Safe Toys and Gifts Month: Pediatric Safety Campaign Starter
Key Facts:
- CPSC estimated 149,000 toy-related ER visits among U.S. children < 15 years in 2023; 74% involved children < 5 years.
- Nearly 45% of toy injuries affect the head, face, or eyes, underscoring Prevent Blindness’ focus on vision protection.
- The top three hazards cited in 2024 recalls were small detachable parts, high-powered magnets, and lithium button batteries.
- Evidence review shows adult supervision plus age-appropriate labeling cuts toy-injury rates by up to 30%.
Editor's Note
This article is part of the BHM Healthcare Awareness Series, designed to provide quick, ready-to-use content and links to official resources for internal staff communications, patient education, and social media.
Feel free to copy, adapt, and share.
Observation Date
December
History & Impact
Safe Toys and Gifts Month was launched in 1973 by Prevent Blindness® to reduce eye injuries from holiday presents. Each December, pediatric societies, consumer-safety agencies, and eye-health nonprofits spotlight age-appropriate toy selection, hazard recalls, and product-safety testing. Campaign partners such as the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) share checklists, social graphics, and outreach kits that organizations can repurpose for staff and family education.
Why it Matters
Unintentional injuries remain a leading cause of pediatric emergency visits, and nearly a quarter occur during play. Selecting, inspecting, and supervising toys appropriately can cut injury risk dramatically, protecting children and lowering preventable costs for payers and providers. Health systems that champion toy safety demonstrate community stewardship, reduce seasonal ED surges, and reinforce broader child-injury-prevention initiatives.
Quick Actions for Your Organization
For Leadership
Adopt a holiday toy-safety policy that aligns with CPSC/AAP guidance and distribute it enterprise-wide.
Partner with local retailers or children’s hospitals to host “Toy Check-Up” stations for staff and community members.
Embed toy-recall RSS feeds into intranet dashboards to notify care teams and caregivers in real time.
For Implementation Teams
Publish weekly intranet banners featuring “Toy Tip Tuesday” using the CPSC social-media toolkit.
Print and display age-appropriate toy-selection posters in pediatric clinics, gift shops, and waiting areas.
Coordinate a used-toy drive: inspect donations against recall lists before redistribution to childcare partners.
Resources
Ready-to-Use Assets
The following links provide resources & information for creating internal or external campaigns to support or promote this healthcare observance. Please vet these resources for alignment with your organization.
- American Public Health Association – Safe Toys and Gifts Month
- Prevent Blindness – Make Safe Toys and Gifts a Priority
- TRVST – Safe Toys and Gifts Month: Protecting Our Kids’ Joy
Talking Points
Copy & Paste Friendly
“December is Safe Toys & Gifts Month—check labels and avoid small parts for kids under 3.”
“Powered by CPSC data: magnets and button batteries cause 40 % of severe toy injuries. Choose wisely!”
“Model toy-safety best practices in every clinic and share recall alerts with families in real time.”
Disclaimer: Please verify all information, usage rights, and related guidelines with the official observance organizers and your organization’s policies to ensure proper alignment.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q1. How do we measure the success of a Safe Toys and Gifts Month campaign?
Track distribution of toy-safety materials, staff-training completion rates, and any change in December pediatric injury admissions versus prior years.
Q2. What compliance considerations apply when distributing toy-safety materials in healthcare settings during Safe Toys and Gifts Month?
Ensure all print and digital assets meet your organization’s patient-education policy and brand guidelines; verify that external toolkits (e.g., CPSC posters) carry the original attribution and have no usage restrictions; confirm ADA accessibility for PDFs and alt-text for images; and route mass emails or SMS alerts through approved, HIPAA-compliant platforms if patient data is referenced.
Q3. What’s the fastest way to launch a toy-inspection event for Safe Toys and Gifts Month?
Use the Prevent Blindness checklist, set up a staffed table in the lobby, provide a discard bin for unsafe toys, and promote via QR-code flyers two weeks in advance.
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