Hello, I've been working on an educational game for one of my college level classes. I'm not sure the exact age range that it will fall under as I've been play-testing it with 2nd & 3rd graders as well as my adult aged friends. While I'm pretty sure the game will fall under general use for the Consumer Products Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA), I did see that TheGameCrafter says this about publishing games for kids
"The Consumer Products Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA) requires that all products manufactured for children under the age of 12 be tested by an independent third party. This testing costs several thousand dollars per product, and is therefore not something we can realistically provide.
While we think that it's important to protect children from choking hazards, toxins, and malfeasance, this law pretty much ensures that small publishers like yourself will never be able to create products for children under 12"
https://www.thegamecrafter.com/help/can-i-make-games-for-kids-
Now I went to the cpsc.gov website and was reading through FAQs: Children's Products, under Product-Specific FAQs they have the following information for board games:
Are board games considered children's products?
The Commission has determined that traditional board and table games, like chess, checkers, backgammon, playing cards, or Chinese checkers are commonly recognized as equally attractive to children and adults because the level of difficulty increases or decreases, depending on the player's skill. Versions of these games, and similar games commonly considered by consumers to appeal to a general audience, are not considered children's products.
However, if a manufacturer adds features to the game or its packaging that make it more attractive to or suitable for children, then the game could be considered a children's product rather than a general use product. Specifically, where a product, such as a board game, exists in junior and regular versions, the junior version likely would be considered a children's product, and the regular version would not. For games with small parts, sharp points and edges, and other similar characteristics for children ages less than 9 years old then the game should be considered a children's product. For games intended for an audience of 9-year-olds and older, please see the prior question on products for children ages 9 to 12 years old.
http://www.cpsc.gov/Business--Manufacturing/Business-Education/childrens...
So if I design a card game that is appealing for both kids and adults, I should be fine, correct?
Ah thanks, wasn't looking for any sort of legal advice (though it probably sounds like it). I was curious if anyone had any experience publishing card games for kids and could point me in the right direction. I'll take a look around at what the rules says for small batch publishers, thanks for another point to research :)
First Google hit:
http://www.cpsc.gov/en/Business--Manufacturing/Small-Business-Resources/...
The Small Batch Manufacturers Registry is the online mechanism by which Small Batch Manufacturers can identify themselves to obtain relief from certain third party testing requirements for children’s products. To register as a Small Batch Manufacturer, an applicant must attest that it satisfies two threshold requirements. First, it must attest that its total gross revenue from the prior calendar year (e.g., calendar year 2013 sales to qualify for calendar year 2014) from the sale of all consumer products is $1,052,913 or less. Second, it must attest that it manufactured no more than 7,500 units of the covered product that qualifies the Small Batch Manufacturer for registration.
I think I can safely say that I probably won't be making my first million off this product and I don't have anywhere near the funds to turn out 7,500 copies of the games unless something goes horribly right with Kickstarter.
And here is where you would register as a small batch manufacturer at:
http://www.saferproducts.gov/SmallBatchManufacturers/