When picking toys as year-end gifts, the US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has numbers worth knowing. In 2023, about 154,700 children aged 12 or younger in the US were treated in emergency rooms for toy-related injuries, and 10 died. Across all ages, the toy behind the most injuries was the non-motorized scooter, about 53,000. The CPSC says keep small balls and small parts from children under 3, deflated balloons from children under 8, and make sure a helmet is worn every time.
1. 2023: about 154,700 ER visits for children 12 and under, 10 deaths (US).
2. Under 3: no small balls or parts; under 8: no deflated balloons.
3. Helmets every time on scooters — more than one in five toy injuries under 15.
The numbers — CPSC release, November 2024 (US)
| Item | CPSC figure | Worth noting (ours) |
|---|---|---|
| ER-treated, 12 and under (2023) | About 154,700 | — |
| Toy-related deaths (2023) | 10 | — |
| Under 15 (2016→2023) | 175,600 → 167,500, down nearly 5% | 4.6% recalculated (ours) |
| Under 13 (2016→2023) | 167,800 → 154,700, down nearly 8% | 7.8% recalculated (ours) |
| Non-motorized scooters | Most injuries across all ages, about 53,000; more than one in five toy injuries under 15 | — |
| Seizures (FY2024) | Nearly 1.6 million dangerous or illegal toys; about 101,900 lead-related | About 6.4% (ours) |
How the deaths happened — CPSC
The CPSC says most deaths involved choking on small balls or crayons, drowning linked to flotation toys, entrapment in a toy chest, and swallowing water beads. Lacerations were the most common injury at all ages; under 5, ingestion and internal injuries came next.
Choosing and giving — CPSC
| Type | What the source says | Worth noting (ours) |
|---|---|---|
| Age | Follow the age guidance on the package; match interests and abilities | — |
| Riding toys | Give helmets and safety gear with scooters and ride-ons, worn every time | Put a helmet on the gift list (ours) |
| Under 3 | Keep small balls and small-part toys away | — |
| Under 8 | Keep deflated balloons away | — |
| Wrapping | Throw away plastic wrapping right after opening | — |
| Buying online | Buy from sellers you know and trust; look for a choking hazard warning on listings for small parts, balls, marbles or balloons | — |
If a toy arrives damaged in the post, see parcel damage claims.
A choosing order — our summary
Putting the CPSC tips in the order you’d use them: match the child’s age to the package guidance; for under-3s check for small balls and parts, for under-8s check there are no balloons. With a scooter or ride-on, add a helmet. Online, check the seller and the choking warning. After opening, clear away the plastic. All figures are US; we didn’t check Korean toy standards (such as KC certification) this time.
Checklist
- ☐ Check the age guidance
- ☐ Under 3: no small balls or parts; under 8: no balloons
- ☐ A helmet with every scooter
- ☐ Water beads out of young children’s reach
- ☐ Plastic wrapping straight in the bin
Questions that remain
Why are water beads dangerous?
The CPSC lists swallowing water beads among the causes of death; this release doesn’t explain the mechanism.
Are Korean rules the same?
These are US figures and advice; we didn’t check Korean labelling or certification this time.
Sources
- CPSC — Happy Holidays Start with Safety (release 25-049) — source (19 November 2024; checked 19 October 2026). 154,700 and 10 in 2023, two 2016–2023 trends, 53,000 scooter injuries, four causes of death, injury types, 1.6 million and 101,900 seizures, four toy tips, two online tips.
- Not read. The full CPSC toy injury report; Korean children’s product standards.
- What we added. The “worth noting” column and the Korean everyday gloss.
Where to check further
- The package and instructions — age range and warnings.
Written on 19 October 2026. The content is from the source; the glosses are ours.
