Toy safety

Toys with cords or ribbons can be a strangulation risk to babies and toddlers. Make sure to watch your baby or toddler closely as they play with these toys.

Legally, the longest a ribbon or cord should be on a childrens toy is 30cm.

Read more about strangulation safety

Toys made for babies and toddlers under 3 years old should not have sharp edges or small parts. We recommend checking toys for small parts before giving them to your baby or toddler.

Small toys and toys with small parts are a serious choking risk to babies and children. Anything smaller than a 2p coin can choke a baby or young child.

Make sure to check toys regularly for any cracks or breaks. Broken toys should be disposed of safely.

Read more about choking

Lots of children enjoy getting dressed up as their favourite characters. Make sure to check the costumes are in good condition. Also check that the costume label has a CE or UKCA mark and the manufacturers name.

When wearing costumes, make sure you keep your child away from fire risks. This includes candles and cigarettes. If your child is doing activities in the costume that involve candles, use fake or electric candles instead. 

Halloween costume safety by Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service

Soft or cuddly toys are very popular. They can be comforting to children of all ages.

Some fluffy soft toys can shed their fur very easily. If the fur is inhaled in by a small child, it can be a choking hazard. Make sure to check the fur or fabric is in good condition.

Some soft toys will have small parts like plastic eyes or buttons. These can come loose or break off, causing a choking hazard. Make sure to check that these are sewn on securely.

Keep soft toys away from fire risks like candles and cigarettes.

Do not put soft toys where your baby sleeps. Read more about keeping your sleeping baby safe.

Toys made for babies and toddlers under 3 years old should not have sharp edges or small parts. Check toys for sharp parts before giving them to your baby or toddler. 

Some toys can become sharp from play. It is important to regularly check toys to see if they have sharp edges or small parts. 

If your baby, child or young person swallows a water bead or pushes a water bead in their ear or up their nose, call 999 or take them to A&E immediately.

Water beads are small colourful beads that get bigger with moisture. They can look like sweets, which babies, toddlers and children may want to put in their mouths.

If swallowed, water beads are a choking risk. They can also cause dangerous blockages in other areas of their body.

Children may also put water beads in other places like up their nose or in their ears. This be very painful and can cause serious injuries to their nose or ears.

If your baby, child or young person swallows a magnet, call 999 or take them to A&E immediately.

There are lots of different types of magnetic toys. They can range from magnetic building blocks to fake piercings.

Unregulated magnetic toys and household goods may have magnets that are 17 times stronger than UK safety limits. These can be very dangerous if swallowed. Over 300 children a year are sent to A&E after swallowing magnets.

General magnet safety tips:

• Avoid having small or loose magnets if you have babies or small children. Keep magnets and magnetic toys out of reach of babies and toddlers. 
• Talk to your child or young person about the dangers of magnets in or near their mouths. 
• Buy from a trusted brand or reputable retailer. 
• Supervise your child if they are playing with magnetic toys. 

If your baby, child or young person swallows a battery, call 999 or take them to A&E immediately.

Some toys can have easy-to-access battery compartments. Young children can get into these areas and get the batteries.

Button batteries or coin batteries are small and easy to swallow. There is a risk of choking or serious injuries.

General battery safety tips:

• Keep batteries out of the reach of babies and toddlers.
• Do not heat a battery up.
• Do not charge an ordinary battery (disposable batteries).
• When replacing batteries, always replace the complete set and use the same type of battery.
• Always fit batteries the right way around.
• Store unused batteries in their packaging. Keep them away from metal objects and children.
• Remove spent batteries from toys. Safely dispose of them at your local recycling centre or battery collection bin. Read more about disposing batteries safely.

Please be aware, this video is graphic but important.

Dangers of button batteries to children - Child Accident Prevention Trust YouTube

Tips for buying safe toys in person:

• Buy from reputable sellers. Sellers with a good reputation for safe and reliable toys.
• Check the toy for regulatory marks. All toys should have the CE or UKCA mark. The marks should be on the toy or the packaging. The marks should be easily seen, easy to read and hard to remove. Be wary if the markings are hard to read or easy to remove.
• Check if the toy has been recalled or removed from sale because it is unsafe. Visit GOV.UK Product safety alerts reports and recalls for a list of recalled products. 
• Check the toy itself. Look for damage and small detachable parts. There may be loose or accessible batteries and magnets.

Tips for buying toys online:

• Do not assume safety tests have been carried out on toys by third party sellers or online marketplaces. Online marketplaces do not require toys to be safe for children.
• Buy toys from brands you know. If you have never heard of the seller and the price is really cheap, they could be selling a unregulated toy.
• Research the toy before buying it. If you are buying a branded toy on a different website, compare it against the brand's website. Do they have a good track record of selling toys? Are they based in the UK or Europe?
• Check if the listing contradicts itself. For example, if it's described as a toddler's toy but also states it is not suitable for under 3s.
• Check if the toy has been recalled or removed from sale because it is unsafe. Visit GOV.UK Product safety alerts reports and recalls for a list of recalled products.

If the toy looks unsafe or dangerous, trust your instincts. Send the toy back.

Buying toys second-hand is a great way to save money and reduce waste. You can buy second-hand toys from lots of places. This includes online marketplaces, car boot sales, jumble sales, markets and charity shops. 

It is really important to take extra care when buying toys second-hand. Before buying a second-hand toy, make sure you thoroughly check the toy.

You can also check if the toy was recalled or removed from sale because it is unsafe. Visit GOV.UK Product safety alerts reports and recalls for a list of recalled products. 

There are some toys you should completely avoid.

Avoid buying second-hand painted toys. The paint could be lead based, which is harmful to young children and pregnant people.

Avoid buying second-hand electronic toys. The electronics may not comply with safety standards. The safety instructions may have been lost, but you may be able to find them online.

If the toy looks unsafe or dangerous, trust your instincts. Do not buy the toy.