Safe Toys Recommendations

There are federal laws that have been established that state what the size is for providing safe toys to children under the age of three. Any toy that has small parts should be at least 2¼ inches long and have a diameter of at least 1¼ inches wide. The federal government states that any toy part that is smaller than this size presents a choking hazard for a small child.

A child’s toy should be bought to meet the safety guidelines established for their age group. When you consider play items for children that are between the ages of 0 and 6 months, you will need to keep in mind that babies this age always place items in their mouth. There are safety labels attached to all children toys, and parents should review these labels for age suitability.

It is a good idea to keep current with toy recalls made by the manufacturer. These recalls occur after the product is distributed and can save many lives if people are aware of them. Any toy that is purchased for a baby should be fully tested by the parent before it is given to them to play with. If the toy can be compressed to the point where it can be placed fully into the mouth of the child, then purchasing that item is not recommended.

The small items that accent toys should be fully tested to make sure they can not be pulled off and ingested. The eyes, button, noses and other small parts should be securely attached. Otherwise the child will choke on them at some point. Toys that come equipped with long strings and cords should be avoided because they could easily strangle a small child.

For purchasing toys for toddlers that are 6 months of age and older, parents should consider whether the item will present a choking hazard. Walkers should be avoided because children in this age group do not pay attention to stairways and suffer massive head injuries when they fall down the stairs. All art supplies should be inspected to make sure they comply with toxicology testing and have been certified to be safe for use by children.

Parents should keep the floor areas clear of coins, and not purchase games that contain small balls, marbles or other small objects. These small items present a major choking hazard and if these small items are used they should be at least 1.75 in diameter or more. Small children should not be given balloons to play with because they can pop and lodge in the throat and are very difficult to remove.

A parent can use a choke tube, which can be found in many department stores to gauge a toy’s suitability for a small child. If the item can fit into the tube, which is sized to show the width of a child’s windpipe, then that toy or play item should not be purchased. This will alleviate many choking worries for parents that have toddlers in the home.