How To Shop For Safe Toys
Brian O Sutter
Recalls
You want to give your children everything, including all the toys they really want. However, even with heavy regulations and a thorough system of quality control checks, some toys can be dangerous for children. Unfortunately, there are an average of 250,000 toy related injuries every year among children under 15 in the United States. With so many toy-related accidents, it’s important that you are careful when picking toys out for your children. Here are some tips for picking out safe toys so your child is not injured.
Check For Toy Recalls
Before buying any new toys, you should check to make sure the toy has not been recalled. Recalls are a complicated process and do not always mean sellers will pull the toy from the shelves. Often times, the company will simply send consumers a replacement part. You can search for the latest toy recalls at the Consumer Product Safety Commission’s website at: http://www.cpsc.gov/en/Recalls/.Avoid Choking And Suffocation Hazards
If the toy has not been recalled, then you want to check to make sure the toy has no dangerous parts. The most common injury from toys is choking hazards, so pay special attention to those. Here are a list of things to avoid when purchasing a toy:- Small removable parts: Smart parts are the most dangerous choking hazard. So make sure when you pick out a toy it doesn’t have any small pieces or removable parts a child could choke on.
- Pieces that resemble food or candy: Some toys like kitchen sets are designed to help familiarize children with cooking and food. However, children may be tempted to eat small toys that look like food or are even food scented. So if you are buying children these kinds of toys make sure the pieces are big enough they will not choke on them.
- Sharp edges: Most toys for children under the age of 8 do not have sharp edges. However, sometimes if a toy breaks or cracks, a sharp edge can appear. These present a danger to a child and should be removed immediately.
- Plastic film: Plastic film is often used to protect toys during shipping. However plastic film is a serious suffocation hazard, so make sure to always unwrap your child’s toys thoroughly before giving them to your children.
- Straps and strings: Toys with straps, strings, or ropes should be avoided because these things can get loose and provide a choking hazard to smaller children.