Play safety, KID speaks about recalls, summer silent auction, and more

Check out KID’s online silent auction! Dive into a treasure trove of prizes, big and small, gifted by our amazing Chicagoland partners. From thrilling theater shows and adrenaline-pumping fitness programs to mouthwatering dining experiences and family-fun outings, there’s something to tickle every fancy. Bid now to back KID’s crucial mission of keeping kids safe through championing product safety! The auction closes on Wednesday, July 10, at 7pm Central so place your bids today!

It’s that time again when Americans across the nation gather to celebrate the Fourth of July with family, friends, and fireworks, but keep safety a priority for a fun holiday with the kids. This year, the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) reported that children under 15 years accounted for 31% of the 9,700 estimated fireworks-related injuries sustained in 2023. The agency also saw that the second highest estimated rate of fireworks-related emergency department treated injuries was among children aged 5 to 9 years. This same group also saw a slight increase in rates of injuries from 2022 to 2023 from 3.0 to 4.0 injuries per 100,000 children. Two children, a 17 year old and a 15 year old, were also reported to have died due to fireworks. Read more in our blog.

Last week, Nancy Cowles spoke at a panel at the International Consumer Product Health and Safety Organization (ICPHSO)'s North America Product Safety Training Workshop in Arkansas titled "Recall Effectiveness: Understanding Human Behavior to Improve Consumer Response". She shared information from KID’s most recent survey looking at consumer behaviors around recalls. She also called on recalling firms to use the most effective ways to notify consumers of recalls and to encourage them to take action to get recalled products out of homes and childcare facilities.

Play is an important part of children’s lives and aids in improving a child's ability to plan, organize, get along with others and regulate emotions. However, even the most innocent-seeming toys can pose hidden dangers. According to the CPSC, in 2022 alone there were eleven toy-related deaths and over 209,500 injuries treated in U.S. hospital emergency departments. In honor of International Day of Play, make playtime both fun, safe, and enriching for your little ones with the tips in our new blog.