Building blocks, puzzles, ride-on dump trucks, bouncy balls, trolleys… The toys are fun! They are an integral part of a child’s development. Kids need to play, just like plants need water and sunlight! But sometimes, toys can be dangerous. In fact, approximately 2020,198 children under the age of 000 were admitted to the emergency room for toy-related injuries in 14, and 40% of those children were 4 years of age or younger. Here’s everything you need to know about ensuring the fun of toys for babies and older kids safely!
Follow Age Requirements
The age requirement for toys is more than just a good suggestion. Instead, their aim is to ensure that your child’s toys are age-appropriate (buying toys for older children can lead to frustration) and are safe. This means, for example, toys labeled as children under 18 months of age will not contain dangerous ropes, straps, or ropes that are more than 12 inches long. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, the age recommendation for toys…
- Tell you about the safety of the toy. For example, whether there are any possible choking hazards.
- Tell you if your child will be able to understand how to play with the toy.
- Helping you match your toys to your child’s developmental stage, needs, and interests.
Avoid Most Crib Toys
Do you have a baby under one year old? There should be no soft objects in their sleeping space, which includes a crib, gym, and stuffed animals. Any toys or objects that may increase your child’s risk of trapping, suffocating, or strangulation should be kept away from the crib. As far as baby phones go, these are safe… As long as your baby is 5 months old or when he starts to push up on his hands and knees, keep him out of his baby’s reach and move away from his sleeping space.
Look for Non-toxic Toys
A 2021 report by Environment International magazine found that one in four children’s toys contained harmful chemicals. Ah! But because most plastic toys don’t label the chemicals they contain, it becomes more difficult to pick the safest toys. To help, here are some general safe shopping guides to help you choose toys made from the safest materials.
- Try to choose toys made from natural materials, such as cotton, wool, and uncoated wood.
- Cloth toys should be washable.
- Avoid vintage or second-hand wooden toys with peeling paint and possibly lead.
- Paints, crayons, markers, and other art supplies should be labeled “non-toxic.” (Materials labeled with the ASTM D-4236 designation indicate that the product has been reviewed by toxicologists.)
- If you choose plastic, choose a toy that is labeled phthalate-free, PVC-free, and BPA-free.
- Avoid toys with recycling codes #3, #6, or #7. (The recycling code is usually located on the bottom of the product.)
- Avoid soft plastic toys, such as rubber ducks. A recent study found that softer plastic toys are more likely to be exposed to harmful chemicals than hard toys.
Check for Choking Hazards
Following the age requirements for your child’s toys can avoid many choking risks. But it’s important to do more. Here are some smart rules to follow to avoid choking hazards from toys:
- Keep toys separate for babies and older children. You don’t want to accidentally put your child in a choking hazard.
- All toys must be larger than the child’s mouth. (Not sure?) If a toy can fit inside a toilet paper tube, it will be too small for a younger child.)
- Make sure the toy is well-made and free of small parts such as buttons, snaps, or teddy bear eyes.
- Keep bean bag chairs or toys containing small foam particles away from small children. If the chair breaks, the little one may inhale the small particles and choke.
- Remove any loose ribbons or string from the toy.
- The battery compartment of battery-powered toys needs to be securely closed to avoid choking, internal bleeding, and chemical burns. (Small button or lithium coin batteries are the most dangerous.)
- Young children should not play with toys that contain magnets. Not only do they pose a choking hazard, but if your child swallows two or more magnets, they can stick together inside your child’s body, causing serious injury. (What to do if your child swallows a toy.)
- Be aware that uninflated and ruptured balloons are also a choking hazard.
- Stuffed animals and toys sold or won at carnivals, fairs, and vending machines don’t need to meet safety standards! Before letting your baby play with these toys, carefully inspect them for loose parts and sharp edges.
- Skip the “water droplets”. This sensory bin staple is similar to colored candy, and your child may be tempted to eat them, but if ingested, they can get bigger and potentially clog the intestines!
Assess the Toy Storage Room
It’s one thing to buy safe toys. Keeping toys safe is another matter! To do this, follow these security recommendations:
- Supervise your child’s play!
- Put the toys away when the playtime is over… And teach the kids to do the same.
- Regularly inspect wooden toys for debris and peeling paint.
- Regularly inspect plush toys for broken seams, loose parts, and exposed removable parts.
- Throw away or repair any damaged toys.
- Make sure bicycles, tricycles, and other outdoor toys are free of rust.
- Wash soiled toys. Mix mild dish soap and hot water in a spray bottle to clean the toy. Rinse afterward.
Avoid the Use of Counterfeit Toys
It can be very tempting to buy the hottest and hardest toy of the season from a random online retailer or third-party seller, but if the deal and your luck seem too good to be true, then it’s probably true. While your child may not know the difference between an authentic toy and a copycat, here’s one thing you should be concerned about: legal toys must meet more than 100 safety standards before they can be sold to retailers. But counterfeit or counterfeit toys are unlikely to comply with strict toy safety laws. To help make sure you’re getting a legitimate toy…
- Buy from a brand or seller you’re familiar with.
- Please note that third-party sellers on Facebook Marketplace, eBay may sell fakes.
- If you have already purchased a toy, check it carefully. Does it feel cheap or vulnerable? Is the packaging damaged? Return the item and report to the seller.
- If you suspect that the product is counterfeit, contact your credit card company for a refund.
Check for Recalls
The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has developed many rules and guidelines to ensure the safety of toys. Therefore, if a toy is suddenly found to be unsafe, the CPSC issues a recall to ensure that these dangerous toys are removed from the shelves. However, a recent report found that the U.S. Public Interest Research Group (PIRG) was actually able to purchase large quantities of recalled toys from multiple U.S. online sellers, including Facebook Marketplace, eBay, and other online merchants, even though it was illegal for retailers to do so. Sell recalled toys. To stay up-to-date on recalls, sign up for CPSC Recall Alerts. If you have a toy that has been recalled, it should be discarded immediately.