A great toy is the classic present for the child in your life, whether you are giving a present to a niece, nephew, friend, grandchild, or your own child. Many people who do not have children of their own (and even some who do) do not realize that giving a toy to a child requires a certain amount of knowledge about the hazards the toy might pose to the health and safety of the child. Here are some things to keep in mind when you go out after the perfect gift for Christmas, birthdays, or other special occasions.
Be age conscious: This is the most important thing to remember. All kids go through different stages of development. Children up to three are in a very exploratory stage, and during these years it is their sense of taste that they will rely on most. This is fairly obvious to anyone who has seen an active child under one exploring; anything they find goes immediately into the mouth.
For this reason, many manufacturers have labels on the toys they produce that warm potential buyers that some ages are not appropriate to give this toy to. These ages are when the child is most likely to stick the toy in their mouths, and any small parts will pose a serious choking hazard. You might think that a kid over two isn't likely to stick something in his or her mouth, but toddlers can engage in unexpected behavior and it is better to err on the side of caution.
Batteries are a choking hazard that many people do not think about. Most toys today come with battery compartments that are sealed with screws so that it is impossible for a child to get the batteries out. Even this safety precaution poses some amount of hazard, though, as the screws can be lost while changing the batteries, posing another choking hazard.
Avoid toys with a lot of loose strings or cords. Any long, dangling object poses a strangulation risk. Dress up clothes, toys that plug in to the wall, and even toys that have pieces attached by string have the potential to wrap around a child's neck and cut off their airway. Again, most older kids will not have a problem with this type of toy, but kids under six can be quite careless and it is best to avoid potential strangling hazards.
Heavy toys: You might be surprised at how strong children are. The toy you bought might seem too heavy for a kid to lift off the ground, but there is always the chance that they will. Once it is off the ground, it is very possible that the toy will come down on a foot or a finger. Even more likely is the possibility that the child will roll the toy down the stairs into an unsuspecting person.
Buying toys is always fun, but purchasers need to make sure that they minimize the risk of harm to the child and others by buying age-appropriate toys. Using discretion at the time of purchase will save everyone some peace of mind.