| Toy Maintainance |
| The proper selection of toys and supervision of play are not the only steps that parents can take to ensure safe and fun playtime. Since toys are among the first things a child considers his or her own, adults should encourage children to assume responsibility by demonstarting how to use and care for toys. Spot check toys regularly for minor damage and urge children to let you know when toys need repair. Do not allow toys to stay outdoors overnight. Rain, snow and dew cause rust and damage that increase the risk of accidents. A toy damaged beyond repair should be discarded or replaced promptly. Teach children to store their toys properly in a place selected by both of you. Explain that putting toys where they belong after play may not only prevent them from being lost, stolen or damaged, but may also prevent younger siblings from injuring themselves on toys intended for older children. Your encouragement will help to foster a sense of responsibility and teach that care must be given to valued belongings. |
| Safety Checklist |
| Remember that saftey is the most important consideration when selecting toys! * Use recommended age labeling as a guide and look for warnings and other safety messages on toy packaging. * Consider your home environment and the ages of other, particularly younger, children in the family. A toy intended for an older child may be unsuitable and possibly dangerous in the hands of a younger child. * Be especially careful when selecting toys for children under the age of three. Avoid toys with small parts that could be swallowed, inhaled, or put into ears and noses, including small balls or beads, uninflated balloons, static window clings, and toys with sharp points or rough edges. * Make sure that soft rattles, sqeakers and teething toys, even in their most compressed state, are too large to fit completely in an infant's mouth. * No matter how old a child is, if he or she is still mouthing objects, be sure toys or pieces of toys are too large to swallow or become lodged in the mouth or throat. * Check for sturdy, well-sewn seams on stuffed animals and cloth dolls. Be certain that eyes, noses, buttons, ribbons and other decorations are securely fastened and cannot be pulled or bitten off. * Choose electric toys with heating elements only for children over the age of eight and instruct them to play with those toys only when there is adult supervision. * Be certain that arrows and darts used by children have blunt tips such as rubber or flexible plastic suction cups, cork or other protective points. Check to see that tips are attcahed securely to shafts. * Consider that children like to swing toys. Bats, wooden swords, hockey sticks, etc. can cause damage to others if they are swung. Remind children of the proper use and safety rules for toys. * Look for the words "machine/surface washable" on stuffed and cloth toys and "UL (Underwriters Laboratories) Aprroved" on electric toys. * Purchase a toy storage chest that has a removable lid or a spring-loaded support, allowing the lid to remain securely open. Check for smooth finished edges and hinge line clearances to prevent pinched fingers. For added protection again suffocation, drill several air holes into the back of the toy chest. |