National Button Battery Awareness Day (June 12th)

Quick facts
When is it?	Every June 12th
Tagged as:	Children Items & Things Safety
What's the hashtag?	#NationalButtonBatteryAwarenessDay
When was it founded?	2021
Who founded it?	Trista Hamsmith
We first published this page on:	Jun 12th, 2025
We last updated this page:	Jun 12th, 2025

Contents

National Button Battery Awareness Day is all about keeping little ones safe. Those tiny silver batteries you find in toys, remote controls, or key fobs?

They may seem harmless, but if a child swallows one, it can cause serious harm very fast.

The day encourages parents, grandparents, babysitters, and anyone around kids to stay alert. It turns a simple reminder into something urgent, something real.

Every year, thousands of kids end up in emergency rooms because of these small batteries. They’re easy to miss, easy to swallow, and terribly dangerous. Once stuck in the throat, they can start burning through tissue in just a couple of hours.

Some families never saw it coming until it was too late. That’s why this day matters. It helps people notice the risk hiding in plain sight and take simple steps to keep children safer.

How to Celebrate National Button Battery Awareness Day

Here are some simple and effective ways anyone can mark National Button Battery Awareness Day:

Home Safety Check

Start by locking down devices that hold button batteries. Check remotes, key fobs, toys, and small gadgets. Tighten battery covers or use tape.

Remove loose cells and store spares in a secure box. Doing this keeps batteries out of curious hands and lessens risk.

Teach the Importance

Show people why these tiny coins can hurt deeply. Explain how they can burn tissue fast after swallowing. Make it a bite‑sized lesson so everyone remembers.

Speaking up turns a hidden hazard into real concern.

Share Life‑Saving Tips

Send reminders to friends and family about safe battery handling. Post easy checklists or quick videos on social media. Invite care staff or teachers to do the same in their circles.

A small message might prevent a big accident.

Advocate for Better Design

Promote brands that make batteries tougher for kids to swallow. Support those adding bitter coating, child‑proof wraps, or dye that signals ingestion.

Encourage stores and lawmakers to back safer models. Supporting change helps reduce hazards for everyone.

Build Community Watch

Organize a local check‑in day at home, daycare, or school. Pass out battery safety packs. Encourage people to tape and recycle used cells properly.

Create a group pledge to stay vigilant year‑round. United voices lead to safer spaces.

History of National Button Battery Awareness Day

Trista Hamsmith created National Button Battery Awareness Day after the tragic loss of her 18-month-old daughter, Reese, in 2020. Reese had swallowed a button battery from a remote control.

Though doctors removed it, the damage to her body was already severe. She passed away weeks later.

Trista turned that pain into purpose. In April 2021, she launched the awareness day through her non-profit, Reese’s Purpose. Her mission was to help other families learn about the danger hiding in small household items.

Support quickly grew. Doctors, nurses, teachers, and safety advocates began spreading the word. They used the day to push for stronger product safety and smarter battery packaging.

As awareness increased, lawmakers took notice. In 2022, the U.S. passed “Reese’s Law,” which made it mandatory for certain products to have child-resistant battery compartments. The law also required clearer warning labels on packaging.

Since then, the day has sparked important conversations around the world. Families are now more alert. Companies have started to design safer gadgets.

What began as one family’s heartbreak has become a powerful movement. National Button Battery Awareness Day reminds people that small items can bring big risks—and that knowledge can prevent tragedy.

National Button Battery Awareness Day