Your Holiday Toy Safety Guide

There’s no greater influx of toy purchases than around the holidays and each year, more than 72,000 children under age 5 are treated for toy-related injuries. Just because a toy is for sale, doesn’t mean it meets safety recommendations. Many toys available for purchase exceed loudness standards, include toxic ingredients, pose a strangulation risk, or have small parts but aren’t labeled as a choking hazard. Here’s a basic toy safety checklist to protect the youngsters in your life:

Purchase age-appropriate toys.

Be mindful of small parts that could pose as choking hazards. For infants and toddlers, if a toy part can fit inside a toilet paper tube, it is too small.

Avoid toys with unsafe levels of lead, other heavy metals or phthalates. Visit sources like uspirg.org for their annual list to learn more.

Be cautious of high-powered magnets around children, which can be extremely dangerous if two or more are swallowed. Remove any small magnets from your home.

Stay informed of toy lists via email with sources like the Consumer Product Safety Commission (cpsc.gov/Recalls).

Forgo toys with strings, straps or cords longer than seven inches as they pose a strangulation risk.

Choose toys that are not too loud for adult ears, as they will be unsafe for child ears. When testing a toy, hold it close to your ear, like a child would.

Include age-appropriate safety gear, such as helmets, when purchasing bikes, scooters, skates, or the like.

When purchasing plush toys, ensure all elements, such as eyes, are tightly secured.

Do not buy toys with sharp edges or points for children under age 8.

Never give children balloons. Balloons are responsible for more juvenile choking fatalities than any other toy or children’s product.

Consider cyber security before introducing internet-connected toys. Learn more about the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA).

Ensure any art materials are labeled as nontoxic.

We wish you and your loved ones a safe, healthy and happy holidays!