Bangor 04402-1329.