Archive for the ‘ Toys ’ Category

12 toy shopping tips for a safer holiday

  • Written by Like Shopping
  • Posted April 13, 2008 at 1:49 pm

If you are left feeling a bit scared and confused shopping for children this holiday season, you are not alone. So far this year there have been tens of millions of toys recalled due to lead paint, small magnets, or toxic chemicals.

Consumers Union has 12 shopping tips that will help families enjoy a safe and merry holiday: Top2

  1. Do not buy metal jewelry — especially cheap metal jewelry — for young children.  About 20 percent of children’s metal jewelry has high levels of lead lurking beneath the surface coating.  A child who mouths or accidentally swallows a piece of lead-laden jewelry can suffer lead poisoning.
  2. You can test toys for lead by using a home lead test kit.  Although they are not always accurate, a positive test result indicates a high likelihood that the product you’re testing has lead.  Consumer Reports recommends the Lead Check and the Lead Inspector, which performed best in our tests. Read the rest of this entry »
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Filed under: Shopping Tips, Toys

Toy Safety Shopping Tips

  • Written by Like Shopping
  • Posted January 3, 2008 at 9:39 am

Under 3 Years Old

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

Never let children of any age play with uninflated 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. Read the rest of this entry »

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Filed under: Shopping Tips, Toys