Just the other day, I stumbled across a bin of my old toys in the attic. Does anyone remember Sweet Secrets, Key Keepers, Sweetie Pups, Polly Pockets (the really tiny ones), or the original My Little Ponies (the current ones have an alien-type vibe going on)?
I've found all of those, along with some Wuzzles.
So, my three-year-old is pretty much over the moon about this development. I mean, new toys (well, new to her)! Toys she gets to play with by herself (when brother's napping)! Toys that she hasn't ever seen on our weekly strolls down the toy aisles!
Score for her.
And since she's three, I figure, as long as I'm vigilante with those itty bitty Polly Pocket pieces, all will be well, right? I mean, 3+ is the magic age on all the toy boxes containing toys inside that I'd like to play with. Because, one can only get so much satisfaction out of the Little People Barn (ages 1+).
Here's the thing though. When it comes to toy safety, it's good to remember that the age on the box is a recommendation. A recommendation. So here's a few things to keep in mind...
About 500 children a day are affected by a toy-related injury. According to Safe Kids Worldwide, in 2010, an estimated 181,500 children were treated in an emergency room for a toy-related injury. That’s 500 kids every day. Nearly half of those injured were children ages 4 and under.
Safe Kids recommends looking at the parts of the toy to see if it fits your child, and remember to consider the ages of other children who might come into contact with the toy, especially any small pieces that could be choking hazards for little ones.
It's easy to check toys to see if they've been recalled--especially with that handy dandy phone that is surgically attached to your hand. The Consumer Product Safety Commission is dedicated to the purpose of helping people become aware of recalls, and you can specifically search by "toys" or for a particular product. They also have a blog and Twitter page that can give you a heads up.
There's a lot to think about--but so much is just good common sense. Check out the parent.com toy quiz. Really, it's a simple way to remind you of ways to prevent tragedy. This includes checking toys for long straps, small pieces, and broken pieces. It also helps to remember that leaving metal toys out overnight allows them to corrode, or toy chests can be a safety hazard if a child gets him or herself locked inside.
So, in sticking with the theme this month, you can't be a perfect parent, but an ounce of prevention with a dose of vigilance goes a long way to avoiding those trips to the ER.
Just sayin.'
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