Courtesy photo A girl hugs a babydoll while playing with it.

Safe toy purchases for children is a year-round responsibility. However, during the Christmas and Hanukkah season the abundance of toy choices can be overwhelming when determining the appropriate toy for age, ability, and safety.

Established in 1916 in New York City is the National Toy Association (NTA). The association has nearly 900 members representing $41 billion in domestic sales. The association interacts with manufacturers and regulators to ensure safety and childhood development. In addition, the NTA sponsors the National Toy Foundation which to-date has distributed worldwide gifts to 33 million children.

The NTA offers consumers awareness about counterfeit and unsafe toys. In part, a NTA press release stated, “Genuine toys sold by reputable brands comply with tough federal safety standards that protect children at play, while counterfeits often fail to meet safety standards, posing a serious risk to kids,” commented Joan Lawrence, association’s “Toy Safety Mom” and senior vice president.

After surveying 1,000 U.S. parents, a November 2025 NTA research revealed 80 percent of these adults stated, “It was getting harder to spot counterfeit toys.” In 2024 the same posed question was at 75 percent.

The federal government’s agency for safety, including toys and other important related aspects is the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). Their 2023 research data cited there were ten deaths, and an estimated 154,700 emergency department-treated injuries associated with toys for for children 12 years old and younger.

The CPSC cited the majority of the deaths were attributed to choking on small balls or crayons, drownings linked to flotation toys, entrapment inside a toy chest and ingestion of water beads. Among the emergency-treated injuries, non-motorized scooters accounted for the largest share of injuries across all age groups – 53,000.

In a press release the CPSC commented, from online shopping to in-purchases, safety and protecting our children should be a top priority.

The CPSC offers the following “Think Toy Safety” guidelines:

When buying toys, choose toys with care. Keep in mind the child’s age, interests and skill level. Look for quality design and construction. Make sure that all directions or instructions are clear–to you and, when appropriate, to the child. Plastic wrappings on toys should be discarded at once before they become deadly playthings. Be a label reader. Look for and heed age recommendations, such as “Not recommended for children under three.” Look for other safety labels including: “Flame retardant/Flame resistant” on fabric products and “Washable/hygienic materials” such as on stuffed animals and dolls.

When maintaining toys, check all toys periodically for breakage and potential hazards. A damaged or dangerous toy should be immediately discarded or repaired. Edges on wooden or some plastic toys might become sharp, or surfaces covered with splinters should be sanded smooth. Examine all outdoor toys regularly for rust or weak parts that could become hazardous.

When storing toys, teach children to put their toys safely away on shelves or in a toy chest to prevent trips and falls. Toy chests should be checked for safety. Use a toy chest that has a lid that will stay open in any position to which it is raised and will not fall unexpectedly on a child. For extra safety, be sure the chest offers ventilation holes for fresh air.

Look for sharp edges that could cut and hinges that could pinch or squeeze. See that toys used outdoors are stored after play–rain or dew can rust or damage a variety of toys and toy parts creating hazards. New toys intended for children under eight years of age should be free of sharp glass, plastic, and metal edges. Older toys may break, exposing cutting edges.

Federal law bans small parts of toys intended for children under three. This includes removable small eyes and noses on stuffed toys and dolls, and small, removable squeakers on squeeze toys.

Toys that make loud noises like toy caps, noise-making guns, and other toys can produce sounds at noise levels that can damage hearing. Do not fire closer than one foot to the ear. Do not use these items indoors.

Toys that have Long strings or cords are dangerous for infants and very young children. These cords can become wrapped around a toddler’s neck, causing strangulation. Never hang toys with long strings, cords, loops, or ribbons in cribs or playpens where children can become entangled. Remove crib gyms when the child can pull up on hands and knees; some children have strangled when they fell across crib gyms stretched across the crib.

Flying toys can be turned into weapons and injure eyes or other body areas. Children should never be permitted to play with hobby or sporting equipment which have sharp points, like arrows or darts used by children should have soft cork tips, rubber suction cups or other protective tips intended to prevent injury. Check to be sure the tips are secure. Avoid those dart guns or other toys which might be capable of firing articles not intended for use with the toy, such as pencils or nails.

All toys are not for all children, Keep toys designed for older children out of the hands of little ones. Follow labels which give age recommendations. Teach older children to keep their toys away from younger children. Even balloons, when uninflated or broken, can choke or suffocate if a young child tries to swallow.

Electric or battery driven toys must meet mandatory requirements for maximum surface temperatures, electrical construction and prominent warning labels. Electric toys with heating elements are recommended only for children over eight years old. Children should be taught to use electric toys properly, cautiously and under adult supervision.

Infant Toys such as rattles, squeeze toys, and teethers, should be large enough so that they cannot enter and become lodged in an infant’s throat

Finally, the CPSC recommends never purchasing “no name products” found at dollar stores, street fairs, yard sales, or vending machines.