Two popular toddler activity toys are being recalled because small parts can come loose and become choking hazards, federal regulators said. Together, the recalls cover about 360,000 units: roughly 84,000 Melissa & Doug fire truck activity boards sold at Target and about 276,000 Esjay busy boards sold on Amazon.
The Consumer Product Safety Commission announced both recalls on Sept. 17. The products are different, and so are the fixes. Melissa & Doug is offering a replacement toy, a refund, or store credit. Esjay is offering a replacement page for its fabric busy board.
Both toys are designed for young children, who explore by putting objects in their mouths. That is what makes a detachable knob or port more than a nuisance. For toddlers, small parts can block the airway.
Melissa & Doug Fire Truck Sold at Target
The first recall involves the Melissa & Doug Lights & Sounds Fire Truck Activity Board. The CPSC says the fire hose port can come loose and detach, creating a risk of serious injury from choking.
The toy is a compact red plastic fire engine with four black wheels, a white rotating ladder, and a black plastic connector that looks like a fire hose. Its busy board activities trigger lights and sounds. It measures about 10.5 inches high, 14.31 inches wide, and 3.06 inches deep, and weighs about 1.6 pounds.
Not every fire truck is included, so parents need to check the date wheels. On the bottom of the toy, "Melissa & Doug" is embossed on the battery compartment along with two date wheels. Recalled units have one arrow pointing to 25 and the other pointing to 4 or 5, or one arrow pointing to 26 and the other pointing to 3. The packaging of recalled units shows date codes OET 25100, OET 25150, or OET 26064.
The toys were sold at Target stores nationwide and on Target.com from July 2025 through August 2026 for about $30. Melissa & Doug has received 26 reports of the port coming loose and one report of a minor cut. The CPSC recall number is 26-780.
Replacement, $30 Check, or $40 Credit
Owners should stop using the fire truck and register at the Melissa & Doug recall page. After registering, consumers can choose a free replacement fire truck activity board, a $30 refund by check, or a $40 store credit at melissaanddoug.com.
The company asks owners to take several steps before any remedy is issued. Consumers will need to remove the batteries, write "RECALL" in permanent marker on the front of the toy along with a unique code provided during registration, and cut off the black hose. They then upload a photo of the marked, damaged toy to the registration page.
Once registration is confirmed, the toy can go in the regular household trash. Parents should keep the removed batteries away from children and dispose of them according to local rules. Melissa & Doug can be reached at 800-718-5365 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Eastern time, Monday through Friday.
Esjay Busy Board Sold on Amazon
The second and larger recall involves Esjay Toddler Busy Board Montessori Toys. The CPSC says the toy violates the federal small parts ban because it is intended for children under 3 and its red knobs can detach, creating a deadly choking hazard.
The busy board is made of blue felt with carrying handles, elastic cords, and button closures. The front is printed with cartoon dinosaurs. The back shows 26 small squares, each with a letter of the alphabet and a cartoon animal. The board has five pages, and the page with the red knobs is the second page.
About 276,000 were sold on Amazon.com from March 2023 through July 2026 for between $18 and $30. No incidents or injuries have been reported. The seller is Shenzhen Yishijie Technology Co., Ltd., which does business as Esjay US. The CPSC recall number is 26-775.
The fix is a repair rather than a refund. Parents should take the toy away from children, unzip the page with the red knobs, write "RECALLED" on both sides of that page, and throw it away. Then email a photo of the discarded page to [email protected] to receive a replacement page. Esjay can be reached at 888-206-9309 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Pacific time, Monday through Friday.
Small-Part Hazards Parents Should Watch
Children under 3 face the greatest risk from small parts, which is why federal rules ban them from toys meant for that age group. The CPSC's small parts guidance explains how the agency tests whether a piece is small enough to pose a choking risk.
Parents can do a rough check at home, too. A common rule of thumb is that any piece that fits through a cardboard toilet paper tube is small enough to be a choking concern for a young child. Regularly inspecting activity boards for loose knobs, cracked ports, or parts that wiggle can catch problems early.
If a child is choking and cannot cough, cry, or breathe, call 911 immediately and begin age-appropriate first aid if you are trained. A child who coughed or gagged on a small part but now seems fine should still be checked by a clinician if there is ongoing coughing, wheezing, drooling, or trouble swallowing. This article is general information and not a diagnosis.
Toy recalls often reach families slowly, especially for gifts and hand-me-downs. Parents who received either toy secondhand should check it the same way. Problems can be reported at SaferProducts.gov, and the CPSC hotline is 800-638-2772.
The bottom line is to look at the toy itself, including the date wheels on the Melissa & Doug fire truck and the red-knob page on the Esjay board, and then follow each company's steps for a free fix.
Key Questions Answered
Which toys are recalled? About 84,000 Melissa & Doug Lights & Sounds Fire Truck Activity Boards and about 276,000 Esjay Toddler Busy Board Montessori Toys.
Where were they sold? The fire trucks were sold at Target stores and Target.com from July 2025 through August 2026. The Esjay boards were sold on Amazon.com from March 2023 through July 2026.
How do I know if my fire truck is recalled? Check the date wheels on the battery compartment. Recalled units point to 25 and 4 or 5, or to 26 and 3. Packaging codes are OET 25100, OET 25150, or OET 26064.
What remedy does Melissa & Doug offer? A free replacement, a $30 refund by check, or a $40 melissaanddoug.com store credit after online registration.
What remedy does Esjay offer? A free replacement page after owners discard the red-knob page and email a photo.
Have any children been hurt? Melissa & Doug received 26 reports of the port coming loose and one report of a minor cut. Esjay reported no incidents.
