CPSC, Chicco USA Inc. Announce Recall of Preschool Toys
Source: CPSC Recall #01182
Recall Date
2001-07-02
Manufacturer
Chicco USA Inc., of Bound Brook, N.J.
Units Affected
About 6,000
Products Involved
Build-A-Ball toy
Hazard
Some of the larger-sized ball halves can become stuck on a young child's face, covering the nose and mouth, and causing suffocation.
Remedy
Parents and caregivers should take these balls away from young children immediately and return the toys to the store where purchased for a refund.
Reported Injuries
CPSC received a report of a 2-year-old boy who had a ball-half stuck on his face, covering his nose and mouth. A nearby adult was able to pull the toy from his face. No injury to the child was reported.
Sold At
Amazon.com, Army & Air Force Exchanges and other toy stores nationwide sold these toys, from January 1999 through April 2001, for about $6.
Manufactured In
China
Full Recall Description
The Build-A-Ball toy consists of five multi-colored and various-sized plastic balls that can be taken apart to be stacked on top of each other or placed inside each other. The five balls in the toy set range in size from about 2 inches to 4 inches in diameter. One-half of the balls are white, green, blue, red or yellow, and the other half is clear. "chicco" is written inside the balls. The balls are packaged in a box labeled "chicco," "Build-a-Ball," "Cod. 66167," and "Made in China." The packaging also indicated the toy is for children ages 1-3 years or 1-4 years. The text on the packaging is written in 11 languages.
Data source: U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) via SaferProducts.gov.
For the most current recall information, check directly with CPSC or the manufacturer.
Last verified: 2026-03-28