Saety Alert

December is Safe Toy and Gift month. I love the fact that it comes in the same month as the big gift holiday of Christmas. I thought I would share with you a few tips that will help you with both the awareness of safe toys and gifts and get great gifts for your family at Christmas

 

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• Inspect all toys before purchasing. Missing parts, parts that fly off, toys with sharp edges or points, or toys that are not sturdy enough to withstand impact without breaking, being crushed or being pulled apart easily are not the toys that I would consider buying
• I am the mother of special needs children, and now the aunt of special needs nephews. When choosing toys for them I look for toys that have more thing that they do such as sound, movement, and / or texture. The size of the toy or how the toy is meant to be played with makes a great difference as well. One resource your may want to check is www.ableplay.org
• When your child is given gifts be sure to take your time and inspect them. Make sure they are age, skill and developmental appropriateness.
• Label on the toy "ATSM" is great. It means the toy has met the American Society for Testing and Materials standards.
• Do Not give toys with small parts, magnets or button batteries to a young child. All of these are choking hazards and have the potential to cause serious injury or death. Good rule of thumb if I can fit in a toilet paper roll it can fit in the childs mouth.
• Do not give toys with ropes, cords, or heating elements to children
• crayons and markers should be marked nontoxic if given to children for gifts