Start with exact identification. Use the brand, model, date or lot code, and current official notice—not appearance alone.
The parent checklist
- Read the age label and warnings before opening the package.
- Pull and twist eyes, wheels, caps, decorations, and seams.
- Look for accessible button batteries or loose high-powered magnets.
- Stop use for cracks, swelling, wires, sharp edges, unusual heat, smoke, or odor.
- Treat missing manufacturer identity, traceability, or instructions as a reason to investigate.
- Search CPSC using the exact brand and product name.
Separate evidence from opinion
Official notices establish affected models, hazards, remedies, and reported incidents. Reviews can surface concerns, but do not by themselves prove a safety defect. Look for recent, repeated, attributable patterns.
When to stop using a toy
Stop use when a toy matches an active recall or shows damage that can expose a child to choking, magnets, batteries, sharp edges, overheating, fire, or electricity.