Your Child’s Toys Should Match His or Her Age…

Age appropriate toys babies, age appropriate toys infants,developmentally appropriate toys

Consider this—In one year alone, around 140,700 children came in for emergency treatment at U.S. hospitals. Among them, 13 lost their lives. The reason for these injuries and deaths was an unusual one—mishandling of toys.

The fault of course, lies with the parents. If age-appropriate toys are not given to children, infants and toddlers especially, have no idea of how to handle them and get into trouble. Additionally, a little common sense should be practiced based on imagination—what can this toy do to my child?

So here are some suggestions on choosing age-appropriate toys for your child, based on the safety precautions put forth by the Consumer Product Safety Commission or CPSC—

(1) Look at the packaging first—the recommended age is often mentioned. What is the age of your child and what is his/her maturity level?

(2) Do not burden young ones with huge toys—they may fall on them and hurt them. If they get big bikes and are not able to ride them properly, they are bound to fall and suffer injuries.

(3) If your child is below three years of age, do not get toys that have long cords or strings going beyond twelve inches—your child can get strangulated. Similarly, avoid toys meant for older children, as detachable parts can be swallowed and choke the child.

(4) Toys that run on electricity (not batteries) or sharp-edged ones are potentially hazardous for youngsters below eight years of age.

(5) Bikes or roller blades should be accompanied by safety gear such as helmets, wrist guards, shin guards and knee pads.

(6) To make toys look attractive, manufacturers ensure that they are brightly colored! But these paints may contain lead and therefore prove toxic for your child (children tend to stuff everything into their mouths). If the selected toy has this on the label---ASTM D-4236, then it has been evaluated by a toxicologist and considered safe. It is the same when you are selecting art products for your child.

(7) If your child is presented with costumes for play acting, then ensure that there is a label titled “flame resistant” or “flame retardant”. Clothes can catch fire easily.  

(8) Examine toys thoroughly before you purchase them. Are the buttons and eyes securely sewn on stuffed toys? Will the seams get detached easily? Other playthings should give the impression of being well constructed.

(9) Second-hand stuff from yard sales or thrift stores have to comply with current safety standards set by the CPSC. In case a toy is not safe, it is recalled—the list can be found at this website, www.cpsc.gov.

(10) If you have children of varying ages in the house, it is natural that their toys will be different. The older ones should be taught to keep their playthings out of reach of their younger siblings. Take an electric football game, for instance. It is definitely unsuitable for someone below 3, but perfectly suitable for a child aged above 10.

(11) Finally, do keep checking your children’s toys. Some might require repairs; others might need to be discarded because there are too many broken parts. And always ensure that they know how to handle their playthings, whatever their ages might be.