Toys For Children to Avoid

As parents, we want our kids to be happy and healthy. When it comes to playtime, parents shouldn’t be worried that whatever their child is playing with will harm them. In order to keep your child safe during play, here are a few guidelines to follow to avoid accidents and health hazards.

Avoid Toys with Strings, Cords, and other Small Parts

In this stage of a child’s life they are still exploring their senses, and will often put anything that’s handed to them in their mouth. That being said, its best to avoid toys with many small parts, like Legos. Items like toy-guitars are a fun way to introduce your children to musical instruments, but the strings pose a strangulation hazard for infants and young children.

Avoid Toys with “Button” Batteries

In addition to the clear choking hazard, small lithium-cell batteries, or “button” batteries are highly toxic if swallowed. In fact, these batteries were the most common cause of battery-related injuries among children in the last two decades.

If a child swallows a lithium battery, serious organ damage can begin in as little as two hours. Before allowing your young child to play with a battery-operated toy, check to make sure the battery cover is intact and child proof. Toys that require a screwdriver to open are the best.

Take Toy Materials into Account

Looking for toys that are built with materials completely free of toxins is quite

a tough task, but they can be found. Toys made with PVC plastic often contain

toxins like lead and phthalates.

On the other hand, toys made of natural materials like wood and other fabrics have no toxins. When in doubt, contact the manufacturer and ask them about the materials they use.

Dina Shipley is a full time mother of 3 wonderful children. She is often blogging about the benefits of educational toys from Invenio Toys.

Photo Credits:
Baby with Toy from Pixabay
Button Batteries by James Bowe on Flickr Creative Commons
Wooden Truck by andrewmalone on Flickr Creative Commons

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