Buying Toys Safely and Well

FAMILY · GLOBAL

Buying Toys Safely and Well

Safety marks and age labels, batteries and magnets, what gets played with and storage

Toys are bought in volume and a small number of safety details account for most of the serious incidents, and they are easy to check.

Safety marking

Look for a CE or UKCA mark and the manufacturer's or importer's name and address, which are legal requirements. Be cautious of unbranded toys from online marketplaces, where compliance is inconsistent and recalls are frequent.

The under-three warning is a safety classification about small parts rather than a judgement of ability.

Button batteries

The most serious hazard in modern toys. A swallowed button cell burns through tissue within hours and is a medical emergency requiring immediate hospital attention, not a wait-and-see.

Compartments must be secured with a screw. Check every light-up or sound toy, keep spare cells locked away and dispose of used ones immediately — they retain enough charge to cause harm.

Magnets

Small strong magnets swallowed in twos or more attract through the bowel wall and cause serious injury. Check magnetic building sets for loose or damaged pieces, and keep them away from young children entirely.

What actually gets played with

Open-ended toys — blocks, figures, art materials, dressing up — get used for years. Toys that do one thing and do it loudly get used for a fortnight.

Fewer toys available at once, rotated, produces more play than a full room. Children with too much choice tend to flit.

Second-hand and inherited

Older toys may not meet current standards, particularly for small parts and batteries. Check them properly before handing them to a small child.

Gifts that land

Ask what the child is currently into rather than what age they are, since a specific interest beats a general category every time. Include a gift receipt, since duplicates are common.

Experiences, memberships and books are welcome in households already full of toys.

Passing them on

Charity shops, toy libraries and community groups take clean complete toys. Check nothing is recalled and that safety labels are intact.

Outdoor and active toys

Anything that gets children moving outdoors is used more and for longer than most indoor toys. Bikes, scooters and balls survive years of use and are passed on easily.

Helmets for bikes and scooters, fitted properly, and checked as children grow.

How many toys

Fewer toys available at once, rotated every few weeks, produces deeper play than a full room. Children given too much choice tend to flit between things rather than settle.

Store the rest out of sight and bring them back, which makes old toys feel new.

Storage

Open shelving rather than a deep box, since children play with what they can see. Check toy boxes have safety hinges.

Pass toys on rather than binning them, and take broken electronic toys to electrical recycling.

WHERE TO BUY

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