In this day and age, gadgets are the most popular thing, especially to the children right now. It may be advantageous to some because through the different apps, babies or toddlers can learn the alphabet, and they can even add or subtract. See how the technology is helping your child’s mental health?
However, playing with toys is an essential part of an infant’s childhood. Through playing with these toys, your baby can explore their imaginations and capabilities – they will more about themselves, the environment they are living in, and the playmates and people that surround them. Not only that, they will enrich their creativity and develop their leadership skills, as well.
With that being said – as a parent – still, your number-one priority is your child’s safety. The toy-related injuries have come up with more than 250,000 in 2010 according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). And this is alarming to many parents out there. Consequently, parents must be more cautious when buying toys for their babies to prevent these said injuries from happening.
Listed below are some of the safety tips you should consider when buying baby toys:
- Always read and follow the labels. There’s no harm in reading the warning labels included in the box of the toy you are purchasing. Through this, you will learn about the hazards that may risk your child’s life.
- Check for sharp and pointy edges. Since many children have a tendency to put toys in their mouth or eyes. Hence, it is very important to check if the toy you’re purchasing has sharp edges as it may pose a danger to your baby.
- Check for cords or strings attached to it. For toys that has cords or strings attached to it, make sure that it is not too long as your baby might get entangled into a loop – strangulation hazards may happen.
- Avoid toys with small parts. As much as possible, elude buying toys that have tiny or loose parts that can be unattached as babies tend to swallow things, which can lead to danger.
- Ensure that their toy is strong and sturdy. Most infants like to throw their toys on the floor, so if the toy you’re buying is not made of strong, shatter proof material, they toy might break into pieces with sharp edges that can cause injuries to the child.
- The toy is too loud. Many toys, nowadays, is sound enabled. Make sure that the toy’s noise levels are tolerable and have volume control to prevent from damaging your child’s ears.
- Buy non-toxic toys. Crayons, art materials, or any toys that contain liquids, are the common toys that are made of poisonous chemicals. To avoid purchasing toys with these harmful chemicals, check the labels and see if they are safe in case of accidental ingestion.
- Check if the toy is too loud. In case the toy you are buying is sound enabled, check if the noise levels are tolerable and the toy has volume control. Too loud toys can permanently damage the sensitive hearing of children.
- Make Sure the Toy is Non Toxic. If you are buying toys like crayons, art supplies, or any liquid containing toys, make sure that the toys do not contain toxic chemicals. You can check the labels to make sure they are safe in case of accidental ingestion.
- Toys should not be recalled. There are various sites you can check on the Internet to ensure that the product you are buying has not been recalled. Consumer Products Safety Commission and Recall.gov – these are the sites where you can see whether or not the toy is in the recall lists.
In addition, to ensure that your child is safe while playing with her toys, always supervise and watch them. Toys thus have an important role in helping the children to improve their maturity, confidence, and imagination.