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The holidays are fast approaching, which means you’ll need presents for the kids. Besides clothes and other stuff, they may like, toys are always part of most children’s Wishlist. The best thing to go about choosing one is to consider what they would like and their safety.
Buying toys for children is a task that parents and guardians shouldn’t shrug off. Instead, it’s a decision you should mind with care and purpose because a child’s enjoyment isn’t the only thing at stake. You should also think about their safety, as toys could also harm them.
Good thing manufacturers and seller has made it easier for parents to distinguish safe toys from unsafe ones. With that said, you can also practice habits to make the best choice. Here are tips you can abide by for buying safe toys to protect your children.
Avoid toys with small parts for toddlers
If you’re buying toys for toddlers under three years old, you shouldn’t pick ones with small parts. That’s because children that young still tend to put things inside their mouths, and toys with small parts present choking hazards. Their manufacturers and regulatory agencies test those kinds of toys to identify if they’re likely to be a choking hazard for toddlers.
Toys with small parts are placed inside choke test cylinders or no-choke testing tubes to see if they fit. If they do, that toy is tagged with a warning label that indicates it’s a choking hazard to kids under three years old. That warning label is called age grade, which classifies toys according to the children’s age their appropriate for.
Avoid other choking hazards
Choking hazards are usually present in toys; that’s why receiving consumer complaints about them is normal. As an adult, it’s your responsibility to know which toys are choking hazards because it’s better to be informed about these things before it gets too late. Here are other choking hazards on toys you should be aware of:
- Uninflated or broken balloons (a choking danger for kids under eight years old)
- Stuffed toys. Make sure you only purchase ones with secure parts such as eyes and nose when buying for toddlers.
- Marbles, balls, and games with balls that are 1.75 inches small in diameter or less
- Toys with small and loose magnets or magnetic pieces because when two magnets connect, they can be swallowed and cause intestine blockage
Buy protective gear for ride-ons
If the child is at that age where they want to ride, let them. Just make sure that they’re safe when they’re doing it. Besides the usual reminders you could give them, you should also buy protective gear when you give them ride-ons.
Bicycles, scooters, and skateboards are all nice toys, but they also have health hazards. Children may injure themselves while riding them, so make them wear protective gear whenever they do. They should have a helmet and knee pad to help avoid ghastly injuries.
Only buy toys with volume control
Children’s hearing is more delicate, making them more prone to hearing problems when constantly listening to loud sounds. That’s why toys that make sounds are subjected to safety standards to limit their sound level.
When buying toys with sounds, you should buy ones that have volume control. That way, you or your child can control the loudness of its sound. Only set them to an acceptable level whenever they’re playing with it around you so it won’t disturb or trouble anybody else and damage their hearing.
Consider proper storage
Safe toys are great, but you also have to consider how and where you’ll store them. Proper storage makes your surroundings safer when dealing with toys, regardless of their size. Therefore, you should think about the space you’ll place them and the containers where you’ll keep them.
For example, ensure that lidded toy boxes can’t be locked and has safety features. It’s so your kid’s fingers don’t get caught in them when they put the toys back inside their boxes.
Conclusion
Take care of your children by ensuring that they play with safe toys and their surroundings when they play. Give them satisfaction with a great toy and gift yourself fewer worries about their safety.
