Toy safety at Christmas: marks, ages, batteries and magnets

Most toys sold in the UK are safe, but Christmas brings a rush of new toys into the home, often bought online in a hurry. These are the checks that the UK’s product safety regulator (OPSS) and child-safety charities recommend.

Look for the safety marks

Toys must carry a safety marking, which is the maker’s statement that the toy meets UK safety law. According to OPSS:

• In Great Britain, a toy may show CE, UKCA, UKCA and CE, or UKNI and CE.
• In Northern Ireland, a toy must show CE (or UKNI and CE) — UKCA alone isn’t accepted there.

OPSS also says to only buy products that carry the marking and the name and address of the manufacturer. The Child Accident Prevention Trust (CAPT) warns that safety markings can be faked, so a mark is a minimum check, not a guarantee. RoSPA also suggests looking for the voluntary Lion Mark, used by members of the British Toy and Hobby Association.

Follow the age warnings

Age warnings are based on safety risks such as choking, not on how clever a child is. UK toy safety law requires toys that could be dangerous for under-threes to carry a warning such as “Not suitable for children under 36 months” (or the official under-3s symbol), together with a note of the specific hazard — often small parts.

• Children under three are most at risk from unsuitable toys, says CAPT. RoSPA says they should never be allowed to play with toys marked as unsuitable for them.
• Keep older siblings’ toys — especially ones with small pieces — away from babies and toddlers.
• Christmas decorations and novelties are not toys and don’t have to meet toy safety rules, so don’t give them to children to play with (RoSPA).

Button batteries

Small, round button batteries power remote controls, car keys, musical cards, flameless candles and many toys. If a child swallows one and it gets stuck, it can react with saliva and burn through the food pipe. CAPT says the reaction can start within two hours, and that children aged one to four are most at risk; larger 3V lithium coin cells (such as CR2032) are the most dangerous.

• Toys that use button batteries must have a secure compartment — check it’s screwed shut.
• Be extra careful with things that aren’t toys, like remotes, musical cards and novelty lights, which often don’t have a locked compartment (RoSPA).
• Store spare batteries out of reach and dispose of used ones straight away — “flat” batteries can still cause harm.

Small, strong magnets

If a child swallows more than one magnet, they can pull together through the walls of the intestines and cause serious injury. CAPT and OPSS list magnetic building sets, craft and jewellery kits, desk toys and fake piercings among the places they turn up. Teenagers have swallowed magnets while copying tongue piercings.

• Check magnetic toys regularly for loose or broken pieces and throw damaged ones away.
• Keep adult desk toys with small magnets well away from children.

Buying toys online

OPSS points out that not everything sold on an online marketplace is supplied by the marketplace itself. CAPT names major marketplaces — including Amazon — among those where toys from unknown third-party sellers may not have been safety tested. Before you buy:

• Check who the seller is — the product page shows who it’s sold and dispatched by — and look for UK contact details.
• Prefer brands you know and reputable sellers, especially for under-threes.
• Be wary of “bargain” versions of popular toys, which OPSS warns are likely to be counterfeit.
• Check for recalls on the GOV.UK product safety alerts list.

If something looks unsafe when it arrives, don’t give it — send it back and report it. Citizens Advice’s consumer helpline can pass reports to Trading Standards.