Toy Safety Shopping Tips

Toy Safety Means Buying the Right Toy for the Right Age Child

EU age warning symbol for toy safetyThere is almost nothing that brings more joy to the hearts of parents and grandparents everywhere than to watch a beloved child playing with his or her favorite toys. Child’s play filled with wild abandon is undoubtedly fun but it’s also vital to a child’s development and should be encouraged. It should be monitored, too, because accidents do happen. One way to minimize accidents is to keep safety in mind – safety in the child’s activity and toy safety, too. Toy safety means buying the right toy for the right age child. Keep these toy safety shopping tips in mind for the safest child’s play possible.

The First Year

The senses of touch, sight, and hearing are developing rapidly during the first year of a child’s life so toys that stimulate these senses are ideal. Keep them big, soft, and colorful for optimum toy safety. At this age, kids love:

  • Books with large, colorful pictures; make sure they’re made of board, cloth, or plastic
  • Blocks of different shapes made of unpainted wood or hard colorful plastic
  • Pots and pans borrowed from mom’s kitchen or designed for children of this age
  • Dolls, balls, and stuffed animals made of soft fabrics that can be washed easily
  • Busy boards full of sound, color, and action
  • Rattles strong enough to take a beating without breaking

The Toddler / Ages 1 and 2

Curiosity kicks into high gear at this age so buying the right toy for the right age child means choosing toys that stimulate their amazing sense of wonder. Toddlers are busy testing their strength as well as their minds so strong and sturdy are two important factors for toy safety at this age.

  • Colorful picture books remain popular at this age and those made of plastic, cloth, or board are still the safest at this stage.
  • Soft, colorful dolls that are durable and have no removable clothes or parts
  • Colorful musical tops
  • Nesting blocks and stacking toys
  • Toys meant to be pushed or pulled with short strings to minimize the risk of tripping

The Preschooler / Ages 3 to 5

Curiosity evolves into creativity for kids of this age. The urge to imitate parents and older siblings is strong but safety is ensured when games of imitation are played with toys made specifically for children of this age. For optimum toy safety, never let preschoolers substitute toys designed for older children or the things their parents use, such as razors, cooking utensils, lipsticks, and jewelry.

  • Books of short stories and action adventures
  • Drawing supplies such as blackboards and chalk, crayons, and nontoxic finger paints
  • Toy hammer and bench sets, building blocks
  • Simple, colorful puzzles with large pieces
  • Fun and fancy dress-up clothes
  • Toys that imitate housekeeping
  • Tricycles, wagons, toy cars
  • Outdoor play equipment such as swings, slides, playhouses, and sandboxes with lids

Young Child / Ages 6 to 9

The right toys for children of this age allow the development of skills and cooperative playing with other children. Complexity of the game should increase as skills are mastered.

  • Board, card, and table games that require more than one player
  • Paper dolls and arts and crafts supplies that have no pointed or sharp edges; use only blunt scissors
  • Balls and other sports equipment
  • Jump ropes
  • Electric trains and cars
  • Bicycles and roller skates used with protective gear at all times

Buying the right toy for the right age child is easy when buying only toys with age-specific recommendations on the label. The US Consumer Product Safety Commission requires this recommendation from toy manufacturers to demonstrate the toys have met the stringent safety standards established by the commission and any hazards have been identified and are stated on the label. Most toy labels that state the toy is not recommended for children under age three, for example, often contain small, removable parts that can be a chocking hazard for toddlers who seem to put everything in their mouths.

Buy toys manufactured and sold by reputable companies for added toy safety. Off-brand toy makers don’t always follow safety standards and sometimes use products that are harmful to a child. Toxic lead paint is a particular concern because it’s inexpensive and can be made into bright, vibrant colors children love. Another risk of off-brand toys is faulty construction that makes the toy easily broken. These off-label toys are often the subject of toy recalls so it’s wise to find a toy recall list that’s easily accessible and refer to it before shopping for new toys.

Toy safety at every age is best achieved when play is supervised by a responsible role model. Let the child help put away toys at the end of the day and be sure to inspect each one for broken, loose, or missing parts. If soiled, clean them before putting them away. Doing so will introduce good housekeeping skills and teach the child that broken toys can be dangerous and need to be discarded or fixed before playing with them again.

Further reading