Children's Product Safety Recalls: A Parent's Complete Guide

Every year, hundreds of children's products are recalled in the United States due to safety defects that can cause serious injury or death. The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) reported over 420 consumer product safety recalls in 2025 alone, and a significant share involved items designed for babies, toddlers, and school-age children. As a parent, knowing how to find and act on children's product safety recalls is one of the most important things you can do to protect your family.

This guide covers the full landscape of children's product recalls, from toys and cribs to strollers, clothing, and electronics. If you are looking specifically for car seat recall information, see our dedicated car seat recall guide for parents.

Why Children's Products Are Recalled

Children's products are recalled when they pose a risk that was not anticipated during design, manufacturing, or testing. The CPSC is the federal agency responsible for overseeing the safety of consumer products sold in the United States, and it has the authority to mandate recalls when hazards are identified.

Common Hazards That Trigger Recalls

Choking hazards remain the most frequent reason for toy recalls. Small parts that can detach from toys, including buttons, eyes on stuffed animals, and decorative elements, pose a serious risk to children under three.

Strangulation risks are common in clothing, window blinds, and crib accessories. Drawstrings on children's jackets and hoodies have been the subject of federal safety standards since 2011, yet violations still appear on the recall list.

Suffocation and entrapment hazards in sleep products are among the most deadly. Inclined sleepers, crib bumpers, and soft bedding have been linked to hundreds of infant deaths over the past decade, prompting sweeping recalls and new regulations.

Lead and chemical exposure continues to affect imported toys and children's jewelry. Lead paint, phthalates, and other toxic substances are banned in children's products under federal law, but enforcement depends on testing and market surveillance.

Fire and burn hazards affect children's electronics, battery-operated toys, and clothing that does not meet flammability standards. Lithium-ion batteries in tablets, hoverboards, and electronic toys can overheat and cause fires.

Tip-over and collapse risks apply to furniture such as dressers, bookshelves, and changing tables. The CPSC has made furniture stability a top priority after numerous child fatalities involving unsecured furniture.

Children's Product Categories Most Affected by Recalls

Understanding which product categories carry the highest recall risk helps you prioritize your safety checks. Here is a breakdown of the categories that appear most frequently on the CPSC recall list.

Toys

Toys are the single largest category of children's product recalls. Common issues include small parts, high-powered magnets, button batteries, and projectile hazards. High-powered magnets are especially dangerous because if a child swallows more than one, they can attract through intestinal walls and cause life-threatening internal injuries. Button batteries can cause fatal chemical burns in the esophagus within two hours of ingestion.

When evaluating toys, look for age-grading labels, ASTM F963 compliance markings, and any history of recalls for the brand. Be especially careful with toys purchased from third-party marketplace sellers, as these are less likely to have undergone CPSC compliance testing.

Cribs, Bassinets, and Sleep Products

Sleep-related products are among the most heavily regulated children's items in the United States. The CPSC's Safe Sleep for Babies Act, which took effect in 2022, banned inclined sleepers and crib bumpers. Despite this, older inventory and secondhand products continue to circulate.

Crib recalls often involve slat spacing that exceeds the federal limit of 2 3/8 inches, hardware failures that allow sides to detach, and mattress support collapses. Bassinet recalls frequently involve folding mechanisms that can collapse unexpectedly.

If you are using any sleep product manufactured before 2022, check the CPSC database or search RecallPedia to verify it meets current safety standards.

Strollers and Carriers

Stroller recalls typically involve hinge and folding mechanisms that can amputate fingertips, wheel assemblies that detach during use, and harness buckles that fail to secure properly. Baby carriers and slings have been recalled for fall hazards and suffocation risks, particularly for infants under four months.

Always check the recall status of a stroller before purchasing it secondhand. A stroller that looks perfectly functional may have a known hinge defect that only manifests during folding.

Children's Clothing

Clothing recalls most often involve drawstrings that pose strangulation hazards and flammability failures. Federal standards require that children's sleepwear in sizes 9 months through 14 years either be flame-resistant or fit snugly. Loose-fitting sleepwear that does not meet flammability standards is a recurring issue, particularly with imported garments.

Children's jewelry and costume accessories are also recalled regularly for excessive lead content and choking hazards.

Children's Electronics and Battery-Operated Products

Tablets designed for children, electronic learning toys, and battery-operated ride-on vehicles are frequently recalled for overheating, electrical shock hazards, and battery compartments that children can access. The risk of lithium-ion battery fires has increased as more children's products incorporate rechargeable batteries.

Always use the charger provided by the manufacturer and never leave battery-operated children's products charging unattended overnight.

How CPSC Recalls Work in 2026

The recall process begins when the CPSC identifies a hazard, either through its own testing, consumer incident reports, or voluntary disclosure by the manufacturer. Here is how the process typically unfolds.

The Recall Process

Step 1: Hazard identification. The CPSC receives reports of injuries or potential defects through its SaferProducts.gov portal, hospital emergency room data, or its own market surveillance.

Step 2: Investigation. CPSC engineers and compliance officers evaluate the product, review incident data, and determine the scope of the hazard.

Step 3: Recall announcement. The CPSC issues a public recall notice, typically in cooperation with the manufacturer. The notice includes product descriptions, photographs, lot numbers, the specific hazard, and the remedy (refund, replacement, or repair).

Step 4: Consumer action. Consumers are instructed to stop using the product, contact the manufacturer for the remedy, and in some cases dispose of the product in a way that prevents reuse.

CPSC Recalls 2026: What to Watch

In early 2026, the CPSC has continued to issue recalls at a steady pace. Key trends include increased scrutiny of products sold through online marketplaces, a focus on infant sleep safety, and continued enforcement of the STURDY Act requirements for furniture stability. Parents should check for CPSC recalls 2026 updates regularly, as new hazards are identified on a weekly basis.

How to Check If Your Children's Products Are Recalled

Checking for recalls is straightforward if you know where to look and what information to gather. For a complete walkthrough, see our guide on how to check if any product in your home is recalled.

Gather Product Information

Before searching, locate the following on each product:

• Brand and product name (exactly as printed on the product or packaging)
• Model number (usually on a label on the frame, base, or underside)
• Manufacture date or lot number (often on the same label as the model number)
• Where and when you purchased it

Search RecallPedia

Enter the product name, brand, or model number into the RecallPedia search page. Results will show the recall date, hazard description, severity classification, and the remedy offered by the manufacturer.

Check CPSC.gov Directly

The CPSC maintains a searchable recall database at CPSC.gov/Recalls. You can filter by product type, date range, and hazard category.

Register Your Products

Federal law requires manufacturers of durable infant and toddler products to include registration cards. Filling out these cards, or registering online, ensures you will be contacted directly if a recall is issued. Products that require registration include cribs, strollers, high chairs, play yards, swings, and bath seats.

Secondhand and Hand-Me-Down Products: Hidden Recall Risks

Secondhand children's products carry elevated recall risk because they may have been manufactured before current safety standards took effect, and previous owners may not have applied recall remedies.

What to Check Before Using Secondhand Items

• Search the product on RecallPedia or CPSC.gov before using it
• Verify the manufacture date; some product categories have been subject to new mandatory standards in recent years
• Inspect for physical damage, missing parts, and wear that could create new hazards
• Never use a secondhand crib that does not meet the 2011 federal crib standard
• Avoid drop-side cribs entirely, as they were banned in 2011 due to entrapment deaths

Thrift stores, garage sales, and online resale platforms are not required to screen for recalled products. The responsibility falls entirely on the buyer.

What to Do When You Find a Recalled Children's Product

Stop using the product immediately. Remove it from your child's reach and store it in a location where it cannot be accidentally used.

Follow the recall remedy. Contact the manufacturer using the information in the recall notice. Most recalls offer a free repair, replacement product, or full refund. Keep your receipt if possible, though most manufacturers will honor the remedy without proof of purchase.

Report injuries. If your child was injured by a recalled product, or by any product you believe is unsafe, file a report at SaferProducts.gov. Your report becomes part of the public record and helps the CPSC identify emerging hazards.

Dispose of unrepairable products safely. If a product cannot be repaired and no replacement is available, destroy it before discarding. Cut straps, remove wheels, and break structural components so the item cannot be retrieved and reused.

Building a Recall-Checking Routine

The most effective way to stay on top of children's product safety recalls is to build a simple routine.

When you buy a new product: Search for it on RecallPedia and register it with the manufacturer the same day.

Monthly: Spend five minutes checking RecallPedia for any products your children currently use. Pay special attention to toys, sleep products, and anything battery-operated.

Seasonally: Audit toys and gear as your child grows. Products appropriate for a toddler may have different recall histories than products for school-age children. Also review our guide on consumer product safety during the holiday season before gift-giving periods.

When receiving gifts or hand-me-downs: Always check before your child uses the item, regardless of who gave it to you.

Key Resources for Parents

• RecallPedia - Search the recall database for any children's product by name, brand, or category
• CPSC.gov - Official source for consumer product safety recalls and safety education
• SaferProducts.gov - Report unsafe products and search consumer incident reports
• CPSC email alerts - Subscribe at CPSC.gov to receive recall notifications filtered by product category

Children's product safety recalls are not rare events. They happen every week, affecting products from well-known brands and lesser-known manufacturers alike. The difference between a recalled product causing harm and being safely removed from your home comes down to awareness and action. Check your products, register them, and make recall monitoring part of your parenting routine. A few minutes of vigilance can prevent a serious injury.

For real-time children's product recall information, search RecallPedia or visit CPSC.gov. If a child has been injured by a product, call 911 and report the incident at SaferProducts.gov.