A New Summer Safety Report Flags 10 Hazards Parents Should Know About

As kids head back outside for pool days, playground trips and backyard play, a new summer safety report warns parents to take a closer look at products that can pose risks during the warmer months.

The 2026 report comes from World Against Toys Causing Harm, Inc., a nonprofit consumer-safety group that puts out an annual list of what it calls “summer safety traps.” This year’s list covers a mix of well-known concerns—like trampolines, pool floats and ATVs—and a few newer or less obvious ones, including reusable magnetic water balloons and gel blaster ammo made from water beads.

Several of the warnings focus on items that can look harmless at first glance. The report says some reusable magnetic water balloons may contain small magnets that could become dangerous if swallowed. It also highlights overheated slides and playground surfaces, noting that plastic, rubber and artificial turf can get hot enough to burn kids even when the weather doesn’t feel extreme.

Water safety is a major theme throughout the list. In addition to warning parents not to rely on inflatable swim toys as safety devices, the report points to above-ground pools with footholds toddlers can climb, kiddie pools left filled with water and sagging pool covers that can collect rainwater. It also flags risks for families spending time on the water this summer.

Motorized products also made the list, including e-bikes, e-scooters and ATVs. The report notes that these can cause serious injuries in seconds and says families should think carefully about age, supervision, safety gear and where kids are using them.

The 10 Hazards on This Year’s List

• Reusable magnetic water balloons
• Above-ground pools with hidden access risks
• Overheated slides and playground surfaces
• Gel blasters and water bead ammo
• Swim rings and other inflatable pool toys
• Backyard trampolines and inflatable bounce houses
• Kiddie pools, pool covers and other shallow-water traps
• E-bikes and e-scooters
• Towable tubes and boat propeller risks
• ATVs

The full report is meant as a summer reminder that some risks are easy to miss until kids are already in the middle of them, whether that’s a scorching slide at the park, a float that flips in the pool or a backyard product that seems safe at a glance.

This article was crafted with the assistance of an AI language model. The final content was reviewed and edited by a human and reflects the editorial judgment and expertise of Today's Parent.