Parents often worry that the toys they buy their children are not safe. They are right to be concerned as dangerous toys can and have caused serious harm to lots of children, although thankfully with improving toy regulations, instances are on the decrease. However, parents still need to be careful and below we highlight some of the important things to look out for to ensure toys are safe.
Sharp edges. Many toys that you might not consider to be a risk can have sharp edges that are potentially harmful. It is quite common for children to roll around with their toys or run with them, making it very easy to be caught by a sharp edge and even cut themselves badly.
Small parts. This is probably the most well known hazard of childrens toys. Because of their inquisitive nature, children often put small things in their mouth and can sometimes swallow or even choke on them. Sometimes toys don’t have small parts on first inspection, but break up easily due to weak materials and these are equally, if not more dangerous.
Chemicals. Whether it is dangerous chemicals in plastics, harmful fluids in toys, or simply toxins in the paint that they are decorated with, kids can be seriously harmed by inconsiderate materials. Thankfully most toys are tested thouroughly for dangerous chemicals, but some will always slip though the net.
Mechanical Hazards. Many toys appear perfectly safe, but are made potentially dangerous by their ill-though out functioning parts. Good examples of this are toys that have springs or elastic band actions that can release unexpectedly and can potentially harm the eyes. Additionally, toys sometimes have dangerous hinges or gates that children can trap finger in.
All toys and Christmas gifts should comply with the health and safety regulations of their respective countries, so next time youre buying gifts for her or him look out for the endorsement logos on the toys label first.