Choosing Safe Toys for your Tot

Articles on Toys | Topics: toys, toy

by Elian Nieves

The Holidays are approaching and our thoughts turn to gifts for our loved ones. Do you have a toddler you're shopping for? Make sure you are choosing safe toys for your tot. You should always make sure you are buying toys that are for their age and skill ability. It is frustrating for a three year old to try to play a game meant for a five year old. Some toys may prove to be a safety hazard if it contains small parts. Small parts fit easily into a toddler's mouth and could be a choking hazard. Small children and infants automatically put items in their mouths.

Small children love plush toys and they are a good gift selection. However, make sure they are safe for your tot by looking at the construction of the toys. Are the eyes, nose, and other small features fastened on tightly? These must be tightly secured so they won't come off if the child chews on it.

Avoid any toy with sharp edges. A toy with a sharp edge can be a potential safety hazard if the tot has the toy and is walking or running. Again, they like to put things in their mouth, so a sharp toy could potentially damage their mouth.

Electric toys with heating elements are to be bought for children over eight years of age. Don't be tempted to buy these because they're a bargain and would be fun to play with. When children are playing unsupervised any toy with electrical heating elements are unsafe and can be hazardous.

Read labels before buying. Labels give age and safety recommendations to guide you in which age group the toy is suitable for. Also, look at the instructions. If you can't understand them, then probably your child won't be able to understand them either.

Avoid another safety hazard for your tot by immediately throwing away all plastic wrappings from the toys. These are a suffocation hazard.

Before you buy toys for your tot, check to see if they've been recalled. The U.S. consumer Product Safety Commission can tell you if a toy has been recalled that pose a serious safety threat to your tot. You can visit their website at www.cpsc.gov by calling a toll free number. That number is (800) 638-2772. You might be surprised when you find out some of the leading toy makers have recalled toys. It would be a good idea to check older toys that a child may have to be sure they are not on the recall list. The website will also give you the information on what to do with a toy that you have that is on the recall list.

аQuote of the Day

If there is a species which is more maltreated than children, then it must be their toys, which they handle in an incredibly off-hand manner.... Toys are thus the end point in that long chain in which all the conditions of despotic high-handedness are in play which enchain beings one to another, from one species to another—cruel divinities to their sacrificial victims, from masters to slaves, from adults to children, and from children to their objects.

—Jean Baudrillard (b. 1929)

Some of the toys that are on the list are by well-known toy companies including toy companies that we trust to make safe toys for our tots. A few of the toys on the recall list are:

Little People Animal Sounds Farm by Fisher-Price. The screws that hold the stall doors in place have been reported to have come off and pose a choking or aspiration hazard to a small child. There was a report of a child aspirating the screw into his lungs. Emergency surgery was performed to remove the screw.

Woody Dolls that were distributed by Walt Disney Parks and Resorts also have been recalled. The doll's buttons are not secured and can detach and pose a choking hazard for young children.

Drumsticks sold with toy drum sets by Battat Incorporated. The end piece of the drumstick handle can break off and the screw at the end of the drumstick can loosen and detach. Both pose a chocking hazard for small children.

Watch for those twisty ties that keep toys secure in their packages. They may keep them looking nice in the store but are a hazard as they are taken off the toy. They often have a small plastic backing between the cardboard and the tie. Even if your toddler's toys don't have these, an older sibling might receive a toy with them. They need to be properly discarded to avoid any danger to a younger child.

If you are a parent or grandparent considering which toys to buy for your little ones, please be aware of the above listed safety considerations. Keep the holidays happy and safe for your tot. Do your research and buy the toys that are suitable to the age of your child.

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Please note: All personal opinions expressed in the "Choosing Safe Toys for your Tot" article belong to the contributing author and are not necessarily shared by ToysGiftsPresents.com.

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