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The Toy Association has started its sixth annual Toy Safety Awareness Month, sharing holiday shopping and play guidance through November. Its campaign covers counterfeit toys, age labels, squishy-toy handling and recall checks; a survey of 1,000 U.S. parents found gaps in awareness about knockoffs and age recommendations.
The Toy Association has launched its sixth annual Toy Safety Awareness Month, urging families to check toy labels, watch for counterfeit products and review recalls as they shop for the holidays. The organization said it will share guidance throughout November on social media and at playsafe.org, including advice on squishy toys and choosing age-appropriate products.
The campaign includes a Toy Shopping Checklist and a tip sheet on identifying counterfeit toys. The Association advises shoppers to look for manufacturer details, age labels, safe-use instructions and company contact information on products and packaging. It also recommends buying from known brands and trusted retailers, and treating misspellings or missing safety information in online listings as warning signs.
The announcement cites a survey of 1,000 U.S. parents conducted by Wakefield Research. It found that 87% said the lower price of a counterfeit or knockoff toy was not worth the potential safety risk to children. The Association also reported that 84% of surveyed parents believe knockoff squishy toys are safe for play. The figures reflect respondents’ reported views; the source does not provide further survey methodology or a margin of error.
The Association warns that counterfeit toys may not meet federal safety requirements. It says broken small parts could pose choking hazards and some products could expose children to chemicals prohibited in toys for kids. Squishy toys may tear or burst and release small parts or filling, and the organization cautions families not to heat, freeze, puncture, bite or otherwise misuse them.
Holiday Buying Risks to Check
Holiday shopping often involves comparing prices and buying from a range of sellers, including online marketplaces and secondhand sources. The Association’s guidance draws attention to information families can check before purchase: who made a product, what ages it is intended for and whether it has been recalled. These checks matter because a low price or a familiar-looking design does not establish that a product meets toy safety requirements.
Age labels are another focus. The survey found that 35% of parents regarded age recommendations as suggestions, a view reported by 49% of Baby Boomers surveyed. The Association says age grading is safety guidance, particularly for products marked for children ages 3 and up that may contain small parts. Its advice also applies to play after purchase: caregivers are urged to follow product instructions and keep unsuitable items away from younger children.
The organization also warns that items bought for holiday celebrations may not be designed or tested as toys. Party supplies, costumes, electronics and home décor can include hazards such as small batteries, non-toy water beads or high-powered magnets. The announcement does not say that all products in those categories are unsafe; it advises families not to assume they are toys.
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What the November Campaign Covers
The Toy Association says this is the sixth annual Toy Safety Awareness Month. Its November campaign combines general shopping guidance with specific reminders about counterfeit toys, squishy toys, age labels and checking for recalls. The stated aim is to help caregivers make informed choices while buying gifts and supervising play.
For secondhand purchases and hand-me-downs, the Association recommends checking recalls.gov before accepting or buying an item. The campaign’s checklists and squishy-toy tip sheet are available through playsafe.org. The source material does not identify particular recalled products or announce a new recall as part of this campaign.
““The lower price of a counterfeit or knockoff toy isn’t worth the potential safety risk to kids.””
— The Toy Association
Survey and Product Details
The announcement does not provide the survey’s field dates, sampling approach, demographic breakdown beyond the Baby Boomer finding, or margin of error. The percentages should be read as findings from the 1,000-parent survey, not as measurements of all U.S. parents.
The Association’s warnings describe potential risks, but the material does not name specific counterfeit toys, sellers, chemicals or affected products. It also does not report a new government safety rule, enforcement action or recall tied to the campaign. Families considering a particular item should consult its packaging and official recall information rather than assume it is unsafe based on a category alone.
More Guidance Through November
The Toy Association says it will post additional safety guidance on social media throughout November. Families can consult the Toy Shopping Checklist and squishy-toy tip sheet at playsafe.org, and check recalls.gov when considering secondhand toys or hand-me-downs. The announcement gives no dates for individual posts or further campaign events.
For shoppers, the next practical step is to review the age label and safety information before buying, use trusted sellers where possible, and check for recall notices on used items. The Association’s campaign is ongoing through the month; any specific product concerns or future safety actions remain separate matters unless confirmed by the relevant manufacturer or authorities.
Key Questions
What did the Toy Association announce?
It launched its sixth annual Toy Safety Awareness Month and said it will share holiday toy safety guidance through November on social media and at playsafe.org.
What does the campaign advise shoppers to check?
The Association recommends checking manufacturer information, age labels, safe-use instructions and company contact details. It also advises buying from known brands and trusted retailers and watching for online listings with misspellings or missing safety information.
Why does the Association warn about counterfeit squishy toys?
It says squishy toys may tear or burst, releasing small parts or filling, and that some counterfeit products may contain hazardous chemicals. It advises against heating, freezing, puncturing, biting or otherwise misusing them.
How can families check whether a secondhand toy has been recalled?
The Association recommends checking recalls.gov before buying a secondhand toy or accepting a hand-me-down.
Are age labels only suggestions?
The Association says age grading provides safety guidance, especially where toys for children ages 3 and up may contain small parts. Its survey found that 35% of responding parents viewed age recommendations as suggestions.
Source: thetoyinsider.com
