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Do Your Children's Toys Pass The Safety Test? Every day, our children are bombarded with commercials for the latest and greatest toy which they just have to have. Unfortunately, many of these toys are not age appropriate for the particular child they are targeting. Usually, we know very little about the toy our child is begging for and, when they receive it as a present, we know even less. But it's important to understand the potential hazards a toy poses and recognize when to say no and even return a toy if it's been given as a present. Perhaps the most important thing is to read the labels on the boxes. Even if you feel your child is advanced, the age guidelines are intended to prevent choking, suffocation or other unintentional injury to a younger child. Children under the age of three can choke on small parts contained in toys and games. Government regulations specify that toys for this age range cannot have parts less that 1 ¼" in diameter and 2 ¼" long. This presents a problem when there are older siblings in the home who have these smaller toys. In these instances, it's best to establish an area, such as the older child's room, where smaller toys must be kept. Set up storage bins with photos of these items so that everyone understands this is an off limit area for younger siblings. Toys for babies and toddlers are specifically designed to help at specific developmental stages. Babies will enjoy toys stacking toys, rolling objects, plush toys that make noise and toys that require them to put one object into another. While older relatives might enjoy handing down some toys that you had as a child, discourage this practice. Safety standards have changed dramatically and these older toys might pose a choking or strangulation hazard. Frequently check your baby's toys for loose parts such as buttons or eyes on dolls and stuffed animals. Also be aware of the length of the string on pull toys for younger children. Any string that is longer than 12" is a strangulation hazard. For the preschool set, make sure that toys are sturdy and not made of brittle plastic which can break off into sharp pieces. When purchasing kids meals at fast food restaurants check the toys carefully to see how well they are made and if there are small pieces that could come off. To prevent electrical shocks and burns, don't give children under the age of 10 any toy that needs to be plugged in to an electrical outlet. Don't forget about safety for outdoor toys. Children should wear helmets when using any riding toy including razor scooters, bicycles and motorized cars. Finally, register with the Consumer Product Safety Commission - www.cpsc.gov, to receive notices on product recalls of all children's products. Used by permission Submitted by: Alison Rhodes Founder and CEO of Peek-a-Boo BabyProofing   Copyright - Peek-a-Boo BabyProofing, Inc. 2006