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Picking The Perfect Toy

Shopping for toys during the holidays can be exciting and fun, but it can also be frustrating. There can be thousands of toys to choose from in one store, and it's important to choose the right toy for the right age child. Toys that are meant for younger children will leave an older child bored. However, toys that are meant for older children can be dangerous for younger children.

Last year, an estimated 140,700 children were treated in U.S. hospital emergency rooms after toy-related incidents and 13 children died. It is imperative to do research and understand some important guidelines before visiting the toy store.

Here are some things to keep in mind when selecting a toy for a child:

Abilities and Interests – Consider the child’s physical, mental and social abilities, and interests. Read labels and understand the age appropriateness of the toy but note that age range guidelines are designed to indicate the development in which an “average” child can be expected to achieve a particular skill or develop specific interest.

Toy Safety – A major area of consideration for all toys is the durability and safety of the toy. Construction should be able to withstand uses and abuses of the child in the age range for which the toy is appropriate. To avoid choking hazards, look for and heed age recommendations, such as "Not recommended for children under three". Look for other safety labels including: "Flame retardant/Flame resistant" on fabric products and "Washable/hygienic materials" on stuffed toys and dolls.

The following guidelines will help you choose the perfect gift that will bring a smile to a child’s face on Christmas morning:

Under 3 Years Old

Tips:

Children under 3 tend to put everything in their mouths. Avoid buying toys intended for older children that may have small parts that pose a choking danger.

Never let children of any age play with un-inflated or broken balloons because of the choking danger..

Avoid marbles, balls, and games with balls, that have a diameter of 1.75 inches or less. These products also pose a choking hazard to young children.

Children at this age pull, prod and twist toys. Look for toys that are well-made with tightly secured eyes, noses and other parts.

Avoid toys that have sharp edges and points.

Toy Suggestions:

0 to 6 months – Choose toys with bright colors, high contrast, clear lines and features, human face features (especially eyes), and bull’s eye pattern. Consider soft blocks, simple rattles, teethers, squeeze toys, toys on suction cups, crib gyms, stuffed animals and dolls, puppets and mirrors.

7 to 12 months – Choose toys that allow children to poke, drop, throw, empty and fill, stack, press levers, shake or turn knobs. Consider blocks (soft with rounded corners), activity boxes and cubes, pop-up boxes, soft books, and music.

1 year olds – Choose toys that use up energy! Toys for this age should allow children to manipulate, experience cause and effect, combine objects, and begin imaginative play. Consider puzzles, ride-on toys, doll carriages, nesting and sorting blocks and cups, soft sports equipment, sand and water toys, instruments.

2 year olds – Choose toys that use large muscle groups, allow lots of physical testing, provide exposure to patterns and sequenced, promote fantasy and imagination play, and games that encourage cooperation. Consider balls, puzzles, ride-on toys, wheelbarrows and wagon, sandbox tools, more realistic dolls, musical instruments, large crayons and chalk, and dress-up clothes.

Ages 3 through 5

Tips:

Avoid toys that are constructed with thin, brittle plastic that might easily break into small pieces or leave jagged edges.

Look for household art materials, including crayons and paint sets, marked with the designation "ASTM D-4236." This means the product has been reviewed by a toxicologist and, if necessary, labeled with cautionary information.

Toy Suggestions:

Choose toys that involve gross motor skills, enforce shape, color and number concepts, and introduce smaller components such as beads. Consider pedal toys, small bicycles, outdoor climbing equipment, number or letter puzzles, dress–up clothes and sports equipment.

Ages 6 through 12

Tips:

If buying a toy gun, be sure the barrel, or the entire gun, is brightly colored so that it's not mistaken for a real gun.

If you buy a bicycle for any age child, buy a helmet too, and make sure the child wears it.

Toy Suggestions:

6 to 8 year olds – Choose toys that involve reading, spelling and math, allow dramatic play such as dress-up, paper dolls and role playing, use physical ability, and allow development of hobbies. Consider sports equipment, building sets, kits (crafts, models, science, etc.), various board games, and books.

9 to 12 years olds – Choose toys that involve dexterity, provide exposure to music or dance, develop hobbies, and encourage competition. Consider formal music, dance or sports lessons, computers, complex games, kits (jewelry, models, leather, needlepoint), and athletic equipment.

Finding the perfect gift takes knowledge, research and planning. However, toy safety doesn’t end with the purchase. To ensure continued safe playing, remember to:

ü Teach children to put their toys safely away on shelves or in a toy chest after playing to prevent trips and falls.

ü Use a toy chest that has a lid that will stay open in any position to which it is raised, and will not fall unexpectedly on a child. For extra safety, be sure there are ventilation holes for fresh air. Watch for sharp edges that could cut and hinges that could pinch or squeeze. See that toys used outdoors are stored after play -- rain or dew can rust or damage a variety of toys and toy parts creating hazards.

ü Check all toys periodically for breakage and potential hazards. A damaged or dangerous toy should be thrown away or repaired immediately.

ü Keep toys designed for older children out of the hands of little ones. Follow labels that give age recommendations -- some toys are recommended for older children because they may be hazardous in the hands of a younger child. Teach older children to help keep their toys away from younger brothers and sisters.

Protecting children from unsafe toys is the responsibility of everyone. Careful toy selection and proper supervision of children at play is still -- and always will be -- the best way to protect children from toy-related injuries.

Under the Federal Hazardous Substances Act and the Consumer Product Safety Act, the Commission has set safety regulations for certain toys and other children's articles. Manufacturers must design and manufacture their products to meet these regulations so that hazardous products are not sold. To report a product hazard or a product-related injury, write to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, Washington, D.C., 20207, or call the toll-free hotline: 1-800-638-2772. A teletypewriter for the deaf is available at 1-800-638-8270.

The information in this article is brought to you courtesy of the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) website. For more details about toy safety and selection, visit them at www.cpsc.gov.

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