Approximately 50 percent of all toy purchases in the United States occur between the Friday after Thanksgiving and Christmas.

In 2016, 74,100 children under the age of 15 years were seen in emergency departments for toy-related injuries. Almost half of those injured were children 5 and under.

Safety Tips

• Before shopping for toys, consider the child’s age, interest and skill level. A fun, but inappropriate toy for a particular child can be dangerous.
• Children can choke on small toys and toy parts. Keep toys with small parts away from children under age three, and check toys regularly for damage that could create small pieces that are choking hazards.
• Actively supervise children when they are playing with riding toys as well as any toy that has small parts, magnets, electrical or battery power, cords and strings, wheels or any other potential hazard. Active supervision means keeping the child in sight and in reach while paying undivided attention.
• Avoid letting children play with electronic devices that are only attended for adults such as key fobs, mini remote controls, watches, flameless candles, singing greeting cards, etc. Many of these items contain coin-sized button batteries, which can be deadly if a child ingests it, so keep them out of reach if battery compartments are not secure.