---
title: "Target Recalls a Popping Toy After a Child Choked: What to Check"
description: "If you bought a Target 'Gigglescape' popping toy for a young child in the past year, federal safety regulators say to take it away and return it. The retailer is recalling its 'Under the Sea' popping toy after reports that a plastic dome can detach and expose small balls a child can choke on."
category: "Los Angeles"
category_url: https://herald.la/category/los-angeles
author: "Omar Haddad"
published: 2026-07-02T16:38:58.000Z
updated: 2026-07-02T16:38:58.000Z
canonical: https://herald.la/article/target-recalls-a-popping-toy-after-a-child-choked-what-to-check
tags: ["consumer safety", "product recall", "CPSC", "Target", "children"]
---
# Target Recalls a Popping Toy After a Child Choked: What to Check

If you bought a Target 'Gigglescape' popping toy for a young child in the past year, federal safety regulators say to take it away and return it. The retailer is recalling its 'Under the Sea' popping toy after reports that a plastic dome can detach and expose small balls a child can choke on.

A popular-looking children's toy sold at Target is being pulled from homes and shelves after regulators warned it can pose a choking risk.

## What's being recalled

The recall covers Target's "Gigglescape Under the Sea Popping Toy," a dome-shaped toy with a whale base and small plastic balls inside, [the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission announced](https://www.cpsc.gov/Recalls/2026/Target-Recalls-Gigglescape-Under-the-Sea-Popping-Toy-Due-to-Choking-Hazard). Gigglescape is one of Target's in-house brands, so the toy was sold only through the retailer — in stores nationwide and online — from August 2025 through January 2026, for about $10.

## The hazard

According to the CPSC, the toy's clear dome can separate from the base, giving a child access to the small balls inside. The commission says Target has received nine reports of the dome detaching, including one in which a child began to choke. Small parts like these are a well-known choking danger for young children, which is why regulators urge parents not to wait.

## What to do

Stop letting your child play with the toy right away and put it out of reach. You can return it to any Target store for a full refund — no receipt required — or contact Target for a prepaid mailing label to send it back. Target's recall line is 800-591-3869, open 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Central time daily, and full details are posted on the CPSC recall page.

## A seasonal reminder

Recalls of small-parts toys are common, and they tend to surface faster than the toys leave people's homes. With a holiday weekend and summer birthdays around the corner, it is a good moment to check toy bins for this item — and a reminder that the CPSC keeps a running, searchable list of recalls at cpsc.gov for anyone wanting to double-check a gift before handing it to a small child.

## Sources

- [Target Recalls Gigglescape Under the Sea Popping Toy Due to Choking Hazard](https://www.cpsc.gov/Recalls/2026/Target-Recalls-Gigglescape-Under-the-Sea-Popping-Toy-Due-to-Choking-Hazard)