How to Choose Safe Toys for the Holiday Season: Tips that Parents Need to Know

With the holiday season approaching, parents will be searching stores of all kind for gifts for their children. There were numerous toy recalls this year such as Aqua Dots that contained a deadly chemical and Thomas The Train toys that contained lead. What are parents to do when shopping for there children?

The first thing that parents should do before venturing out to shop is visit http://www.safekids.org before purchasing anything. Safe Kids is an international non-profit site that tests products to ensure they are safe for kids of ages up until 14. The site also updates a recall list on products that are recalled and for what reason(s). It also may be helpful to print of the list of recalls and avoid certain brands that are on the recall list more than once.

When shopping for toys always look at what the toy age group is marked and only buy the appropriate age toys for your child or children. Toys are marked by age groups to prevent accidents. A toy for a child that is marked 8 and up may contain small parts that could break off and be hazardous for younger children.

Inspect the package of the toy for words such as "non-toxic." Many companies now follow certain guidelines that will guarantee that their product contains no known chemicals that may be harmful for children. Buy toys that are also flame resistant. Check the label of toys such as stuffed animals to ensure that they are treated with a flame resistant substance.

Inspect the toy for any sharp objects that could harm a child and check for anything that contains string or rope that a child could be strangled from using. Avoid buying any second hand toys. These toys could have been recalled previously or were not regulated by current guidelines and standards. Carefully look over the entire toy and if anything looks as if it could pose a risk then do not purchase it.

Parents should also dispose of the package that the toy came in. Many toy packages have parts that could pose a risk to children such as plastic pieces and ties that strap a toy into the package. Some toys also are enclosed within plastic wraps that could pose a choking hazard if ingested.

The most important thing that parents can do is supervise their children with toys. This is important because if a toy happens to break then a parent can immediately prevent a tragedy from happening. Throw away any toys that have broken off any small parts or created sharp edges. Another helpful hint is to inspect toys regularly before allowing children to play.