Playskool Recalls Busy Poppin' Pals

A division of toy giant Hasbro Inc., Playskool, is recalling about 420,000 Busy Poppin' Pals toys because children could choke or be cut by small springs that can break loose from inside the toy.

Playskool, of Pawtucket, R.I., has received 16 reports of springs breaking, including five instances in which children put the broken springs in their mouths with two children suffering cuts, the Consumer Product Safety Commission said Wednesday.

The Busy Poppin' Pals is a 13-inch-long white plastic toy with blue, yellow and red buttons, levers and knobs of various shapes that make animal characters pop up from under the toy's base. The animals are hidden under blue, yellow or red lids that have the numbers 1 through 5 on top. The pop-up animals are a giraffe, elephant, panda bear, lion and monkey.

The toy has a white carry handle and has the Playskool logo on the front. The model No. 5415 and "made in China" are imprinted on the bottom of the toy.

Toys with model No. 6205 have different springs and are not part of the recall.

Mass merchandise and toy stores, including Toys "R" Us, sold these toys nationwide for about $10. The toys were sold from January 1996 through this August.

The safety board advises consumers to take these toys away from young children immediately and contact Playskool at 877-518-9743 anytime or visit the Web site to receive a free, redesigned replacement toy.