December is the biggest gift-giving month in the world.
Keeping safety at the top of the list is key, said Stacey Pecenka, manager of the Trauma Injury Prevention Program at Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt.
“We want to encourage parents and gift givers to choose toys that they can play with their child and not just ones for a child to play with on their own,” Pecenka said. “This is a great way to ensure safe play because the adult will be able to actively interact with the toy, too.
“I would encourage people to think about simple gifts for children. Toys for young children need to match their stages of development and emerging abilities. It doesn’t have to be the most expensive, trendy gadget. I always encourage experiences over toys.”
The Consumer Product Safety Commission’s most recent Toy-Related Deaths and Injuries Report, from 2023, highlights unsafe toys and safety precautions. It estimates that 154,700 children age 12 years or younger were treated in emergency rooms for toy-related injuries. Ten children died in toy-related incidents.
The majority of toy-related deaths were related to:
- Choking on small balls or crayons
- Drownings linked to flotation toys
- Entrapment inside a toy chest
- Swallowing or inhaling water beads
Injury diagnoses
- Cuts were the most common toy-related injury for all ages.
- Bruises/scrapes and broken bones were the second and third most common for all ages.
- Bruises/scrapes and internal injuries were the second and third most common diagnoses for children under 15 years old.
- Ingestion (swallowing or inhaling something) and internal injuries were the second and third most common diagnoses for children under 5 years old.
Pecenka said consumers should remember to provide injury-prevention accessories when gifting riding toys and the like.
“Think about promoting safety,” said Pecenka. “If it’s a bike, hoverboard, skates, ATV, skateboard—make sure to get a helmet. Don’t assume that the parents will be aware of safety items that go with the toy.
“Also, helmets vary based on the sport, so do a bit of research to make sure you’re getting the correct helmet.” ATV helmets, for example, provide a cover for the face but a bike helmet does not.
Toy safety tips for holiday gift giving
Gift givers should keep these tips in mind:
- Check the label. Follow age guidance and other safety information on packaging. (Age grading is based on safety concerns and on the developmental appropriateness for children.)
- Avoid toys with small parts, as well as marbles and small balls, for children under age 3.
- Ensure that stuffed toys have age-appropriate features such as embroidered or secured eyes and noses for younger children and seams that are reinforced to withstand an older child’s play.
- Be careful with magnets or magnet pieces on a toy. High-powered magnet sets are a safety risk. Children can swallow loose magnets, causing serious intestinal injuries.
- Closely examine battery-operated toys. The law states that battery compartments can only be opened with a tool. If the compartment is accessible without a tool, report the violation to the Consumer Product Safety Commission.
- Be aware that button batteries are dangerous. A child can swallow a button battery and suffer devastating injuries in as little as two hours.
- Get safety gear. With scooters and other riding toys, be sure to include helmets. Helmets should always be worn properly, and they should be sized to fit.
- Know your seller. Purchase toys from retailers you know and trust.
