Is it safe to let kids play with magnetic balls?
No. Loose high-powered magnetic balls are a swallowing hazard and do not belong around young kids.
What's actually in it
Magnetic ball sets are small loose magnets, often made with strong rare-earth magnets. The danger is not a coating or a smell. The danger is swallowing.
If a child swallows more than one magnet, the magnets can pull toward each other through bowel tissue. That can trap tissue and cause serious injury.
What the research says
A 2022 Pediatrics multicenter cohort study reviewed 596 children with high-powered magnet exposure at 25 U.S. children's hospitals from 2017 to 2019. The study found that 276 children needed endoscopy, surgery, or both, and 332 children needed hospitalization.
Keep magnetic ball sets out of homes with young kids. For building play, choose magnet-free wooden blocks. If a child swallows a magnet, treat it as urgent and call poison control or seek emergency care.
The research at a glance
| Study | Journal | Year |
|---|---|---|
| High-Powered Magnet Exposures in Children: A Multi-Center Cohort Study. | Pediatrics | 2022 |