There are various types of toys available to keep your child entertained and engaged. However, you should know that lots of children are injured while playing with their toys each year. Usually, the injury is nothing more than a bruise, but some toys can be dangerous to play with and some can fatally injure a child if used the wrong way.
Toy safety is something to be mindful of when choosing a toy for your child at the toy store. You should be aware of what to look out for when choosing a toy and know how it can be used safely to prevent injury.
Make it a point to read the toy label before purchasing. If there is a warning label, understand what the precautions should be when introducing the toy to a child. At the same time, check for recommended age for the toy. Accidents can happen when toys meant for older children are introduced to younger children. You will be introducing a safe toy to your child if you follow the simple rule of making sure the toy itself or the various parts of the toy that can come undone are bigger in size than your child’s nose, ears, and mouth, pay attention to toys that send objects flying into the air as they can cause facial and/or eye injury. Similarly, be cautious about toys that produce a loud noise or bang as these can impact your child’s hearing.
Because children tend to drag their stuffed toys around the floor and cuddle it or bite into them, read the label to understand if the toy is machine washable. Pay attention to the stuffing as well, it should not be stuffed with anything small and hard like tiny pellets which can pose a choking hazard to a young child.
If you are purchasing stuffed toys or play suits for your child, pay attention to the stitching and to small items like the eyes or nose of a bear that can be pulled out and swallowed by your child. Depending on the age of the child, it may be better to buy stuffed toys with embroidered or painted eyes, a mouth, and a nose. If the toy is made from plastic, look for the sturdy kind rather than the thin type that can splinter if broken. Plastic that splinters or cracks can have sharp edges that can be dangerous in the hands of a young child.
You should not buy any toys for any age group that is made with toxic material. This can be the dyed outer covering, the stuffing inside or the paint used to colour the toy. It does not matter which material the toy is made of – wood, plastic, cloth or other. Make sure there is a label attached to indicate that it is non-toxic. Speaking of toxic material, you should also avoid buying science/chemistry kits for children because of the potentially dangerous substances contained in these kids. They can cause serious injury if not handled properly.
