Toy Safety

Safe Kids Mid-South, led by Le Bonheur Children's Hospital, offers the top five tips for ensuring the toys you purchase this holiday season are safe.

1. Before shopping for toys, consider the child's age, interest and skill level. A fun, but inappropriate toy for a particular child can be dangerous.
2. Make sure toys intended for older children are stored separately from those for younger children.
3. Keep toys with small parts away from children younger than age 3. They can choke on small toys and toy parts. Check regularly for damage that could create small pieces that are choking hazards.
4. Make any necessary repairs immediately, or discard damaged toys out of the reach of children.
5. Actively supervise children when they are playing with riding toys as well as any toy that has small parts, magnets, electrical or battery power, cords and strings, wheels or any other potential hazard. Simply being in the same room as your child is not necessarily supervising. Active supervision means keeping the child in sight and in reach while paying undivided attention. Used toys should also be in good condition with all original parts and packaging, if possible.

To stay informed about potentially harmful products in the marketplace, parents should visit www.recalls.gov and sign up for email alerts on recalled children's products. Safe Kids also advises parents to visit www.cpsc.gov to make sure the toy hasn't been recalled for safety reasons.