Tips for Purchasing Safe Christmas Toys

It has been said to be the most wonderful time of the year. Ask any child why and they will probably answer…toys. Careful selection of a child's toy for Christmas is very important. It can help keep a child at home playing with their bounty and out of the emergency room.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) produces a list of five toy hazards that can take the fun out of Christmas. These five toy hazards are as follows:

1. Magnets- for children under age six, avoid building sets with small magnets. If swallowed, serious injuries and/or death can occur.
2. Small parts- for children younger than age three, avoid toys with small parts, which can cause choking.
3. Ride-on toys- riding toys, skateboards and all in-line skates go fast and falls could be deadly. Helmets and safety gear should be sized to fit and warn at all times.
4. Projectile toys- projectile toys such as air rockets, darts and slingshots are for older children. Improper use of these toys can cause serious eye injuries.
5. Chargers and Adapters- Charging batteries should be supervised by adults. Charger and adapters can cause thermal burn hazards to children.

Some tips on buying safe tips are as follows:

· Buy age-appropriate toys by reading the labels. Each toy or game will have a suggested age ranges listed on its item. You will find two prices if safety information on this label. One is if the item can and should be used by a specific age due to developmental and intellectual ability and the other is possible health hazards.
· Get a close-up look. Take the game or toy out of the box. Many parents simply look at the outside contents of items and not examine it visually. Look for safe construction: well-sewn seams on dolls and stuffed animals. Make sure that all parts are tightly secured including eyes, arms and legs. Check to be sure that nothing can be broken off or removed easily, including small pieces of clothing and accessories. Close your eyes and run your hand over all the edges to make sure they are not sharp or pointed.
· Avoid balls and balloons. Many times, balls and balloons are given to babies and toddlers thinking that they will be safe toys when in fact they can pop or get caught in the throat. Balloons are never safe for children under four. Pieces of popped balloons can completely block the airway.
· Avoid toys with loud noises. Children's ears are very sensitive. A rule of thumb is if it hurts your ears, it will hurt theirs.