The Toy Association Statement on Small Parts Regulation

The federally-mandated small parts regulation has been in place in the United States for more than four decades. It was established using research and expertise from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), child development and human factors experts, and members of the toy industry. The regulation takes into account the unique anatomy, behavior, and developmental abilities of children under three years of age who tend to mouth objects. The small parts gauge is specifically designed to simulate the size and shape of a young child’s throat in order to identify items that may pose a choking hazard.

The small parts regulation has been reviewed by experts over the years and has been repeatedly found to be highly effective in preventing harm to children and is consistently regarded as one of the most effective toy safety measures ever designed.  In addition to the reaffirmations within the U.S., the requirement has been adopted around the world.

Among the reaffirmations, in 2008, Congress mandated compliance with the ASTM F963 toy safety standard – including the federal small parts regulation that is repeated within the standard. All toys sold in the United States must conform to the small parts requirement, as well as over 100 additional standards and tests to ensure safe play.

The Toy Association provides free online resources to help ensure safe play for children, including tips for selecting age-appropriate toys, supervising play, making sure toys are used as intended, keeping young children away from toys that are intended for older children, and other simple but important guidelines for parents and caregivers. Additional information can be found online at PlaySafe.org.

This statement was reaffirmed by The Toy Association in October 2025.