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Dunecraft Recalls Water Balz, Skulls, Orbs and Flower Toys Due to Serious Ingestion Hazard

Kids’ product recall 13-071. Announced by CPSC on Dec 17, 2012.

CPSC’s own notice

Watch and the shortlist are kept with a free account, on every device. Your watch list. CPSC’s own notice is on cpsc.gov.

The short answer

Announced by CPSC on Dec 17, 2012. Copied from CPSC on Oct 19, 2026.

Replace what’s offered
About 94,700 in the United States and 600 in Canada units, as CPSC gives them
Not said injuries, in the notice

Every line below is in CPSC’s own words, with its source beside it.

What’s wrong with it?

When the marble-sized toy is ingested, it expands inside the body and causes a blockage in the small intestine, resulting in severe discomfort, vomiting, dehydration and could be life threatening. The toys do not show up on an x-ray and require surgery to be removed from the body.

CPSC, Recalls API. Checked Oct 19, 2026. Updated daily.

What should you do?

Consumers should immediately take this recalled toy away from children and contact Dunecraft for a free replacement toy.

CPSC, Recalls API. Checked Oct 19, 2026. Updated daily.

: replace.
How to reach the firm: Dunecraft Inc.; at (800) 306-4168, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday, or online at www.dunecraft.com and click on the recall tab for more information.

Which ones are recalled?

This recall involves marble-sized toys that absorb water and grow up to 400 times their original size. They were sold as Water Balz (round-shape), Growing Skulls (skull-shape), H2O Orbs “Despicable Me” (round-shape) and Fabulous Flowers (flower-shape). They were sold in packages of six in green, yellow, red, blue and black colors. “Dunecraft,” the name of the toy and the model number are printed on the toy’s packaging. Name Model Number Amount Recalled Water Balz BC-0338 81,000 Growing Skulls BC-0320 11,850 H2O Orbs “Despicable Me” DM-0447 1,800 Fabulous Flowers BC-0440 36

About 94,700 in the United States and 600 in Canada units, as CPSC gives them.

Water Balz, Growing Skulls, H2O Orbs “Despicable Me” and Fabulous Flowers toys.

CPSC, Recalls API. Checked Oct 19, 2026. Updated daily.

CPSC’s photos

CPSC shows 5 photos on its notice. Hearth Record doesn’t copy them; each opens on cpsc.gov.

Who made and sold it?

Imported by Dunecraft Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Water Balz and Growing Skulls were sold at Bed Bath & Beyond, Five Below, Hobby Lobby, Lakeshore Learning Materials, Microcenter, Urban Outfitters Direct, Wegmans and other stores nationwide, and online at amazon.com, incrediblescience.com, keyporthobbies.com, americantoystores.com and other websites from September 2010 through November 2012 for about $3 per package. The H2O Orbs “Despicable Me” were sold exclusively at Universal Studios stores during June 2012 for about $3 per package. Fabulous Flowers were sold exclusively at Milaeger’s in Racine, Wis. from June 2012 through November 2012 for about $3 per package.
Made in China and United States, as the notice gives it.

CPSC, Recalls API. Checked Oct 19, 2026. Updated daily.

Was anyone hurt?

The firm received one report of an 8-month-old girl from Humble, Texas who ingested a Water Balz and suffered an intestinal obstruction in August 2011. The Water Balz had to be surgically removed.

CPSC, Recalls API. Checked Oct 19, 2026. Updated daily.

What the record doesn’t say

The notice lists no UPCs, so check the model, the description and the photos.
The notice lists no model numbers in a field of their own; its description may give them.
How many have been returned or fixed isn’t in the notice.

Hearth Record wrote these lines.

Sources

U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, Recalls API.

Checked Oct 19, 2026. Updated daily. Public domain (U.S. Government work). CPSC asks to be credited, and that no endorsement be implied.

Recalls of kids’ and home products are from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). CPSC does not endorse Hearth Record. Copied on Oct 19, 2026.