3D printers for children: safety, materials, getting started

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Children and teenagers learn a lot from a 3D printer: spatial thinking, design, patience and dealing with mistakes. But a 3D printer is not a toy. It has a nozzle at over 200 °C, a hot bed, moving mechanics, and it releases particles. This article shows what manufacturers and authorities say, which material is suitable, how to get started with the software and how to recognise a suitable machine. There is deliberately no recommendation for a specific model here.

What manufacturers and authorities say

Manufacturers’ age guidance: Manufacturers do not state a fixed minimum age, but they do set limits on supervision:

• Creality writes in its manuals, for example for the Ender-3 V3 SE and K1 Max: children under 10 years old must not use the printer without adult supervision.
• Anycubic writes in the Kobra 4 manual: the printer and small accessories such as screws and side cutters must be kept out of the reach of children.

Check the safety instructions for your machine, as the wording differs.

DGUV for schools: The German Social Accident Insurance (DGUV) published its own information on 3D printers in schools in 2024 (DGUV Information 202-103). The key points transfer well to the home:

• Pupils should only work with the printer under supervision. When it is not in use, no unauthorised person should be able to get to it.
• The build volume should be protected against accidental reaching in, especially during printing.
• If possible, the printer belongs in a room of its own, not in a classroom that is in constant use.
• Air the room by opening the windows wide at least after every print.
• A fireproof surface and nothing flammable nearby.
• The DGUV does not recommend 3D pens for reasons of prevention. They offer no protection from the hot nozzle, and children are directly exposed to the emissions.

The hazards in detail

The DGUV lists these hazards for teachers and pupils:

The German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) detected particles of about 50 nanometres when printing with PLA, which can reach the pulmonary alveoli. The higher the temperature, the more particles. How relevant this is to health is still being researched by the BfR. An assessment of the state of the research can be found under Safety in 3D printing.

Some simple rules follow from this:

• do not reach into a running printer, not even “just for a moment”
• only remove parts once the bed has cooled down
• let only adults clean or change the nozzle
• put away side cutters, scrapers and deburring tools
• the printer does not belong in the child’s bedroom, see Setting up a 3D printer

Which material?

PLA is the material of choice for children and teenagers. It prints at a comparatively low temperature, and studies by UL Chemical Insights show significantly fewer particles and VOCs with PLA than with ABS. More on the material under PLA.

• No ABS, ASA or nylon in living areas with children. These materials have significantly higher emissions and need an enclosure with a filter or extraction.
• Well-known manufacturers with a safety data sheet: The DGUV advises paying attention to the composition and origin of the plastics and, where appropriate, requesting a safety data sheet. The BfR points out that the ingredients of filaments ordered online are sometimes not clearly declared.
• Do not print hotter than necessary: The DGUV stresses processing plastics only at the temperature recommended by the manufacturer. Above that they can decompose.

Resin is not for children. Liquid resin can trigger a permanent allergy on skin contact, and washing is usually done with highly flammable isopropyl alcohol. The reasons are given under Safety in resin printing.

Software and getting started

The exciting thing about 3D printing is not downloading finished models but designing your own.

• Tinkercad from Autodesk runs free in the browser. You combine basic shapes and subtract holes. It is quickly understood. When signing up, Tinkercad asks for country and date of birth. According to the Tinkercad help, children under 13 only give a username, a password and a parent’s email address. They then get a restricted account for 14 days. For it to run permanently and without restriction, a parent or teacher has to approve it.
• After that: If you want more, you can later move to parametric CAD. Learning 3D modelling gives an overview of Tinkercad, Fusion, Onshape, FreeCAD and others.
• Slicer: It turns the model into the print file. To begin with, the supplied printer and filament profiles are enough. More under Slicers compared.
• Ready-made models: On platforms such as Printables or MakerWorld there are many ready-made models that make a good starting point. Pay attention to the licence, see Finding models and Licences.

A good routine for beginners: the child designs, and an adult checks the model in the slicer, starts the print and removes the finished part.

First projects

Small, flat parts without supports that finish quickly and show something of your own are well suited:

• name plate or door sign with raised lettering
• key ring or bag charm
• bookmark
• pen holder or small box with a lid
• replacement part for a game, such as a lost game piece

Toys for younger siblings: Printed parts are not tested to the toy standard DIN EN 71. The BfR stresses the importance of this standard especially for toys that go in the mouth and for children under 36 months. For toddlers, therefore, do not print anything that can break off and be swallowed.

Food: Printed cups, plates or cookie cutters are not automatically food safe, even if the filament is. Why is explained under Food-safe printing.

How to recognise a suitable machine

Instead of a model, here are the criteria. You can find suitable machines with the Device finder or in the printer overview.

Important: even an enclosed printer has a door. It only protects as long as it stays closed during printing. More on choosing in general under Which 3D printer is right for me?.

In short

• Manufacturers: Creality requires supervision for children under 10, Anycubic wants the printer and small parts kept out of the reach of children.
• DGUV for schools: only under supervision, protected build volume, a room of its own, air the room after every print, no 3D pens.
• PLA from manufacturers with a safety data sheet, no ABS, no resin.
• Start with Tinkercad, under 13 with approval from a parent or teacher.
• Machine: enclosed, automatic calibration, remote monitoring.

Sources

As of 16.10.2026.

• DGUV Information 202-103, 3D-Tischdrucker in Schulen (August 2024): publikationen.dguv.de
• BfR, 3D printing, a dusty business? (Mitteilung 050/2020): bfr.bund.de
• BfR, 3D-Druck: Forschungsprojekte zu gesundheitlichen Risiken gestartet (Mitteilung 048/2019): bfr.bund.de
• BfR, Warnhinweis für Spielzeug aus Weich-PVC (DIN EN 71-1, children under 36 months): bfr.bund.de
• Creality Wiki: manuals Ender-3 V3 SE and K1 Max
• Anycubic: Kobra 4 Combo manual (PDF)
• Tinkercad help: Signing up as a student under 13
• Prusa Knowledge Base: Enclosure guidepost
• UL Chemical Insights, emissions from FDM printers: see the sources under Safety in 3D printing