What gets tested
- Small-parts behavior after drop, torque, tension, and soak cycles — rattles are tested wet and dry.
- Handle and body integrity: no cracks or separations that release fragments.
- Protrusion review for shapes that could gag an infant, plus lead and phthalate screening on all materials.
Design notes before testing
The classic failures are decorative elements separating after soak testing and handles cracking under torque. Solid one-material designs and over-molded decorations fare best — and every added bead, ring, or charm is a new small-parts candidate to justify.
Questions people ask
Do wooden rattles test differently from plastic?
The clauses are the same; wood adds substrate lead testing and finish screening, and wood grain cracks under soak cycles — test the actual wood and finish combination.
Are rattles graded under 3 always?
Rattles are inherently infant toys — grade 0+ with the full infant-toy treatment. There is no older-age version of a rattle that escapes small-parts testing.
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