Toys are an essential and happy part of childhood. Toys play an important role in sensory, emotional and motor development of children. However, if not selected and handled properly, toys can also be a hindrance to the physical, emotional and mental wellbeing of a child. Hazards like choking, strangling, suffocation, poisoning, incorrect association and violent behaviour are associated with many toys. Hence, it is important that you choose your child’s toys carefully. Here are a few reasons one must be careful while buying toys:
- Age matters
Picking age-appropriate toys is crucial for many reasons like risks, ability and maturity. Most toys show a suitable age on the side which is mostly our first sign. However, this is not always applicable. For example. If your child is 4 but still puts things in the mouth, one must not buy toys that include small parts. Similarly, toys with gaps are not suitable for toddlers and babies as pinching may lead to permanent finger and skin damage.
- Not all Good things come in small Packages
Sounds wrong? But is correct for toys that contain many small parts. These can lead to swallowing and choking episodes. Besides these, bigger toys are easy to locate, grab and play with for the little hands.
- Ride along but with care
Ride on toys are a great way of developing stability while having fun. Make sure you only give a ride on to the child who is stable enough to sit on his own. Only invest in Riding toys like rocking horses and wagons that come with a broader base to give the child maximum security. Le Toy Van toys display a wide variety of safe ride on toys. Always look for options that come with safety harnesses to avoid any accidents.
- No strings attached
The play phone toy and other popular drag along toys can be potentially responsible for strangulation episodes. Make sure the toys you pick do not have a string longer than 12 inches. A cord can wrap around the neck and strangle the child. In other cases, strings made of plastic and rubbers can get wrapped around the extremities and stop blood circulation. Even if you are careful while buying a toy, stay around the children play with any toys that have strings, cords and ribbons.
- Don’t just rush into Plush
It’s not just about suffocation! The cuddly plush and stuffed toys make us go awww every time we look at them, but they are a magnet for dust mites. These dust mites could lead to many forms of allergies and bronchitis for children and adults. As regular washing can keep the mites at the bay go for the washable options. Be watchful of the button eyes and plastic nose as they might end up in kids’ hands and eventually into the mouth. Try choosing soft toys that have thread embroidered facial features for safety of the child.
- Managing Idealization
Superheroes, action figures, fashion dolls etc. are everyone’s favourite. Besides being your child’s favourite toy they can also be your child’s heroes. These toys are great for roleplay and enhance creativity in young children however they can also encourage unrealistic expectations. There have been cases where children believe they have the same superpowers as their heroes. So, it is the responsibility of the parent to establish the difference between the reality and the beliefs while choosing sensibly.
- Toxic toys
Most toys seem safe to us when we see them, however, they can contain harmful chemicals. Hazardous chemicals like Phthalates are present in plastic toys. They make these toys resilient and long-lasting. Look for labels that specify the toys are free from Cadmium, lead, mercury, and arsenic, etc.
While the toys make our kids happy and creative, it is our duty to make sure we are careful while selecting what goes into their hands. Besides buying the correct toys, adult supervision and vigilance is important too.
Well, they might just be toys but buying them is not a child’s play!