Toys and games are tons of fun for kids and adults. Whether your kids are working on a puzzle, playing with building blocks or even inventing their own games, here are a few things to think about to help them stay safer and have a blast.
The Hard Facts
In 2011, 188,400 children under the age of 15 years were seen in emergency departments for toy-related injuries. That’s 516 kids every day. More than a third of those injured were children 5 and under.
Toys are the treasures of childhood. But if you’re not careful, toys can be hazardous, too.
According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), more than 250,000 toy-related injuries were treated in U.S. hospital emergency rooms in 2015. Of those, about one-third involved kids under 5.
To keep your child safe, follow these guidelines when choosing toys.
- Pick age-appropriate toys. Most toys show a “recommended age” sticker, which can be used as a starting point in the selection process. Be realistic about your child’s abilities and maturity level when choosing an age-appropriate toy. Toys that have projectiles, for example, are never suitable for a child under age 4 – and even some 6-year-olds aren’t mature enough to handle them. Likewise, if your 3-year-old still puts everything into her mouth, wait a little longer to give her toys and games with small parts and pieces.
- Consider your child’s age when purchasing a toy or game. It’s worth a second to read the instructions and warning labels to make sure it’s just right for your child.
- Choose toys that are well-made. Used toys passed down from older relatives or siblings or bought at yard sales can be worn or frayed, which can sometimes be dangerous. Check all toys – new or used – for buttons, batteries, yarn, ribbons, eyes, beads, and plastic parts that could easily be chewed or snapped off. Make sure a stuffed animal’s tail is securely sewn on and the seams of the body are reinforced. Parts on other toys should be securely attached. Make sure there are no sharp edges and the paint is not peeling. Before you’ve settled on the perfect toy, check to make sure there aren’t any small parts or other potential choking hazard.
- Think big. Until your child turns 3, toy parts should be bigger than his mouth to prevent the possibility of choking. To determine whether a toy poses a choking risk, try fitting it through a toilet paper roll. If a toy or part of a toy can fit inside the cylinder, it’s not safe. Keep a special eye on small game pieces that may be a choking hazard for young children. While these kinds of games are great for older kids, they can pose a potential danger for younger, curious siblings.
- Make sure your child is physically ready for the toy. For example, parents of older kids may buy a bike one size too big so as not to have to buy a new bike the next year. This tactic can lead to serious injury if a child doesn’t have the physical skills to control the bigger bike.
- Skip the balloons. They may be cheerful party decorations and fun to bounce around, but latex balloons are the main cause of toy-related choking fatalities in children. When ingested, uninflated balloons (or pieces of burst balloons) can form a tight seal in a child’s airway and make it impossible to breathe.
- Don’t pick heavy toys. Could your child be harmed if it fell on her? If so, pass.
Top Tip:
- After play time is over, use a bin or container to store toys for next time. Make sure there are no holes or hinges that could catch little fingers.