"Safety eyes"

for toys appeared as a question in my in box this morning. If you are not interested in the safety of small children and not interested in the making of toys for them then I suggest you go off and do something else.
E...., someone I have yet to meet, sent me a message. Her mother, whom I do know slightly, suggested she contact me. She has a small group of children trying to make things to put in the "junior" section of the handicraft area of the Show. Did I know whether buttons were considered to be "safe" as eyes on a  toy intended for small children.
The pattern the children are using is apparently nothing more than an oblong piece of knitting sewn up in some way with the addition of a  mouth...and the eyes. The pattern tells them to use buttons for eyes. 
Oh. Rightly, E... was inquiring about this. 
The answer is, "No, don't use buttons like that on a toy." It would particularly be the case if they are sewn on by children. They are unlikely to have the same skills as adults when sewing on buttons.
I have watched the judge of the adult section give each button on a garment a good tug. If it shifts then she will mark down the garment because buttons need to be firmly sewn in place. 
There is a soft toy class in the adult section.It is for a "cuddly toy". They are looking for the sort of toys which will be comforting for small chidren...the sort of thing you might go to bed with as tiny child. There the judge is looking for embroidered eyes, felted eyes or safety eyes. And,believe me, those safety eyes have to be very, very firmly attached. You do not use buttons. 
The Senior Cat once made some toys for sale at an "earth fair". He researched the topic thoroughly first. I sent him off to the first toy library in the state - something I had helped to set up - to talk to someone about their safety guidelines.
What the Senior Cat ended up making was made out of timber of course but the same sort of general rules applied. And there was and still is a general rule with respect to size.
Anything that fits into an old 35mm film canister is too small for a child who might still put things into their mouths. A film canister measures approximately 30mm across by 50mm long - 1.25 inches by 2 inches. If you can put something into that then it is too small. The same rule applies to making the "twiddle muffs" for dementia patients who might put something in their mouths. 
The answer to E...'s dilemma is to embroider the eyes or add felt eyes. The latter need to be sewn firmly in place too.  It is not good enough to glue them there. 
And don't use pipe cleaners, or glue on sparkling stars or stuff the toy with flammable filling or the sort of "beans" or beads used for bean bags.
Toys can still safe as well as fun without that.