Arts and crafts safety
Arts and crafts are a great way to express creativity, but some products and ingredients can pose hidden health risks.
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Health risks
While most projects feel harmless, some arts and crafts materials can lead to:
- poisonings, if materials or fumes are swallowed or inhaled
- skin or eye irritation and burns
- cuts from scissors or blades
Watch for warning signs like headaches, dizziness, feeling ill and severe mood swings. These can mean your space needs better ventilation or you may need to use safer materials. Get some fresh air and see if your symptoms improve. Seek medical attention if your symptoms continue or return.
Young children are especially at risk because they’re more like to put things in their mouths.
If you’re pregnant or planning to become pregnant, some arts and crafts materials may carry extra risks. Read labels and warnings on materials carefully before using them. Talk to your healthcare provider about safer options.
Safety Tips
Know your materials
- Always read labels and follow instructions.
- Learn about the materials you plan to use, the techniques to use them and their potential hazards from trusted sources.
- Choose safer alternatives when possible.
Set up a safe workspace
- Work in a well-ventilated area (for example, outside, or an area with open windows or fans).
- Make sure there is a smoke detector in your work area.
- Keep a fire extinguisher nearby.
- Don’t craft near food or drink to prevent accidentally swallowing dangerous materials.
- Save Health Canada’s toll-free number for poison centres in your phone or post it nearby:
- 1-844-POISON-X (1-844-764-7669)
- 1-800-463-5060 in Quebec
- In Nunavut, contact your local public health unit directly.
Protect yourself
Use personal protective equipment including:
- safety glasses to protect your eyes from splashes or debris
- rubber gloves to avoid getting solvents or acids on your skin
- a dust mask or respirator to prevent breathing in dust or fumes
- ear protection to protect from noisy tools
Do not wear your contact lenses while crafting. They can trap dust or harmful chemicals, which could damage your eyes.
Handle materials carefully
- Check the label for hazard symbols and handle the materials accordingly. Learn more about household chemicals and hazard symbols.
- Never mix products. Some mixtures can produce harmful gases.
- Avoid inhaling dust from powders or fumes from glues and paints.
Practice good hygiene
- Wash your hands thoroughly after crafting.
- Clean surfaces and tools.
- Change and wash clothes if they’ve been in contact with any hazardous products .
Store and dispose safely
- Keep materials and supplies in their original containers with labels intact.
- Store materials according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
- Keep hazardous materials out of sight and reach of children and pets.
- Contact your municipal waste facility for information on how to safely dispose of any hazardous materials including paints, solvents and chemicals.
Extra tips for children’s craft time
- Buy kid-friendly and age-appropriate products. Supervise children closely at all times.
- Keep arts and crafts supplies out of sight and reach of children when not in use.
- Encourage safe crafting habits – no licking brushes, touching faces or eating during craft time.
- If finger painting, use water-based paints labelled specifically for finger painting.
- Safer products include:
- water based paints instead of ceramic glazes
- talc-free, pre-mixed clay instead of powdered clay
- liquid paint that is clearly labelled as safe for kids instead of powdered paints
- oil pastels, crayons or dustless chalk instead of pastels, chalks or dry markers that create dust
- vegetable and plant dyes (like onion skins or tea) or food dyes instead of cold-water, fibre-reactive dyes or other chemical-based commercial dyes
- water-based markers instead of permanent felt tip markers
- water-based white glue instead of solvent-based adhesives
- water-based solvents instead of solvents like turpentine, toluene and rubber cement thinner
- Keep children away from:
- shellac
- boric acid
- craft dyes
- paint strippers
- ceramic glazes
- copper enamel
- solder for stained glass
Some DIY slime recipes use boric acid which may pose health risks. This includes slime recipes made with contact lens solutions as most contact lens solutions contain boric acid. If you choose to make slime, use a recipe that does not contain boric acid.
Stay Informed
For further information:
- Visit the resources below
- Check for product recalls. If you have questions, contact the manufacturer.
- Subscribe to our electronic newsletter to receive the latest news and information about product advisories, warnings, safety tips, notice of webinars or consultations.
- Contact Health Canada’s Consumer Product Safety Program. Please use our General Enquiries Form, or call us at 1-866-662-0666 (toll-free within Canada and the United States).
You can also report an incident involving arts and crafts materials or other consumer products. Reporting injuries, near misses and safety concerns is easy and could save lives.