Small parts, supervision and sensible limits

Craft kits contain exactly the things safety labels are written about: beads, cords, needles, powders and paint. None of that makes them dangerous, and all of it makes supervision worth ten minutes of your afternoon.

Read the box, not the card

We copy the age mark and the contents from the packaging, but the printed warning on the box you receive is the authoritative one. If the two disagree, the box wins.

The four rules that cover most of it

• Younger siblings and bead kits do not share a room
• Goggles in the science sets are not decorative
• Plaster, clay and paint go nowhere near a sink drain
• Blunt needles still find feet — count them back into the box

Recalls

Recalls are published by the manufacturer and by national safety regulators, and they are the source worth trusting. If you see one affecting a set listed here, mail [email protected] and we will pull the card.