Choose safe, fun toys for Christmas
Safety should be a key concern for grandparents giving toys during the holidays.
Emergency and consumer information
If you believe a child has swallowed a button battery, immediately call the 24-hour Poisons Information Centre on 13 11 26. If this is not possible, go straight to your nearest hospital emergency room.
Consumers can report a product that they believe to be unsafe to the ACCC directly or to your local state or territory authority.
Every year, hospital emergency departments treat children who have come to harm playing with toys they were given as presents, often by well-meaning grandparents.
While we don’t want to drain the fun and delight from giving to our little loved ones, it’s important to take precautions to make sure we choose toys that are safe as well as fun.
Australian consumer and safety laws regulate toys that are available in shops, but online shopping has increased the availability of unsafe toys. So, it’s best for consumers to be diligent when buying.
There’s a mandatory standard for toys for children up to and including 36 months of age. There are also mandatory standards for other toys of certain types. You can view these standards here.
Hottest gift items this year
If you are looking for presents for kids, here are some suggestions from the Australian Toy Association’s Hottest Toys for Christmas webpage.
Topping the list is ensuring the toy is suitable for the age of the child. This is especially important for toddlers. The advice is to never mix toys meant for children of different ages. It can be dangerous for younger children to get hold of toys that are too old for them.
Under Australian law, all toys should be labelled with an age grade.
- Beware of small and loose parts, which may fall off, and sharp edges. Toys should not have sharp edges or points, including hard, thick plastic or metal. Small parts such as wheels, foam, bells, and lights could break and become a choking hazard. Cords and strings longer than 30cm can also pose a choking danger.
- Easily accessible batteries and magnets should be avoided. If ingested, they can cause serious injury including internal burns.
When purchasing bikes, scooters, skateboards and other riding toys that require balance, buy safety and protective gear. Young children need supervision when playing with these toys.
Choose a sturdy and well-made toy that won’t fall apart when a child bites, tugs, or sucks it, jumps on it, or throws it around. If it looks like it might easily break into small parts, choose another toy.
Choose soft toys that are securely sewn. Long and loose pieces of thread on a stuffed toy can cause strangulation and choking.
Check bean-bag style toys, as polystyrene beads are a choking risk. Foam toys are not recommended for children under three years of age. Be careful of foam bath toys as they may pose a choking risk if a child bites a piece off.
Check that toys with paints and lacquers are non-toxic.
Related reading: Austoy, Hopkins, Product Safety 1, Product Safety 2
