Before You Buy Toys This Holiday Season, Check These 5 Things

The holiday shopping season is here, and the lists are growing. Before you fill up that cart — whether online or in-store — a few quick checks can protect your kids from the most common toy safety hazards the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Consumer Product Safety Commission flag every year.

None of this takes more than a minute per toy. But it's the kind of minute that matters.

2. Check Battery Compartments for Button and Coin Batteries

Button and coin batteries — the small, flat, shiny batteries that power remote controls, greeting cards, key fobs, and many small electronic toys — are the No. 1 battery safety concern from the CPSC right now. If a child swallows one, it can cause severe internal burns within two hours. The danger is that they're the right size and shape to be fascinating to young children.

Before you buy any toy with a battery compartment, check that the compartment is secured with a screw. If a child can pop it open with their fingernail, that's not a safe design for homes with young kids.

3. Check the CPSC Recall Database Before Buying Secondhand

Secondhand toys are a smart budget choice — but recalls follow the product, not the original buyer. A toy that was recalled in 2024 is still recalled in 2026, even if it shows up at a thrift store with no warning label.

Before you buy any used toy, check the CPSC recall database at cpsc.gov/recalls. The search is fast — enter the product name or brand. The database includes active 2026 recalls, and there are several baby products currently on the list. It takes 60 seconds and can prevent a real hazard from coming home.

If you discover a toy you already own has been recalled, stop using it immediately. Contact the manufacturer or CPSC for replacement or refund information.

4. Know the Rules on Toy Guns for Older Kids

Toy guns are a popular gift category for older kids. A few basics worth knowing: in the United States, all toy guns are required to have an orange tip on the muzzle — it's a federal requirement that distinguishes them from real firearms. Never remove or paint over the orange tip. Never modify a toy gun to look more realistic.

When giving a toy gun as a gift, pair it with a conversation about safe and responsible play. Where it can be used, who it can be pointed at (no one), and why the rules exist are all reasonable things to establish upfront.

5. Use the CPSC Hotline for Safety Questions

If you have a question about a specific product, want to report a safety concern, or aren't sure whether something you bought might be recalled, the CPSC hotline is available: 1-800-638-2772. You can also report product safety incidents directly at SaferProducts.gov.

The AAP's holiday toy safety guidance, available at healthychildren.org, includes age-by-age recommendations for toy types that are developmentally appropriate and safe — a useful reference if you're buying for kids of different ages in the same household.

Quick Reference: Holiday Toy Safety Checklist

What's Next

The holiday shopping season moves fast — but toy safety checks don't require slowing down much. A quick age-label check, a battery compartment look-over, and a 60-second recall search before buying used are habits worth building into your process this year. For more guidance, the CPSC's website and AAP's healthychildren.org are both updated regularly with current recommendations and active recalls.