Federal regulators announced a recall of about 2,000 HABA Rainbow Rattle Grasping and Teething Toys after the glued knot securing the elastic cord came untied, giving young children access to the small wooden and plastic pieces strung on it. The Consumer Product Safety Commission notice describes a risk of serious injury or death from choking and ingestion.
For parents, the useful detail is the failure point. The wood is not the problem, and the beads are not the problem. The knot is. HABA has received two reports of the knots on the elastic cord becoming untied, and no injuries have been reported.
That distinction changes what a household inspection should look for. A parent checking this toy is not looking for cracks, splinters, or chipped paint. They are looking at the small glued join where the elastic cord is tied off, and at whether it has begun to loosen with the pulling and chewing the toy is designed to invite.
The Defect Sits at the Join, Not in the Materials
The recalled item is the HABA Rainbow Rattle Grasping and Teething Toy, item number 2012261001, batch code 0925. The toy is made of wood and other materials, with plastic rattling rings that make noise when the toy is moved, and is marketed for infant grasping, sensory exploration, and early play.
Identifying it requires two checks. The batch code is printed in black on one of the natural wooden hemisphere pieces. The item number appears on the back of the backer card, above the barcode. Households that discarded the packaging months ago will need to rely on the batch code stamped on the wood itself. Only that batch is covered, so a HABA rattle bought outside the recall window is not automatically affected, and parents should read the code rather than assume from the brand alone.
Sold at Target, Nordstrom and Amazon Through the Summer
Distribution reach is what makes a 2,000-unit recall worth a parent's attention rather than just a manufacturer's.
CPSC lists the toy as sold at specialty stores nationwide and online at Amazon.com, Target.com, Bellalunatoys.com, Habausa.com, and Nordstrom.com from December 2025 through July 2026 for about $13. That price and those retailers put the toy squarely in gift territory, which means many of the units in circulation may have been bought by grandparents, baby shower guests, and friends rather than by the parents now responsible for finding them.
The toy was imported by Habermaass Corporation, doing business as HABA USA, of Skaneateles, New York, and manufactured in China. The recall number is 26-719.
Refunds Require Destroying the Toy and Sending a Photograph
The remedy is a full refund, but the process asks households to do the disposal themselves.
CPSC instructs consumers to stop using the toy immediately and take it away from children. To claim the refund, owners cut the elastic cord to destroy the toy, photograph the destroyed toy, and email the photo along with their name and address to HABA USA. The destroyed toy is then thrown away. Details are posted on the HABA USA recall page, and the company can also be reached by phone on weekdays.
Parents who are unsure whether their toy qualifies should contact the company before discarding it, because destroying a toy that turns out to be outside the affected batch results in the loss of a usable item without a refund. Cutting the cord is not optional busywork. It is what prevents a recalled toy from reaching a second child through a hand-me-down bin, a consignment sale, or a neighborhood giveaway group. Federal law prohibits the sale of a product subject to a recall.
A Different Profile from the Amazon Teethers Parents Were Warned About
This recall does not match the pattern that has dominated teething toy warnings this year.
MedicalDaily has tracked a long string of recalls involving a near-identical silicone pull-string teether sold under rotating brand names on Amazon, many carrying the same product code, model 688-59. Those toys violated the mandatory federal toy standard because their silicone strings were smaller and longer than permitted, a defect regulators described in a separate Little Rawr teether recall as allowing the strings to reach the back of a child's throat.
The HABA recall is a different situation in almost every respect. It involves an established European brand sold through mainstream retailers, a wooden product rather than a marketplace import, a component failure rather than a standards violation, and two reports of that failure rather than a pattern of injuries. What carries over is the practical instruction. Any infant toy that relies on a single cord or knot to hold small parts together deserves a look at that join, not just at the parts.
Parents who find a component loose on any teether, recalled or not, can report it to the CPSC through SaferProducts.gov, the database regulators use to spot emerging hazards before they become recalls. General guidance on small parts and mandatory requirements is available through the agency's toy safety materials.
No injuries have been reported in connection with this recall, and the CPSC has not indicated that it will expand the recall. That could change if additional reports come in, and the agency updates recall notices as new information arrives.
Key Questions Answered
Which toy is being recalled? The HABA Rainbow Rattle Grasping and Teething Toy, item number 2012261001, batch code 0925. About 2,000 units are affected.
What is the hazard? The glued knot on the elastic cord can become untied, releasing the small wooden and plastic pieces strung on it. CPSC describes a risk of serious injury or death from choking and ingestion.
Have any children been hurt? No injuries have been reported. HABA received two reports that the knots on the elastic cord were coming undone.
Where was it sold and for how much? At specialty stores nationwide and online at Amazon.com, Target.com, Bellalunatoys.com, Habausa.com, and Nordstrom.com from December 2025 through July 2026, for about $13.
How do I identify it? The batch code is printed in black on one of the natural wooden hemisphere pieces. The item number is on the back of the backer card above the barcode.
How do I get a refund? Stop using the toy, cut the elastic cord to destroy it, photograph the destroyed toy, and email the photo, along with your name and address, to HABA USA. Then dispose of the destroyed product.
Can I donate or resell it instead? No. Federal law prohibits selling products subject to a recall, and passing it along would move the hazard to another household rather than remove it.
