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What is the “Small Parts Cylinder” Test? Which Toys Require This Testing?
2026-09-14
Toys are indispensable companions in a child's growth, yet their safety directly impacts children's health and well-being. Among numerous toy safety testing protocols, the “Small Parts Cylinder” test is a core assessment targeting choking hazards, particularly for toys intended for young children. It serves as a critical safeguard ensuring toy compliance for market entry and mitigating potential safety risks.
I. What is the “Small Parts Cylinder” Test?
The “Small Parts Cylinder” test, also known as the small parts test, simulates the throat dimensions and swallowing scenario of children under 3 years old. It determines whether toys and their components qualify as “small parts,” thereby assessing the risk of suffocation if accidentally swallowed or inhaled by children.
1. Test Purpose
Children under 3 years old have underdeveloped throats, weaker swallowing reflexes, and exhibit oral-sensory habits—a tendency to put objects in their mouths to chew or swallow. If toys contain components that are too small, accidental ingestion can easily block the airway and cause choking accidents. The core purpose of the “Small Parts Cylinder” test is to use standardized inspection methods to identify toy components posing such safety hazards. This prevents non-compliant products from entering the market, thereby reducing the risk of child suffocation at its source.
2. Testing Instruments and Standards
The core tool for the “small parts cylinder” test is the small parts tester (also known as the small parts cylinder). Its dimensions strictly adhere to international and domestic standards, precisely simulating the actual size of a child under 3 years old's throat: the inner diameter is uniformly 31.7 millimeters, and the depth ranges from 25.4 to 57.1 millimeters. No compression of the test sample is required; simply placing the sample into the cylinder allows for preliminary determination.
Common standards include:
(1) Chinese Standard: GB 6675.2-2014 “Toy Safety - Part 2: Mechanical and Physical Properties,” explicitly requiring that components of toys intended for children under 3 years old must not pass through the small parts tester;
(2) European Standard: EN 71-1 “Safety of Toys - Part 1: Mechanical and Physical Properties” (2014 Edition + Amendment A1:2018), Section 8.2 mandates small parts testing as a compulsory requirement. Toys intended for children under 3 years old must not contain components that pass through the small parts cylinder. Additionally, toys must undergo simulated usage tests (e.g., pulling, dropping, impact) without producing new small parts;
(3) U.S. Standards: ASTM F963-23 “Standard Consumer Product Safety Specification for Toys,” Section 4.6, and U.S. Code of Federal Regulations 16 CFR 1501.4 define small parts as items that can fully enter a test cylinder measuring 2.25 inches (approx. 57.15 mm) in length and 1.25 inches (approx. 31.75 mm) in width. These standards also specify exempted categories and warning label requirements.
(4) International Standard:
ISO 8124-1 “Safety of Toys - Part 1: Mechanical and Physical Properties,” Section 5.2, aligns with core requirements of EU and Chinese standards, ensuring universal applicability and authority of test results.
3. Core Testing Process
The “Small Parts Cylinder” test process is streamlined and efficient, comprising three core steps requiring no complex operations for rapid determination:
(1) Sample Preparation: Select finished toys, detachable components (e.g., buttons, beads, small plastic parts), and parts dislodged after simulated use testing (pulling, dropping, impact, compression, etc.) as test samples. Ensure samples are undamaged, undeformed, and have not undergone any compression treatment;
(2) Testing Procedure: Place the test sample into the small parts tester in any orientation without applying external force. Observe whether the sample can fully enter the cylinder (i.e., no part of the sample protrudes beyond the cylinder opening).
(3) Result Determination: If the sample fully enters the small parts tester, it is classified as a “small part,” indicating the toy or component fails safety standards. If the sample does not fully enter, it is deemed compliant with no choking hazard (special categories require further assessment based on age group requirements).
II. Which Toys Require the “Small Parts Cylinder” Test?
Not all toys require the “Small Parts Cylinder” test. The core criteria for determination are the toy's intended age group and product structure—primarily targeting toys intended for children under 3 years old, as well as toys for children over 3 that may contain detachable small parts. Based on international standards and common toy categories in the market, the following types of toys must undergo this test:
1. Toys specifically designed for children under 3 years old
Given the high risk of ingestion for this age group, the “small parts cylinder” test is mandatory for all such toys. Regardless of product structure, every detachable or removable component must be tested. Common categories include:
(1) Infant soothing toys: pacifiers, baby rattles, plush comfort toys (testing required for decorative parts like eyes, noses, buttons), teething toys (testing required for detachable straps, small pendants, etc.). While some exemptions apply to rattles and pacifiers, they must still meet core small parts testing standards;
(2) Educational toys: Wooden/plastic building blocks (small blocks), puzzles (small puzzles ≤20 pieces—test individual piece dimensions), bead toys (beads, knots, etc.), shape-sorting toys (small detachable shape pieces);
(3) Interactive Toys: Small plastic dolls, miniature animal models, hand-operated rocking cars (detachable small buttons, small decorations), infant/toddler grasping balls (small raised surface components, detachable inflation valves, etc.);
(4) Others: Infant/toddler toy vehicles (miniature size, testing wheels and small decorations on the body), fabric toys (embroidery threads, buttons, zipper pulls, etc.).
2. Toys for Children Aged 3-14
These toys target older children with relatively lower choking risks. However, products containing detachable or easily detachable small parts still require “small parts cylinder” testing. Toys that are non-detachable and lack small components may be exempt. Common categories include:
(1) Educational assembly toys: LEGO-style building blocks (small-particle bricks), assembly models (small components for aircraft/car models), DIY craft kits (small beads, buttons, stickers, mini tools, etc.). Toys with small parts must carry choking warnings on packaging and pass safety testing for components.
(2) Plush/Fabric Toys: Large plush dolls, fabric backpack charms, fabric dolls (testing removable parts like eyes, noses, buttons, zippers). If parts are non-removable and meet size requirements, testing may be exempted;
(3) Electronic toys: Remote-controlled cars (detachable wheels, antennas, small buttons), smart early learning devices (surface buttons, small port covers), electronic building blocks (small electronic components, connector plugs, etc.). These toys also require electrical safety testing to simultaneously manage small parts risks;
(4) Outdoor Toys: Children's scooters (small screws, decorative elements), small swings (small seat components), beach toys (small shovels, removable parts of sand molds). Components that are large and non-removable may be exempt from testing.
(5) Other: Board game pieces (small game pieces), marble toys (marbles require separate testing), decorative toys (small badges, pendants, etc.).
3. Special Category Toys
Though not explicitly age-restricted, these toys pose small-part or choking hazards due to unique designs. Prioritize “small-part cylinder” testing for:
(1) Toys with detachable decorations: Small buttons, beads, gems, stickers (separable small stickers), tassels, knots, etc., on various toys;
(2) Toys prone to breakage and small parts: Fragile plastic toys, paper toys (paper components that tear into small pieces), wooden toys (small splinters or fragments from breakage). Testing is required to determine if components produced after breakage qualify as small parts.
III. The Importance of Testing
For toy manufacturers, testing for “small parts and cylindrical objects” is not only a compliance requirement but also a reflection of corporate social responsibility. Should a toy cause a safety incident due to small parts, it could result in product recalls, substantial fines, severe damage to brand reputation, and even legal liability. Furthermore, as global toy safety standards continue to evolve, countries are imposing increasingly stringent requirements for small parts testing. For instance, the EU's EN 71-1 standard now mandates small parts inspections following simulated abuse testing, while the U.S. ASTM F963-23 standard has strengthened regulations for small parts warning labels. Toy manufacturers must stay abreast of these updates to ensure their products comply with the latest requirements.
IV. Summary
The core purpose of the “small parts cylinder” test is to prevent choking hazards for children. Its testing logic is straightforward and highly targeted, making it an indispensable component of toy safety inspections. Simply put, any toy intended for children under 3 years old, or containing detachable or easily detachable small parts, must undergo this test. For toys without small parts or that are not detachable as a whole, exemption clauses within the standards can be referenced to determine testing necessity.