When it comes to designing products that are made for use by children, safety and security is of the utmost concern. Remember a few short years ago when millions of toys were recalled after it was discovered that Chinese manufacturers had used lead-based paint? Or how about the recall of cribs where the drop-down side would drop on its own, causing infants to tumble out? As recently as this year, there was a recall on car seats that used incorrect steel (resulting in the car seat detaching from the base during severe crashes). Although kids certainly reach for flashy toys, and parents sometimes spend less than they should on furniture and other items for their kids, no product designed for children should have an “acceptable margin of error”. Here are just a few security concerns to consider when creating items for kids.
1. Small parts. Anything that children can detach and put in their mouths should go out the window immediately. Kids are prone to putting small objects into their mouths, potentially leading to choking. And of course, there is a danger that they will actually swallow something, causing internal damage or even death (like the Polly Pockets magnets that were responsible for the death of at least one child a few years backs, and the hospitalization of several others before a recall took effect). Avoid all such occurrences by making parts too large for children to ingest.
2. Composition. You need to apply standards of safety and security to every element of your product when it is designed for kids. Although you may not intend for them to get past the exterior, and therefore you might not think you have to worry about them getting into the innards of a product, you should plan as though wear and tear (or the constant attention of a small child) could release anything on the inside. Make sure that there is nothing potentially harmful (or poisonous) anywhere on or in the product (if you want to steer clear of law suits down the line).
3. Weight. Although you’re creating products for kids, you need to remember that it is their parents that will have to haul these items around. Car seats often double as carriers or even fit into stroller or rocker bases. Parents are likely to be lifting them quite a bit and you certainly don’t want to give a new parent (your customer) a hernia. Large toys (like walkers) should also be light enough to be portable.
4. Structural integrity. As evidenced by the car seat recall listed above, the integrity of your product is essential. Even if all signs predict that materials will be resilient, rigorous testing should be done to ensure the security of a small child.
5. Complexity. The difficulty with complex products for kids is twofold. First and foremost, parents need to be able to use the items they purchase on behalf of their children. Ease of use is key for the busy parent on the go. The second issue is that more complex products generally equate to more (and smaller) parts. Refer to item 1 on this list.
Jamie Myers writes for security labels where you can find custom security labels and stickers.