TOY SAFETY TIPS

UNDER 3 YEARS OLD

• Little children put everything in their mouths. – Be careful of toys with small parts.– Avoid toys with sharp edges and points.– Look for toys that are well-made.

• Choking danger!– Uninflated or broken balloons– Marbles, small balls or games

with balls

AGES 3 THROUGH 5

• Avoid toys with pieces that could break easily.

• Teach older children to keep their toys away from younger

brothers and sisters.

AGES 6 THROUGH 12

• Check toys frequently to make sure they’re not broken.

• If you buy a bicycle, buy a helmet too, and make sure your child wears it.

• If buying a toy gun, make sure it’s brightly colored, so that it’s not mistaken for a real gun.

• Teach all children to put toys away when they’re finished playing.

CHOKING HAZARDS• Don’t buy small toys or toys with small

parts for children under 3.

• Read and pay attention to warning labels.

• Never give young children small balls or balloons.

MAGNETIC TOYS

• Keep magnetic toys away from children under 6.

• If a child swallows more than one magnet, call your doctor right away.

NOISE• Children’s ears are sensitive. To protect

children from loud toys:– If a toy is too loud for you, it is too loud for

your child.– Take batteries out of loud toys, or cover the

speakers with tape.

STRANGULATION HAZARDS

• Keep mobiles out of reach of children in cribs. Remove them before the baby is 5 months old or can pull himself up.

• Remove knobs or beads from cords longer than one foot, so the cords don’t tangle into a dangerous loop.

TOXIC CHEMICALS• Avoid toys made of PVC plastic; choose

wooden or cloth toys instead.

• Read labels on play cosmetics; avoid products with “xylene,” “toluene,” or “dibutyl phthalate.”

LEAD• Children’s health groups have found high

levels of lead in some children’s jewelry.

• High lead can lead to delays in growth or death.

• Tell your children not to put their jewelry in their mouths.