TL;DR
Prime made for students and young adults
- Fast, free delivery for dorm and study essentials
- Prime Video and Amazon Music included
- Member-only deals
The Toy Association has begun its sixth annual Toy Safety Awareness Month, sharing holiday shopping and play guidance through playsafe.org and social media during November. A Wakefield Research survey of 1,000 U.S. parents found gaps in awareness about counterfeit toys and age labels; the survey figures are reported by the association, and its safety warnings are guidance rather than findings about specific products.
The Toy Association has launched its sixth annual Toy Safety Awareness Month, urging families to check toy age labels, watch for counterfeit products and look for recalls while shopping for the holidays. The group says it will share guidance throughout November at playsafe.org and on social media, as well as provide a shopping checklist and a tip sheet on squishy toys.
A Wakefield Research survey of 1,000 U.S. parents, cited by The Toy Association, found that 87% said a counterfeit or knockoff toy’s lower price was not worth the potential safety risk. The association also said shoppers may not know how to identify counterfeits. It warns that such products may fail to meet federal toy-safety requirements and could pose hazards, including choking risks from broken small parts or exposure to chemicals prohibited in toys for children.
The campaign places particular emphasis on squishy toys. The association says counterfeit versions may tear or burst, releasing small parts or filling, or may contain hazardous chemicals. In the same survey, 84% of parents said they believe knockoff squishy toys are safe for play. The association recommends checking products and packaging for manufacturer details, age labels, safe-use instructions and company contact information. It advises against heating, freezing, puncturing, biting or otherwise misusing squishy toys.
The survey also found that 35% of parents view toy age recommendations as suggestions; the figure was 49% among Baby Boomers surveyed. The association says age grading is safety guidance, including for toys marked for children ages 3 and up that may contain small parts. Its checklist also recommends buying from known brands and trusted retailers, checking recalls.gov before buying secondhand toys or accepting hand-me-downs, and being cautious of listings with misspellings or missing safety information.
Holiday Shopping Safety Checks
The campaign focuses on decisions families make when selecting gifts and supervising play, when a toy’s price, listing or packaging may be the main information available to a buyer. Checking age guidance and product details can help caregivers identify potential concerns before a child uses a toy. The association’s warnings are especially relevant to small parts, squishy toy contents and product recalls, which may not be obvious from an online listing or a secondhand item.
The guidance also draws attention to products that look suitable for play but are not necessarily designed or tested as toys. The association says party supplies, costumes, electronics and home décor can contain hazards such as small batteries, non-toy water beads or high-powered magnets. Its advice is to assess those items separately rather than assume that a child-oriented appearance makes them appropriate toys.
Popular right now
Shark HydroVac MessMaster Corded Wet Dry Vacuum and Mop (WD161)
Breville BES870XL Barista Express Espresso Machine, Brushed Stainless Steel
KitchenAid 5.5-Qt Bowl-Lift Stand Mixer, Porcelain White (KSM55SXXX)
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
What the November Campaign Covers
The Toy Association describes the initiative as its sixth annual Toy Safety Awareness Month. Its November campaign covers how to spot counterfeit toys, safe use of squishy toys, the purpose of age labels and how to check for recalls. The organization says its Toy Shopping Checklist and squishy toy tip sheet are available at playsafe.org.
The survey figures provide a snapshot of answers from 1,000 U.S. parents, as reported by The Toy Association. They do not establish how often counterfeit products are sold or how many children are injured by them. The association’s recommendations are consumer guidance; the supplied report does not identify a specific toy recall or new safety rule announced alongside the campaign.
“The lower price of a counterfeit or knockoff toy isn’t worth the potential safety risk to kids.”
— The Toy Association, as described in its campaign materials
Limits of the Survey and Warnings
The supplied report does not give the survey’s field dates, margin of error, question wording or a breakdown beyond the reported age-group result. The figures should be read as survey responses, not measurements of counterfeit-toy prevalence or proof that a particular product is unsafe. No specific counterfeit toys, manufacturers or sellers are named, and the report does not describe testing of products.
It is also unclear how many families will use the campaign resources or what findings, if any, the month’s outreach will produce. The association’s warnings describe possible hazards; they do not establish that every counterfeit toy or squishy toy contains those hazards.
More Guidance Through November
The Toy Association says it will publish additional holiday safety guidance on social media throughout November. Families can consult playsafe.org for the shopping checklist and squishy toy tip sheet, and use recalls.gov to check whether a toy has been recalled before buying secondhand or accepting a hand-me-down. The campaign materials encourage shoppers to verify product and seller information and follow the age and safe-use instructions supplied with toys.
The report does not announce a later event, enforcement action or new regulation. The next development described is the association’s continuing release of guidance during the month; any further recommendations or product-specific information would depend on what it publishes.
Key Questions
What is the Toy Association announcing?
It has started its sixth annual Toy Safety Awareness Month, a November campaign with holiday shopping and play guidance available through playsafe.org and social media.
What should shoppers check when buying a toy?
The association recommends checking the age label, manufacturer information, safe-use instructions and company contact details. It also advises buying from known brands and trusted retailers and watching for listings with misspellings or missing safety information.
What does the association say about squishy toys?
It warns that counterfeit squishy toys may tear or burst, releasing small parts or filling, or may contain hazardous chemicals. Its guidance says not to heat, freeze, puncture or bite these toys.
How can families check for toy recalls?
The campaign recommends checking recalls.gov before buying a secondhand toy or accepting a hand-me-down.
What do the survey percentages show?
According to The Toy Association, a Wakefield Research survey of 1,000 U.S. parents found that 87% said a counterfeit toy’s lower price was not worth the potential safety risk, while 84% believed knockoff squishy toys were safe. These are reported survey responses, not product-testing results.
Source: thetoyinsider.com
