“The danger is that these pogo sticks can be hard to control, especially for beginners,” says Jeremiah Driansky, Engineer, Good Housekeeping Institute.

“Picking it up like this, it's 30 lbs. or so,” says one teen tester.

“In order to keep going you had to push down really hard,” says another teen.

One product is called the Power Pogo X, which sells for about $180 and the other is the Flybar 1200, which costs a cool $300. Boasting a bounce that can zoom up to six feet, the pogo sticks proved to be a challenge for even our engineers.

“One thing I noticed with these pedals is that they’re just smooth plastic, so my feet would actually keep slipping off them,” says Nate Benforado, Good Housekeeping Tester.

Another summer toy that looks harmless enough is simply a balloon filled with water. But hurl it with a specially designed sling-shot, the Sling King Beast or Aqua Sling Recreational, and there’s a potential for harm.

“I’m two hundred thirty two feet away from where we shot it and the water balloon landed 15 feet beyond where I am. It has to have been traveling at speeds of 60-70 m.p.h. Therefore, it is dangerous if it hits somebody at that speed," says Driansky. "Good Housekeeping does not recommend the large pogo sticks or water balloon launchers. They are potentially dangerous and, if not used properly, they could hurt someone.”

And Good Housekeeping says if your kids will be using backyard swing sets, be sure you have material to cushion falls such as wood chips, mulch or sand. For more backyard safety tips, check out the July issue of Good Housekeeping or visit www.goodhousekeeping.com.