EN 71-1:2026
(Main)Safety of toys - Part 1: Mechanical and physical properties
General Information
- Abstract
This document specifies requirements and methods of tests for mechanical and physical properties of toys.
This document applies to toys for children, toys being any product or material designed or intended, whether or not exclusively, for use in play by children of less than 14 years. It refers to new toys taking into account the period of foreseeable and normal use, and that the toys are used as intended or in a foreseeable way, bearing in mind the behaviour of children.
It includes specific requirements for toys intended for children under 36 months, children under 18 months and for children who are too young to sit up unaided. For example, soft-filled toys with simple features intended for holding and cuddling are considered as intended for use by children under 36 months.
NOTE Information relating to the age grading and age determination of toys can be found in CEN ISO/TR 8124 8 [22] and the European Commission’s Guidance Documents on the Toy Safety Directive.
This document also specifies requirements for packaging, marking and labelling.
This document does not apply to the following toys:
- automatic playing machines, whether coin operated or not, intended for public use;
- toy vehicles equipped with combustion engines;
- toy steam engines;
- toy slings and toy catapults, supplied without projectiles;
- remote control flying toys incorporating rotor blade(s) which are capable of spinning approximately horizontally, each blade being greater than 175 mm in length, measured from the centre of rotation to the blade tip, and with an overall mass of the flying toy greater than 50 g.
This document does not cover musical instruments, sports equipment or similar items but does include their toy counterparts.
Toy slings and toy catapults supplied with projectiles are covered by this document.
This document does not cover electrical safety aspects of toys which are covered by EN IEC 62115.
Furthermore, it does not cover the following items which, for the purpose of this document, are not considered as toys:
a) decorative objects for festivities and celebrations;
b) products for collectors, provided that the product or its packaging bears a visible and legible indication that it is intended for collectors of 14 years of age and above; examples of this category are:
1) detailed and faithful scale models (see A.2),
2) kits for the assembly of detailed scale models,
3) folk dolls and decorative dolls and other similar articles,
4) historical replicas of toys,
5) reproductions of real fire arms;
c) sports equipment including roller skates, inline skates, and skateboards intended for children with a body mass of more than 20 kg;
d) bicycles with a maximum saddle height of more than 435 mm, measured as the vertical distance from the ground to the top of the seat surface, with the seat in a horizontal position and with the seat pillar set to the minimum insertion mark;
e) scooters and other means of transport designed for sport, or which are intended to be used for travel on public roads or public pathways;
f) electrically-driven vehicles which are intended to be used for travel on public roads, public pathways, or the pavement thereof;
g) aquatic equipment intended to be used in deep water, and swimming learning devices for children, such as swim seats and swimming aids;
h) puzzles with more than 500 pieces;
i) guns and pistols using compressed gas, with the exception of water guns and water pistols;
j) bows for archery over 120 cm long;
k) fireworks, including percussion caps which are not specifically designed for toys;
l) products and games using sharp-pointed missiles, such as sets of darts with metallic points;
m) functional educational products, such as electric ovens, irons or other functional products, as defined in EU Directive 2009/48/EC (Toy Safety Directive) [21], operated at a nominal voltage exceeding 24 V which are sold exclusively for teaching purposes under adult supervision...
- Status
- Published
- Publication Date
- 27-Jan-2026
- Technical Committee
- CEN/TC 52 - Safety of toys
- Current Stage
- 6060 - Definitive text made available (DAV) - Publishing
- Start Date
- 28-Jan-2026
- Due Date
- 12-Dec-2024
- Completion Date
- 28-Jan-2026
Overview
EN 71-1:2026 - Safety of toys - Part 1: Mechanical and physical properties (CEN) defines mechanical and physical safety requirements and test methods for toys. It applies to products designed or intended for play by children under 14 years, addressing foreseeable and normal use and typical child behaviour. The standard includes specific provisions for very young children (under 36 months, under 18 months, and those unable to sit unaided) and covers packaging, marking and labelling. Several non‑toy items and specific toy categories (for example certain coin‑operated machines, combustion‑engine toy vehicles, and large flying‑rotor toys) are explicitly excluded.
Key topics and technical requirements
- Scope and age grading: Requirements differ by intended age group (notably under 36 months and under 18 months); guidance on age determination is referenced.
- Mechanical hazards: Tests and limits related to sharp edges/points, protruding parts, moving parts, small parts and choking hazards.
- Structural integrity: Requirements for assembly, tensile and torque strength, impact, drop and compression resistance to ensure parts do not detach or create hazards during normal use.
- Specific toy types: Rules for soft‑filled toys, liquid‑filled toys, balloons, projectile toys, aquatic/inflatable toys, toys intended to bear a child’s weight and heavy immobile toys.
- Functional hazards: Speed limitation for electrically driven ride‑ons, kinetic energy limits for projectiles, magnetic safety tests and acoustic/noise emission limits.
- Packaging, marking and instructions: Mandatory warnings, age labels and user instructions for safe use and foreseeable misuse.
- Comprehensive test methods: Standardised methods are specified - small parts cylinder, torque, tension, drop, impact, compression, soaking, leakage tests, sharpness tests, magnet flux and tension, projectile range/energy, sound pressure measurement, temperature rise and many more.
Applications
- Product safety design and verification for toy manufacturers, designers, R&D and quality teams.
- Third‑party test laboratories and conformity assessment bodies performing type testing and certification.
- Regulatory compliance for importers, distributors and retailers selling toys in CEN member markets.
- Legal and compliance teams ensuring conformity with the Toy Safety Directive and national market surveillance.
Who should use this standard
- Toy manufacturers and OEMs
- Testing and certification laboratories
- Regulatory authorities and market surveillance bodies
- Design engineers and safety officers in the toy supply chain
Related standards
- EN IEC 62115 (electrical safety of toys) - electrical aspects not covered by EN 71‑1
- CEN ISO/TR 8124‑8 and EU Toy Safety Directive guidance - age grading and determination
Keywords: EN 71‑1:2026, safety of toys, mechanical and physical properties, toy testing, CEN, toy standards, packaging, labelling, age grading, projectiles, magnets, acoustics.
Relations
- Effective Date
- 19-Jan-2023
- Effective Date
- 25-Feb-2026
- Effective Date
- 25-Feb-2026
- Effective Date
- 25-Feb-2026
- Effective Date
- 25-Feb-2026
- Refers
ISO 4593:1993 - Plastics — Film and sheeting — Determination of thickness by mechanical scanning - Effective Date
- 25-Feb-2026
- Effective Date
- 25-Feb-2026
- Effective Date
- 25-Feb-2026
- Effective Date
- 25-Feb-2026
- Effective Date
- 25-Feb-2026
- Effective Date
- 25-Feb-2026
- Effective Date
- 25-Feb-2026
- Effective Date
- 25-Feb-2026
- Effective Date
- 25-Feb-2026
- Effective Date
- 25-Feb-2026
Frequently Asked Questions
EN 71-1:2026 is a standard published by the European Committee for Standardization (CEN). Its full title is "Safety of toys - Part 1: Mechanical and physical properties". This standard covers: This document specifies requirements and methods of tests for mechanical and physical properties of toys. This document applies to toys for children, toys being any product or material designed or intended, whether or not exclusively, for use in play by children of less than 14 years. It refers to new toys taking into account the period of foreseeable and normal use, and that the toys are used as intended or in a foreseeable way, bearing in mind the behaviour of children. It includes specific requirements for toys intended for children under 36 months, children under 18 months and for children who are too young to sit up unaided. For example, soft-filled toys with simple features intended for holding and cuddling are considered as intended for use by children under 36 months. NOTE Information relating to the age grading and age determination of toys can be found in CEN ISO/TR 8124 8 [22] and the European Commission’s Guidance Documents on the Toy Safety Directive. This document also specifies requirements for packaging, marking and labelling. This document does not apply to the following toys: - automatic playing machines, whether coin operated or not, intended for public use; - toy vehicles equipped with combustion engines; - toy steam engines; - toy slings and toy catapults, supplied without projectiles; - remote control flying toys incorporating rotor blade(s) which are capable of spinning approximately horizontally, each blade being greater than 175 mm in length, measured from the centre of rotation to the blade tip, and with an overall mass of the flying toy greater than 50 g. This document does not cover musical instruments, sports equipment or similar items but does include their toy counterparts. Toy slings and toy catapults supplied with projectiles are covered by this document. This document does not cover electrical safety aspects of toys which are covered by EN IEC 62115. Furthermore, it does not cover the following items which, for the purpose of this document, are not considered as toys: a) decorative objects for festivities and celebrations; b) products for collectors, provided that the product or its packaging bears a visible and legible indication that it is intended for collectors of 14 years of age and above; examples of this category are: 1) detailed and faithful scale models (see A.2), 2) kits for the assembly of detailed scale models, 3) folk dolls and decorative dolls and other similar articles, 4) historical replicas of toys, 5) reproductions of real fire arms; c) sports equipment including roller skates, inline skates, and skateboards intended for children with a body mass of more than 20 kg; d) bicycles with a maximum saddle height of more than 435 mm, measured as the vertical distance from the ground to the top of the seat surface, with the seat in a horizontal position and with the seat pillar set to the minimum insertion mark; e) scooters and other means of transport designed for sport, or which are intended to be used for travel on public roads or public pathways; f) electrically-driven vehicles which are intended to be used for travel on public roads, public pathways, or the pavement thereof; g) aquatic equipment intended to be used in deep water, and swimming learning devices for children, such as swim seats and swimming aids; h) puzzles with more than 500 pieces; i) guns and pistols using compressed gas, with the exception of water guns and water pistols; j) bows for archery over 120 cm long; k) fireworks, including percussion caps which are not specifically designed for toys; l) products and games using sharp-pointed missiles, such as sets of darts with metallic points; m) functional educational products, such as electric ovens, irons or other functional products, as defined in EU Directive 2009/48/EC (Toy Safety Directive) [21], operated at a nominal voltage exceeding 24 V which are sold exclusively for teaching purposes under adult supervision...
This document specifies requirements and methods of tests for mechanical and physical properties of toys. This document applies to toys for children, toys being any product or material designed or intended, whether or not exclusively, for use in play by children of less than 14 years. It refers to new toys taking into account the period of foreseeable and normal use, and that the toys are used as intended or in a foreseeable way, bearing in mind the behaviour of children. It includes specific requirements for toys intended for children under 36 months, children under 18 months and for children who are too young to sit up unaided. For example, soft-filled toys with simple features intended for holding and cuddling are considered as intended for use by children under 36 months. NOTE Information relating to the age grading and age determination of toys can be found in CEN ISO/TR 8124 8 [22] and the European Commission’s Guidance Documents on the Toy Safety Directive. This document also specifies requirements for packaging, marking and labelling. This document does not apply to the following toys: - automatic playing machines, whether coin operated or not, intended for public use; - toy vehicles equipped with combustion engines; - toy steam engines; - toy slings and toy catapults, supplied without projectiles; - remote control flying toys incorporating rotor blade(s) which are capable of spinning approximately horizontally, each blade being greater than 175 mm in length, measured from the centre of rotation to the blade tip, and with an overall mass of the flying toy greater than 50 g. This document does not cover musical instruments, sports equipment or similar items but does include their toy counterparts. Toy slings and toy catapults supplied with projectiles are covered by this document. This document does not cover electrical safety aspects of toys which are covered by EN IEC 62115. Furthermore, it does not cover the following items which, for the purpose of this document, are not considered as toys: a) decorative objects for festivities and celebrations; b) products for collectors, provided that the product or its packaging bears a visible and legible indication that it is intended for collectors of 14 years of age and above; examples of this category are: 1) detailed and faithful scale models (see A.2), 2) kits for the assembly of detailed scale models, 3) folk dolls and decorative dolls and other similar articles, 4) historical replicas of toys, 5) reproductions of real fire arms; c) sports equipment including roller skates, inline skates, and skateboards intended for children with a body mass of more than 20 kg; d) bicycles with a maximum saddle height of more than 435 mm, measured as the vertical distance from the ground to the top of the seat surface, with the seat in a horizontal position and with the seat pillar set to the minimum insertion mark; e) scooters and other means of transport designed for sport, or which are intended to be used for travel on public roads or public pathways; f) electrically-driven vehicles which are intended to be used for travel on public roads, public pathways, or the pavement thereof; g) aquatic equipment intended to be used in deep water, and swimming learning devices for children, such as swim seats and swimming aids; h) puzzles with more than 500 pieces; i) guns and pistols using compressed gas, with the exception of water guns and water pistols; j) bows for archery over 120 cm long; k) fireworks, including percussion caps which are not specifically designed for toys; l) products and games using sharp-pointed missiles, such as sets of darts with metallic points; m) functional educational products, such as electric ovens, irons or other functional products, as defined in EU Directive 2009/48/EC (Toy Safety Directive) [21], operated at a nominal voltage exceeding 24 V which are sold exclusively for teaching purposes under adult supervision...
EN 71-1:2026 is classified under the following ICS (International Classification for Standards) categories: 97.200.50 - Toys. The ICS classification helps identify the subject area and facilitates finding related standards.
EN 71-1:2026 has the following relationships with other standards: It is inter standard links to EN 71-1:2014+A1:2018, EN IEC 60318-7:2022, ISO 48-4:2018, EN 61672-1:2013, EN ISO 11201:2010, ISO 4593:1993, EN ISO 11202:2010/A1:2021, EN ISO 3744:2010, EN 50332-1:2013, EN ISO 25649-3:2024, EN ISO 3745:2012/A1:2017, EN 14682:2014, EN ISO 21920-2:2022, EN ISO 11202:2010, EN ISO 3745:2012. Understanding these relationships helps ensure you are using the most current and applicable version of the standard.
EN 71-1:2026 is associated with the following European legislation: EU Directives/Regulations: 2009/48/EC; Standardization Mandates: M/589, M/xxx. When a standard is cited in the Official Journal of the European Union, products manufactured in conformity with it benefit from a presumption of conformity with the essential requirements of the corresponding EU directive or regulation.
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