One of the most exciting traditions of the winter holidays is giving gifts, and everyone loves seeing a child’s eyes light up when they receive the perfect gift. However, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission reported that over 220,000 toy-related injuries were treated in emergency departments in 2019 — due to ingestions, broken bones, cuts, and more. Share these toy shopping tips with the families you serve to keep this year’s holiday celebrations safer:

• Avoid magnet sets. High-powered magnets (or rare earth magnets) can cause life-threatening injuries if swallowed. When a child swallows two or more high-powered magnets or one magnet and a metal object, they can attract each other through layers of tissue, causing severe damage. Learn more about high-powered magnets in our toolkit.

• Make sure button batteries are secure. Found in many toys, “button” batteries are small, coin-sized batteries that can cause serious injury, including death, in as little as 2 hours. Make sure that toys that contain button batteries have a secure battery compartment that requires a tool (like a screwdriver) to open.

• Buy a helmet. Thinking of buying a bicycle, skateboard, or scooter? Please buy a helmet to go with it. All ride-on toys should be purchased with the proper safety equipment, like helmets and knee/elbow pads.

• Read the label. Always read the labels on the packaging to make sure the toy is age-appropriate and nontoxic, and before gifting, read the instructions so that you can show the child how to use the toy properly.

• Listen for loud noise. Not only can loud noises be frightening to a child, they can permanently damage a child’s hearing. If the toy is too loud for you, it is too loud for a child. Before gifting, remove the batteries or reconsider the toy altogether.

New GIF: Holiday Safety Tips

We are excited to share our new Holiday Safety Tips GIF! Click on the link below to download and share.