Who’s Poisoning Our Kids?
What started as a casual exercise grew into a mammoth undertaking as I received feedback last week from colleagues around the world regarding the availability of suspect toys from online portals and retail outlets. To simplify the logistics of what was meant to be a simple enquiry. I concentrated on just one toy – the Wooden QiYI (WordPad) Sand Activity Tray – made in China.1
 Picture sourced from Regulatory Agency in Finland announcement: AliExpress, WOODEN QIYI Toy, Sand Drawing Board. February 26, 2026.2 |
Earlier this year, tests undertaken by the Finnish Safety and Chemicals Agency Tukes found chrysolite and tremolite contamination in sand elements of the WordPad. In February, 2026 an article in the Dutch newspaper Algemeen Dagblad (AD)3 revealed that up to 5% of the sand in the product was tremolite asbestos. A May 14, 2026 report – “SEM examination of 7 sand toy products for asbestos (ETC Brunel Investigation 41097)” – by UK analysts commissioned by the Guardian newspaper reported finding both tremolite and chrysotile fibers in samples taken from WordPad.4 Because of the contamination, this product was recalled in Finland and the European Union on February 26, 2026,5 in France on March 66 and in the UK on March 18, 2026.7
Despite these well-publicized regulatory actions, research has revealed that as of June 7/8, 2026, this toxic children’s product was still available in the following markets:
Bangladesh: Described as Sand Learning Wordpad; available from gooddo.com.bd – an e-commerce educational outlet specializing in “Montessori toys, STEM learning kits, puzzles, and engaging offline experiences designed to boost children’s critical thinking, creativity, and problem-solving skills away from screens.”8
 Available in Bangladesh from online retailer. June 7, 2026. |
Belarus: Described as an “educational sand board with a set for practicing writing and drawing skills,”9 the WordPad product was available from multiple sellers on the Ozon Belarus website on June 8, 2026.10
 Available in Belarus. Screenshot of Ozon webpage. WordPad available from multiple sellers. June 7, 2026. |
Ecuador: Described as a “Sandboard for writing – Word pad,” this item was available via the website of Fangotoys, “an educational and Montessori toy store… located in Tumbaco, Ecuador. 11
 Available in Ecuador from online retail portal |
.
India: Described as “Montessori Writing Disc Sand Palette. Erasable & Paintable Writing Aid Perfect for Calligraphy, Painting, and Learning,” this product was available on Amazon.12 It was also available from another online retailer which described the product as: “Wooden Sand Tray with Wooden Pen for Writing Letters and Numbers Early Educational Toys.”13
 Available in India via Amazon. |
Kazakhstan: Described by sellers on the Ozon Kazakhstan website as a “Sand tray for teaching writing, Sand tray with handle for teaching writing and numbers and Sand tray for writing,” the WordPad was being sold by many retailers as the screenshot below shows. 14
 Available from sellers on the Ozon Kazakhstan website (https://ozon.kz/) June 8, 2026. |
Pakistan: Described as “Wordpad Tracing – Wooden Sand Tray with Wooden Pen,” this toy was available from multiple online portals.15
 Available in Pakistan from educational toy website. June 7, 2026. |
Also Pakistan: The same product as the one above but described as “Kids Wooden Sand Tray with Wood Pen – Montessori Sensory Writing Practice Board for Early Learning & Tracing (2025-27)” was available from another e-commerce marketplace: daraz.pk.
 Available in Pakistan from daraz.pk. June 7, 2026. |
Philippines. Described as a “Montessori Sand Writing Tray for Kids,” this product was available on Lazada – “one of the largest and most prominent e-commerce platforms in Southeast Asia.”16
 Available in the Philippines via Lazada. |
Russia: described as “children’s DIY sand painting toy set color box or Sand tray for writing,” WordPad was available on the Ozon website. 17
 Available in Russia from multiple sellers on Ozon website. June 8, 2026. |
Slovenia: Described as “Montessori educational toys - wooden sandbox with pen for writing letters and numbers, early education and sensory development.”18
 Slovenia. Available from online portal. June 8, 2026. |
Ukraine: Described as Sand Drawing Touch Tablet (sand included).19
 Available in Ukraine. June 7, 2026. |
US: Described as “Wordpad Tracing: Wooden sand tray with a wooden pen for drawing, writing letters, and numbers.”20 It was available from the Whamod games website which has “a very low trust score” according to one online reviewer.
 From US online games shop. June 7 2026. |
Concluding Thoughts
The results of the investigations by volunteers in Asia, Europe, Latin America and North America to assess the availability of a dangerous toy intended for use by very young children were frightening. On many online portals we saw discounts being offered to WordPad customers. One can but wonder if this was a desperate ploy to off-load a toxic item which should, as the sellers must have known, been withdrawn from sale.
Considering the sophisticated communications of e-commerce marketplaces in 2026, it is beyond belief that retailers such as Ozon in Eastern Europe, Amazon India, Rozetka in Ukraine and educational toy specialists like GoodDo Bangladesh and Fangotoys Ecuador were unaware of the evidence documenting the very real health hazard posed by the use of this toxic toy. This stripped-down exercise confirmed the need to hold to account the people making and selling not just this toy but every other toy which endangers children’s lives. Until there are strict regulations of global e-commerce marketplaces and meaningful punishments for transgressors, none of our children will be safe.
June 9, 2026
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1 There are many types of Montessori Sand Activity Trays marketed around the world. The word Montessori is used in the names of these sensory play products as an adjective and not a proper noun. To avoid confusion, we are only citing examples of the WordPad toy for which we have obtained photographs showing the external packaging.
2 AliExpress, WOODEN QIYI Toy, Sand Drawing Board. February 26, 2026.
https://vaarallisettuotteet.fi/ilmoitukset/ilmoitus/7801dd41-67ea-4565-bdd3-ebb2af714be2]
3 Clevers, R. Asbestos in Action play figures: first recall in sand affair. February 13, 2026. Subscription site:
https://www.ad.nl/binnenland/asbest-in-speelzand-voor-kinderen-dit-is-echt-heel-ernstig~a97092e2/
Watchdog says it can’t take action on newspaper report of asbestos in sand-based toys. February 5, 2026.
https://nltimes.nl/2026/02/05/watchdog-says-cant-take-action-newspaper-report-asbestos-sand-based-toys
4 Tims, A. Five toys on sale in Britain found to contain asbestos in tests for Guardian. May 23, 2026.
https://www.theguardian.com/business/2026/may/23/toys-on-sale-in-britain-asbestos-found-tests
The test report by Brunel University confirmed the presence of chrysotile and tremolite in a sample taken from the WordPad.
Tests commissioned by Which – a UK consumer organization – “revealed that the sand in the kit contains tremolite asbestos.” Walsh, H. Sand containing asbestos found on online marketplaces. June 1, 2026.
https://www.which.co.uk/news/article/sand-containing-asbestos-found-on-online-marketplaces-aKE6T9d5PriM
Tests undertaken in the Netherlands at the Nomacon asbestos laboratory found 2-5% non-bonded tremolite in samples of sand from the WordPad playset.
Clevers, R. Asbest in speelzand voor kinderen: 'Dit is echt heel ernstig' [Asbestos in children’s play sand: ‘This is really very serious.’] February 4, 2026. Subscription site:
https://www.ad.nl/binnenland/asbest-in-speelzand-voor-kinderen-dit-is-echt-heel-ernstig~a97092e2/
5 Helenius, H. Asbestos found in magic sand in Finland. February 26, 2026.
https://www.is.fi/taloussanomat/art-2000011844394.html
The article cited above did not identify which of the 14 samples of magic sand tested was contaminated; this information was subsequently obtained from this link:
Hazardous Products. AliExpress, WOODEN QIYI. February 26, 2026.
https://vaarallisettuotteet.fi/ilmoitukset/ilmoitus/7801dd41-67ea-4565-bdd3-ebb2af714be2
EU Safety Gate. Alert number: SR/00653/26 Product Sand activity toy. February 26, 2026.
https://ec.europa.eu/safety-gate-alerts/screen/webReport/alertDetail/10098053?lang=en
6 Rappel Conso, France. WORDPAD Sand Activity Toy. March 6, 2026.
https://rappel.conso.gouv.fr/fiche-rappel/49577/Rapex
7 UK Office of Product Safety and Standards (OPSS). Product Recall: WOODEN QIYI Sand Activity Toy sold via AliBaba, Amazon and TikTok (2603-0166). March 18, 2026.
https://www.gov.uk/product-safety-alerts-reports-recalls/product-recall-wooden-qiyi-sand-activity-toy-sold-via-alibaba-2603-0166
8 Bangladesh. Sand Learning Wordpad. June 7, 2026.
https://gooddo.com.bd/product/Sand-Learning-Wordpad?utm_source=copilot.com
9 Belarus. Educational sand board with a set for practicing writing and drawing skills. June 8, 2026.
https://ozon.by/product/uchebnaya-pesochnaya-doska-s-naborom-dlya-trenirovki-navykov-pisma-i-risovaniya-razmer-22-50x18-2835004754/?__rr=1&abt_att=1
Belarus. Sandbox with a wooden stylus for learning to write. June 8, 2026.
https://ozon.by/product/pesochnitsa-s-derevyannym-stilusom-dlya-obucheniya-pismu-4573137365/?at=LZtlrY17mtkjG26EtPGq1RlUBPGZggfmZ1GWSDK0YqG
10 Founded in 1998, Ozon – “the second-largest e-commerce platform in Russia” – is now considered to be the “Amazon of Russia” and has logistical arrangements in place to supply products to most neighboring countries.
11 Ecuador. Sandboard for writing – Word pad. June 7, 2026.
https://www.fangotoys.com/producto/tablero-con-arena-para-escritura-word-pad/?srsltid=AfmBOoqBHXqKfVjskGd-lvt-FzvONaCfeVU2gpvxEYDdlsUQ-_ClW2qB
12 India. Montessori Writing Disc Sand Palette | Erasable & Paintable Writing Aid | Perfect for Calligraphy, Painting, and Learning | Combines Fun & Education for Kids’ Creative Development. June 7, 2026.
https://www.amazon.in/TOYARTSY-Montessori-Paintable-Calligraphy-Development/dp/B0DRYHR5FT
13 India. Wooden Sand Tray with Wooden Pen for Writing Letters and Numbers Early Educational Toys. June 8, 2026.
https://tinytotskidsofficial.com/product/wooden-sand-tray-with-wooden-pen-for-writing-letters-and-numbers-early-educational-toys/
14 Kazakhstan. Sand tray for teaching writing. June 8, 2026.
https://ozon.kz/product/pesochnyy-lotok-dlya-obucheniya-pismu-4242568229/?at=A6tGXEx1rc8Y3JzxSKPvVglU8l5GEkIx0xNPli3vYZO7
Kazakhstan. Sand tray with handle for teaching writing and numbers. June 8, 2026.
https://ozon.kz/product/pesochnyy-lotok-s-ruchkoy-dlya-obucheniya-pismu-i-tsifram-2728287219/?at=K8tZN4Qr8cVwwOEmFBzzkkOHErBEwrtKwz777CLx4XAO
Kazakhstan. Sand tray for writing. June 8, 2026.
https://ozon.kz/product/pesochnyy-lotok-dlya-pisma-3045644986/?at=28t0X8LEKC2wwKyriWgzZXxiYDMErpU01lgXKIBo5jgP
15 Pakistan. Wordpad Tracing – Wooden Sand Tray with Wooden Pen. June 7, 2026.
https://www.educationaltoys.pk/product/wordpad-tracing-wooden-sand-tray-with-wooden-pen/
Another online site in Pakistan selling the same product: Kids Wooden Sand Tray with Wood Pen – Montessori Pakistan. Sensory Writing Practice Board for Early Learning & Tracing (2025-27). June 7, 2026.
https://www.daraz.pk/products/2025-27-i1950198708-s14013121013.html
16 Philippines. Montessori Sand Writing Tray for Kids. June 7, 2026.
https://www.lazada.com.ph/products/pdp-i4332557661-s24321723393.html
17 Russia. Children’s DIY sand painting toy set color box. June 8, 2026.
https://www.ozon.ru/product/1-komplekt-detskiy-nabor-igrushek-dlya-risovaniya-peskom-diy-color-box-1969622860/?at=Vvtz6gVP0hGG8pkNiJ29kK6Um0p3g6cNxKLoAiJzENw9
Russia. Sand tray for writing. June 8, 2026.
https://www.ozon.ru/product/pesochnyy-lotok-dlya-pisma-3045644986/?at=J8tgvKkQpTnWmk0gF3yzBQpcRRV3yocox2kj4TYzWjrQ
18 Slovenia. Montessori educational toys - wooden sandbox with pen for writing letters and numbers, early education and sensory development.” June 8, 2026.
https://spargut.com/sl/produkt/holz-montessori-sandtablett-mit-holzstift-zum-schreiben-von-buchstaben-und-zahlen-fruehes-lernspielzeug-geschenke-partyspiel/
19 Ukraine. Sand Drawing Touch Tablet (sand included). June 7, 2026.
https://rozetka.com.ua/ua/393003708/p393003708/
20 US. Wordpad Tracing. June 8, 2026.
https://www.whamod.com/product/wordpad-tracing/
