Kolcraft today recalled one million play yards because the side rail can unlatch unexpectedly, posing a fall hazard to children. Kolcraft has received 347 reports of  play yard sides collapsing, resulting in 21 injuries to young children, including bumps, scrapes, bruises and one concussion, the Consumer Product Safety Commission reported.

The recall involves more than 20 models including the Travelin’ Tot series sold under a number of brand names. In addition to Kolcraft, the play yards were manufactured for Carter’s, Sesame Street, Jeep, Contours, Care Bare and Eric Carle (check the recall notice for model numbers). Some of the units have a bassinet and/or changing table. Some models have a mobile, vibrating unit or a parent organizer. The model numbers can be found on a white sticker on one of the feet of the play yard.

Some of the models involved in this recall were also recalled in September 2007 because they posed a strangulation hazard, which resulted in the death of a 10-month-old Texas boy who strangled on a changing table restraint strap that was hanging down into the play yard.

Made in China, Spain and Italy, the play yards were sold at Babies 'R' Us, Walmart, Kmart, Sears, Target and other stores nationwide and Internet retailers from January 2000 through January 2009 for between $50 and $160.

The CPSC is telling parents to stop using the play yards and to contact Kolcraft for a free repair kit at (866) 594-4208 or vy visiting the firm’s Web site at www.kolcraft.com.

Our take:  Side rail collapses on play yards, some resulting in child deaths, have long been a problem.  We wonder why it took 347 reported incidents including 21 injuries before these products were recalled.

Update: Kolcraft has issued an update with corrected model numbers.