Fact: Unsafe Toys Ruin More Holidays Than the Grinch

For as long as any of us have been alive, toys and safety have not always been partners in fun. They still aren’t today. Per the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, more than 200,000 toy-related injuries were treated in U.S. hospital emergency rooms in 2022.

Many of us remember lawn darts, which were finally banned in 1988 after causing thousands of injuries and a few deaths. Or the Easy-Bake Oven models recalled in 2007 after causing finger burns and amputations. Today, you can still gift high-velocity missile launchers, globby-gooey playthings laced with chemical hazards, and a myriad of toys with small pieces that are choking hazards.

National Safe Gift and Toys Month each December implores us to exercise caution when buying gifts, especially those intended for small children. Fittingly – well, to Ralphie’s story anyway – it was the organization Prevent Blindness that designated December as toy safety month a little over a decade ago. The awareness month promotes safer toys overall and encourages age- and ability-appropriate gift-giving during the holiday season.

At Southwestern Medical Center, we love our patients and hope you enjoy the holidays where they are meant to be enjoyed – at home. We want you and yours to open gifts in your living room, not for us to have to close a gift-shaped wound in our emergency room.

Please exercise good judgment when purchasing gifts, and don’t let gifts intended for older children get into the hands of their younger sisters or brothers. Here are 10 toy safety tips to consider during the holidays and throughout the year.

1. Always supervise children and demonstrate to them how to use their toys safely.
2. Read all warnings and instructions on the box. Note: the age listing is there for a reason.
3. Avoid toys that shoot or include parts that fly off (Ralphie’s bb gun, by current safety standards, is neither a toy nor safe).
4. Consider not only whether the toy is right for the child’s ability and age, but also whether smaller children may be in the home and may have access to the toy.
5. Avoid toys with sharp or dangerous edges/points.
6. Do not give toys with small parts to young children, as they tend to put things in their mouths, increasing the risk of choking. Rule of thumb: if any part of a toy can fit in a toilet paper roll, the toy is not appropriate for children under the age of 3.
7. Do not purchase toys with small magnets. Magnets, like those found in magnetic building sets and other toys, can be extremely harmful if swallowed. Seek immediate medical attention if you suspect a child may have swallowed a magnet.
8. Dispose of uninflated or broken balloons immediately.
9. Ensure batteries are securely in place.
10. Make sure all art materials are labeled as “nontoxic.”

If you aren’t sure whether a toy is safe for your child, it probably isn’t. If you want to report an unsafe toy or check and see if a toy has been recalled for safety reasons, the Consumer Product Safety Commission has several useful resources on the “toys” page of its website.

Please use good judgment in gifting safe, age-appropriate toys to children during the holidays and throughout the year. And if something does go awry with a toy (looking at you, scooters and skateboards), we’re always here to provide the care your child needs. If you aren’t sure of the severity of a toy-related injury, you can always call our ER at 580-531-4786.

Kids, especially infants and toddlers, can be vulnerable and fragile. We can’t protect them from everything, but we can help make playing with toys what it is meant to be – fun and safe.