Tips for toy safety

• When purchasing a toy for your baby, always read the safety guidelines. If it says, "Not for young children under the age of three," then don't buy it. It will contain pieces that are small enough to be a choking hazard. 
• Avoid putting your baby to sleep with a battery operated toy.Burns can result from batteries leaking or overheating.
• If you have older children, be careful that toys with small pieces are kept out of your baby's reach.
• Make sure that all balls you purchase for your baby are larger than 1.75 inches in diameter.
• It can be a good idea to use either a small parts testing tube (available at toy stores) or a toilet paper tube to use as a guide for small toys. If the toy can pass through these, it is definitely too small, and your baby could choke on it.
• When buying a toy always, check for sharp edges.
• Thoroughly check all eyes, noses, and buttons which may be sewn onto a toy. You wouldn't want one of these coming off as your baby explores it with her mouth.
• If a large toy has small parts, be sure to check that they are very securely attached. This is very important for babies, as everything really does go into their mouths.
• Look and see if the toy has any cords or strings attached. If it is long enough to fit around your baby's neck, it's a strangulation hazard. Either cut it off or shorten the length. You need to also check and see if the cords or strings have any knobs or beads attached. Remove all of these to avoid a choking hazard.
• Never give your baby a balloon to play with. If this bursts and you aren't there to pick up the small pieces, they can become a choking hazard by blocking your child's airway when they put them in their mouth. (Which they will!)
• Ask yourself, "Is this toy made of strong durable materials?" Remember, even babies are tough on stuff! If the answer is no, then don't get it. If a toy is thrown or banged on a hard surface, small pieces can break off and these fragments are dangerous. Look out for sharp edges caused by any breakages.
• It can also be a good idea to stay informed about toy recalls by visiting the Consumer Product Safety Commission website (www.cpsc.gov).
• And remember, if you discover a fault in a toy, you can do us all a favor (and possibly save a child's life) by reporting it to the CPSCand  by filling out their online form called, "Consumer Product Incident Report."

Toy maintenance guidelines 

• Check all toys on a regular basis for broken pieces or sharp edges.
• When your baby begins to push up on hands and knees (approx. 5 months), it is time to remove overhanging mobiles and all other hanging toys from the crib.
• Once you have removed a new toy from the packaging (and nowadays it's usually a lot of packaging!), be sure to throw it all away. Plastic and styrofoam can be choking hazards.
• With the chargers and adapters that often accompany toys these days, make sure that they stay out of reach as they can cause thermal burns. Ouch!
• Check  that all teethers and rattles cannot completely fit into your baby's mouth. They need to be big enough that only parts of them can fit in.

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