Safety tips for Buying Safe Toys and Using Toys Safely

Toys play a very important role in the life of a child. Playing with toys teaches children how to share, encourages imagination and fun as well as promoting life skills necessary for children's development. Toys can also be a Fun part of every

To help ensure that the toys children play with are safe, we offer these tips.

Click here for Tips on Buying Toys and Travel Games

CLICK ON THE SPECIFIC TIPS OR SCROLL THE PAGE TO VIEW ALL TIPS

Safety Tips for Buying Toys

Ensuring that toys are safe before children actually play with them is a responsibility every parent and caregiver should assume. These tips may assist in selecting toys that are fun and safe. Also see Choking Hazards.

Choose toys that are age appropriate. Toys for children under 3 years of age must not pose a Choking Hazard. Age recommendations on toy packages are a guide only. Go to Tips on Buying Toys for Children for suggestions on choosing toys for children by age.
Toys with strings can pose a strangulation and choking hazard. Avoid them with children under 3 years of age. Cords and strings should not be longer than seven inches for children under 3 years of age. Teach children never to wrap cords and strings around necks or any body parts.
Battery operated toys for children under 3 should have the batteries enclosed in a location on the toy that requires tools to remove them. (a screw holds the enclosure closed). See Health Canada Advisory - Guidelines to prevent Injuries from Battery Operated Toys
Avoid toys with heating elements for children under 8 years of age. Teach children to use toys that require electricity with care and never touch the prongs or outlet directly.
Choose toys that are flame-retardant - soft dolls, doll hair and stuffed animals can be flammable. Also ensure that stuffing is securely sewn in and hair is secured as it can cause suffocation.
Check recall notices periodically at www.cpsc.gov. Toys that pose a choking hazard could be recalled.
Check toy lists for recommended toys and toys that may pose safety hazards. See Links to Toy Safety Web Sites.
Inspect the toy before children play with it to ensure it is constructed well and there are no loose parts or sharp edges, points or crush points.
Read instructions and warnings carefully and review them with children.
Discard plastic wrapping, boxes with staples or sharp points immediately.
Check that toys are non-toxic. Painted toys should specify that the paint is non-toxic.
Check wooden toys for splinters and cracked wood.
Avoid liquid filled toys as they can leak. The liquid may contain sparkles that are toxic.
If purchasing a projectile toy (bows and arrows), ensure that the projectile has a blunt permanently attached protective tip.
Check that doll limbs can not be pulled from body of the doll. Doll clothes should have buttons securely sewn. All doll clothes should be flame-retardant and made of non-toxic materials.
Avoid toys that spark.
Ensure ride on toys are stable and do not tip easily.
Look for sharp points, crush points that can pinch.
Toys that produce loud noises can impair or damage hearing.
Propelled toy darts and other projectiles can cause cuts and eye injuries. Ensure children are old enough to use the toy safely and given instructions on the safe use of the toy.

Click here to return to list

Choking Hazards

Any loose piece from a toy or toys designed for children over 3 years of age can pose a choking hazard to children. It is important that parents, care givers and anyone supervising children have CPR training in case a choking incident occurs. Choking is the most common cause of injury to children from toys. These tips may help increase awareness and reduce the risk to children:

Know what to do if your child is choking. Be prepared - see First Aid Tips for When a Baby is choking.
Purchase a small parts tester at the toy or baby store and check all toys for children under 3. If the toy or part fits through the tester it poses a choking hazard.
Ensure toys for infants and small children do not have any small parts or parts that come loose that can pose a choking hazard. Toys can be recalled if this type of treat is discovered and the toy does not have a warning on package. Toys recommended for children 3 and under must meet government guidelines for choking hazards and toys for children 3 to 6 years of age must carry a warning about small parts.
Avoid toys with button batteries for children under 3 years of age - Health Canada Advisory - Guidelines to prevent Injuries from Battery Operated Toys
Check recall notices periodically at www.cpsc.gov. Toys that pose a choking hazard could be recalled.
Ensure Stuffed toys have eyes and nose secure and that there are no pins in the toy. Loose eyes and noses can pose a choking hazard. Bows, ribbons, buttons and other decorations on stuffed toys and dolls can pose a choking hazard to children under 3 years of age.
Check that the wheels on toy cars are secure. If they come loose the wheels can pose a choking hazard.
Toys with strings can pose a strangulation and choking hazard. Avoid them with children under 3 years of age.
Children under three should not have foam bath toys as they can chew pieces off of the toy and this can cause a choking hazard.
Strings of bead jewellery should be strong and secure and knotted between each bead. Loose beads can pose a choking hazard.
Teach children not to put toys in their mouth, especially balloons, marbles, small blocks and other small items as they pose a choking hazard.
Avoid latex balloons and remove broken balloons from children immediately - see Links to More Safety Information.
Click here to return to list

Toy Use, Storage and Maintenance

Many children are injured each year by toys that are played with in an unsafe manner, are stored unsafely or broken. These tips are offered as suggestions to improving the safety of toys for children: Also see Choking Hazards.

Teach children to check toys for breakage and remove broken toys from use.
Clean and Inspect toys regularly. Remove broken, moldy or damaged toys from use.
Check recall notices periodically at www.cpsc.gov. Toys that pose a danger could be recalled.
Keep product literature and warranty information. Send warranty cards to the manufacturer.
Create a safe, stimulating play environment.
Supervise children and teach them how to play safely - no hitting, throwing at other children, aiming projectiles or water guns at other children, etc.
Avoid projectile toys for children under 6 years of age and teach children that are playing with projectile toys never to fire the toy at other children or use other items with the toy.
Remind caregivers and grandparents about play safety.
Watch that younger children do not play with older children's toys, especially toys with small pieces or heating elements.
Ensure that children wear safety gear when playing with sports equipment, see Links to More Safety Information.
Keep all toys away from heat sources - teach children.
Check that cords and plugs on electrical toys are not frayed or broken.
Remove batteries that are rusted or leaking immediately from toys and don't leave batteries in toys for extended periods. Health Canada Advisory - Guidelines to prevent Injuries from Battery Operated Toys
Remove crib gyms and mobiles from crib when baby reaches five months or can push up on hands and knees.
Check that eyes, noses and small parts on stuffed toys are secure and seams are well sewn.
Store toys safely. Teach children to never leave toys on stairs.
Check wooden toys for splinters and cracked wood.
Be sure that storage chests have a removable or spring loaded lid that will not drop on children. Containers must not be air tight and have no sharp edges or crush points that may pinch fingers.
Avoid the danger of entanglement - toys should never be hung on or attached to crib, playpen, stroller, car seat or child's neck with string, ribbons or elastics.
Teach children never to fly kites near power lines.
Check that liquid filled toys are not leaking.
Use helmets where risk of head injury is possible. See Links to more Safety Information.
Use water toys under close supervision. Most water toys for children are not life-saving devices and should be used only under close adult supervision. See Pool and Beach Safety Tips.

Click here to return to list

Links to More Safety Information

Click on the following for Safety Tips:

TRAVEL SAFETY NEWS:

Click here to return to list

Links to Toy Safety Information Web Sites:

We offer links to sites that promote toy safety - see Terms of Use of this Site for disclaimer.

www.cpsc.gov - Consumer Product Safety Commission - United States for toy and consumer product recall notices.

www.toysafety.org - U.S. non-profit organization that warns about hazardous toys.

www.toytips.com - US. Toy Research Institute.

www.toysafety.net - US public interest group.

www.toy-tma.org - US Toy Industry Association.

www.cdntoyassn.com - Canadian Toy Association web site.

www.toy-testing.org - Canadian Toy Testing Council.

Click here to return to list

ON-LINE TOY WEB SITES

Check out these Toy Web Sites for popular Toys.

For Batteries go to:

Click here to return to list

All Tips are offered as suggestions only

While we have tried to provide you with a list of suggestions to help parents when travelling with children to keep them safe, unfortunately, we can�t think of everything and it is the responsibility of parents to ensure their children�s safety.

Holiday Toy Recall Checklist from the Consumer Product Safety Commission

For Tips on Buying Toys for Children Click Below: