- Tips for
Christmas Toy Buying
- by
Joy Gunn of Safe Kids New Zealand
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Christmas
shopping can be a stressful time, and for parents, especially
new parents, it can be difficult to know what toys are best.
In terms of safety here are a few simple tips which may
help you as you search for the “perfect” gift this
Christmas.
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Look for:
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toys
that are suitable for your child’s age and take note of
age recommendations as smaller toys can pose a choking
hazard for younger children who like to put things in
their mouths,
washable
and non-breakable toys for babies,
ride-on
toys that are stable, and are appropriate to your
child’s size and skill level,
fire resistant toys. Beware of flowing, flammable costumes
like capes which can ignite easily
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If you’re buying toys like bikes, scooters, canoes,
trampolines etc remember that safety gear is important.
If you can’t afford the safety gear, ask another family
member (perhaps grandparents) to buy this so your child has the
“whole package”.
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Avoid
toys
with sharp edges,
those
made from brittle plastic that could break and leave jagged
edges, small
balls such as marbles or games with small balls for younger
children,
toys
that make loud continuous noises or sharp high pitched noises as
these can affect children’s hearing.
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Teach
older children to keep any toys with small pieces away from
their younger siblings.
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Check
masks, helmets, or anything big enough for a child to crawl
inside has enough ventilation,
strings or tails on toys are not long enough to choke a
child or tangle around a child's neck.
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Keep
toys
with small pieces out of reach of younger children and make
regular checks on toys. Throw out or repair any that are broken.
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Overall,
a good rule when buying toys is – the smaller the child, the
bigger the toy.
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Article
provided by Safekids New Zealand, P O Box 19544, Avondale,
Auckland,
www.safekids.org.nz.
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For
more information about toy safety visit the following websites:
