Toy safety for each age group taken from About.com
Under 3 Years Old
· Children under 3 tend to put everything in their mouths. Avoid
buying toys intended for older children which may have small parts that
pose a choking danger. Specifically, you should avoid toys with small parts
that can fit inside a choke test cylinder or no-choke testing tube, which
measures 1 1/4 inches wide by 2 1/4 inches long and simulates the size and
shape of a young child's throat.
· Never let children under age 8 years play with uninflated or broken balloons because of the choking danger.
· Avoid marbles, balls, and games with balls that have balls with a diameter of 1.75 inches or less. These products also pose a choking hazard to young children.
· Avoid toys with small magnets, magnetic pieces, or loose magnets, as they can be swallowed. Unfortunately, if two magnets connect together after they are swallowed, they can cause an intestinal blockage or more serious problems.
· Children at this age pull, prod and twist toys. Look for toys that are well-made with tightly secured eyes, noses and other parts.
· Never let children under age 8 years play with uninflated or broken balloons because of the choking danger.
· Avoid marbles, balls, and games with balls that have balls with a diameter of 1.75 inches or less. These products also pose a choking hazard to young children.
· Avoid toys with small magnets, magnetic pieces, or loose magnets, as they can be swallowed. Unfortunately, if two magnets connect together after they are swallowed, they can cause an intestinal blockage or more serious problems.
· Children at this age pull, prod and twist toys. Look for toys that are well-made with tightly secured eyes, noses and other parts.
Ages 3 Through 5
· Avoid toys that have sharp
edges and points.
· Avoid toys that are constructed with thin, brittle plastic that
might easily break into small pieces or leave jagged edges.
· Look for household art materials including crayons and paint
sets, marked with the designation "ASTM D-4236." This means the
product has been reviewed by a toxicologist and, if necessary, labeled with
cautionary information.
· You should continue to avoid toys with magnets, including
building or play sets, at this age.
Ages 6 Through 12
· Teach older children to keep their toys away
from their younger brothers and sisters.
· If buying a toy gun, be sure the barrel or the entire gun is
brightly colored so that it's not mistaken for a real gun.
Routine
Toy Safety Tips
In addition to buying
safe toys, to keep your kids safe, it is important to:
· check toys regularly for small parts, breakage and potential
hazards, including chipped or peeling paint. Damaged or dangerous toys should
be repaired or thrown away.
· watch for toy recalls and quickly remove recalled toys
· encourage your kids to not put their toys in their mouth
(although it is harder for infants and younger toddlers)
· when buying a bicycle, scooter, skates, or other sporting goods,
buy a helmet and appropriate safety pads too, and make sure the child wears
them.
· teach them to put toys away when they're finished playing so
they don't trip over or fall on them and so that younger siblings can't get to
inappropriate toys.
· report injuries, complaints, and unsafe toys to the Consumer Product Safety
Commission
· only let adults use battery chargers
General toy safety tips: http://pediatrics.about.com/od/safety/a/toy_safety.htm
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