Choosing Age-Appropriate Toys for Children

When walking through the toy store shopping for new toys for your toddler, don't jump into making a purchase simply because your child expresses a desire to have a particular toy. It is important to make sure the toys you buy for your children are safe, durable, and most importantly age-appropriate.

Most toys will have an age recommendation printed on the package. This is not just a suggestion as many parents think. This age recommendation has been determined by experts and lets you know if the toy is appropriate and safe for your child's particular age. Also, if the toy has a warning stating that it is not recommended for children under the age of 3 because of a possible choking hazard, take that seriously. These warnings usually mean that the toy has small parts or that pieces of the toy may come unattached, which would pose a safety and choking hazard for a young child.

Make sure that you are purchasing toys that are appropriate for all of your children. For instance, if you have a 5 year old, 3 year old, and 1 year old you should be careful not to purchase toys that have that choking hazard warning. Even if you are purchasing toys for your older children, there is still the possibility that the 1 year old may grab that toy when no one is watching, and that would pose a safety risk. Another thing you can do is to keep the older children's toys out of reach or locked up in a cabinet so they are not accessible to your younger children.

Check online for product reviews and safety recall information. There is also a widely known list available on the Internet of the deadliest toys available. I suggest using an online search engine such as Google to search for the current year's list of the deadliest toys. Be sure to avoid purchasing any toys on this list, even if the age recommendation says it's ok for your child. Toys that make it on this list do so for good reason. They are unsafe and not appropriate for any children's use.

Buy toys made by well-known, reputable manufacturers such as Fisher Price and Playskool. Avoid purchasing toys at the dollar store, since they may not be high quality or safe enough for your children. Be sure when you are looking at the toys you think about their durability. Ask yourself if this toy could withstand being thrown down a flight of stairs without breaking. Many children will do this or other similar things with their toys, so you want to be sure the toy can withstand the rough play that it might receive in your home.

If you have any doubts, don't buy the toy. Trust your gut feeling. As a parent, you know what's appropriate and safe for your child. Don't get sucked in because of advertising pressure or the whining of your child. Be sure you make the decisions that are best for your child's safety, even if they aren't what your child wants. In the end, it is more important that your child is safe than it is that he/she gets a toy they saw advertised on television.