Health & SafetyTop Story

It’s Safe Toys and Gifts Month

Michael

December has been designated “Safe Toys and Gifts Month,” and NYCHA’s Environmental Health and Safety Department (EHS) would like to share the following tips to help ensure a safe and joyous holiday season for you and your family. 

Before you purchase a toy:

  • Read and follow all warnings and instructions on the packaging. Follow age guidance and other safety information, and choose toys that match each child’s interests and abilities.
  • Avoid purchasing toys with sharp or rigid points, spikes, rods, or dangerous edges.
  • Check the lenses and frames of children’s sunglasses (many can break and cause injuries).
  • Buy toys that will withstand impact and not break into dangerous shards.
  • Look for the letters “ASTM.” This means the product meets the national safety standards set by the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM).
  • Avoid toys that shoot or include parts that fly off. Remember that BB guns are NOT toys.
  • Keep small balls and toys with small parts away from children younger than age 3, and keep deflated balloons away from children younger than age 8.
  • Once gifts are open, immediately discard plastic wrappings and other packaging before they become dangerous playthings.
  • Toys must have age labels if the toy is a choking hazard for children under 3 years old.
Playing with toys

Before letting children play with toys:

  • Inspect toys for safe, sturdy construction;
  • Explain how to use the toy; and
  • Fix or throw away broken toys.

Always:

  • Keep young children away from toys meant for older children;
  • Supervise your children while playing;
  • Store toys properly after play to avoid risks or falls;
  • Supervise children’s craft projects (involving scissors and glue, for example); and
  • Have children wear the correct eye protection for sports (e.g., face shields, helmets, eye guards).

Visit the Consumer Product Safety Commission’s website or the NYC Health Department’s Child Safety Page for more information and resources, including a Toy Safety Tips Fact Sheet in English and other languages. You can also call 311 or 212-NEW-YORK (212-639-9675) for guidance on toy safety and keeping children safe while they play.

If you have questions about this or any environmental health and safety matter, please email ehs@nycha.nyc.gov. Residents, employees, and any member of the public can submit environmental health and safety concerns at https://on.nyc.gov/submit-concern.