Water beads and expanding toys
Water beads are small beads that expand in contact with liquid. These can be sold as decoration or as part of toys. "Growing pets" and other toys can also expand when placed in water. For example, they can be sold in the form of eggs that hatch or figurines of animals or dinosaurs.
Risk of suffocation
The danger of these products is that small children can eat them or swallow pieces of the figurines. As the beads or pieces grow, they can block the intestines of young children. This can cause great damage and, in the worst case, be fatal.
Not for young children
Due to the dangers of the product, most growing pets are labelled with a warning that they are not suitable for children under three years of age. Parents and other adults must respect this age marking and take good care that young children do not get hold of these toys, for example from older siblings or other children.
In addition to warning marking, Growing pets must be CE marked. This is because such products are considered a toy. Then the manufacturer must confirm, through a CE mark, that the safety requirements in the European regulations for toys have been followed.
Water beads can be sold as a decorative product and therefore do not always have an age limit. However, the lack of an age limit does not mean that the product is safe for small children. Therefore, keep water beads and similar products out of the reach of small children.