Choosing Safe Toys

No matter the age of the child it seems there are always questions about what toys are safe. Choosing safe toys doesn’t need to be that difficult.

When buying toys you need to consider both safety and the interests of your child. You also need to keep in mind your child’s age and purchase toys that are appropriate for the age group. Toys for the wrong age group can become a safety hazard.

Choosing toys that match your child’s interest is the first step but you also need to try to pick toys that encourage thinking and stimulate your child, encouraging development. Many toys have encourage healthy learning. Once again in order for toys to encourage growth and development the toys must be relevant to the age of the child.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission offers these toy safety shopping tips:

Under 3 Years
Since children under 3 tend to put everything in their mouth avoid toys the are designed for older children and may become a choking danger. Don’t let children play with uninflected or broke balloons because of the choking danger. Also avoid marbles, balls under 1.75 inches, and games with small pieces that can be a choking hazard. Children at this age also like to pull and prod so make sure handles are tightly secured, and that noses and eyes can’t be pried of.

3 To 5 Years Of Age
Don’t buy toys that have sharp edged, or toys that are made from thin or brittle plastics that can break and leave jagged edges. When buying art supplies such as crayons or paints watch for the ASTMD- 4236 designation which means the product has been reviewed by a toxicologist and if there are cautions they are listed on the packaging.

6 To 12 Years Of Age
Older children need to be taught to take unsafe toys away from younger children. Safety at this group is a little more general but there are still things to watch for. Toys should also be checked regularly for hazards. If you are buying a toy gun be sure the barrel is brightly colored so it is not mistaken for a real gun. If you are buying a bike make sure you buy a helmet. Teach kids to pick up toys when they are finished playing so as not to create a tripping hazard.

The American Academy of Pediatrics also recommends against the use of home trampolines. They also recommend that children under the age of 16 do not ride 4 wheel all terrain vehicles and has gone so far as to recommend a ban on 3 wheel all terrain vehicles. They have also issued a warning about non powder guns such as bb guns, pellet guns, and paintball guns.

When purchasing toys for all age groups always keep in mind loud toys can cause hearing loss. This is a hazard that often goes unrecognized. Even some toys for young children can produce dangerous noise levels.

Toys such as cap guns, musical toys, toy phones, sirens, and even squeaky toys can produce noises in the 90 to 120 decibels especially when held directly to the ear. So be sure to limit exposure.

These days video games are the norm and all games have a rating on them. Games rated T are for Teens, E are for everyone, EC is for early childhood, and A is for adult. Even games rated for everyone may have levels of violence or scenes that are not acceptable to you, so be sure to review before handing the controls over to your child.

Buying toys doesn’t have to be too daunting. Just follow these tips and follow your intuition. After all you know your child best.

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