| Each year hundreds of new toys appear on store | | | | careful about buying electronic toys because |
| shelves. Even grocery stores are selling toys. You | | | | some are so loud they will damage your child's |
| want to make your child's toy dreams come true, | | | | hearing. Also avoid electronic toys that can shock |
| but how can you tell the good toys from the | | | | or burn. Always buy the safety equipment that |
| bad? These toy shopping tips will help you to | | | | goes with the toy, such as a bike helmet.THINK |
| make your way through crowded stores and the | | | | ABOUT STORAGE. Do you have room for this |
| holidays.EXAMINE A SAMPLE TOY. Stores may | | | | toy? Huge toys will just get in the way and block |
| have a mountain-sized toy display, including | | | | the room's traffic pattern. Toys that have lots of |
| pictures of the toy and its price, but not a sample | | | | small parts can be hard to store. If you choose a |
| toy you can examine. In most states retailers are | | | | toy that has lots of small parts, buy a storage bin |
| required by law to display an actual sample. Ask | | | | or box at the same time. By the way, cleaning up |
| to see a sample if none is available.IS IT REALLY | | | | toys is your child's responsibility, not |
| A TOY? Obvious as this question sounds, many | | | | yours.CHOOSE WELL MADE TOYS. There are |
| of today's toys are passive and don't require | | | | hundreds of cheap toys on the market - toys |
| anything from kids. A good toy asks a child do do | | | | that break in record time. Nothing disappoints a |
| something, such as buildng a block fort or putting | | | | child more than a broken toy. Choose toys that |
| a puzzle together. Toys like these stretch your | | | | are made from durable materials, have smooth |
| child's intelligence and imagination. Buy toys that | | | | edges, and sturdy connections. |
| are really toys!CHOOSE AGE APPROPRIATE | | | | Look for wooden toys because they seem to |
| TOYS. Most manufacturers print the age range of | | | | be disappearing in this age of plastic.ASK AN |
| the toy on the box. Choose toys that fit your | | | | HONEST QUESTION. Before you buy a toy ask |
| child's age, physical development, and interests. | | | | yourself, "Is this something my child wants or is it |
| Basic toys, such as wooden blocks, are a wise | | | | something I've always wanted?" Holiday toys are |
| purchase because they've already stood the test | | | | for kids and your joy comes from watching them |
| of time and can be passed down to younger | | | | open their gifts, playing with toys, and having you |
| kids.READ THE FINE PRINT. The toy | | | | play with them.Buying toys on the Internet is |
| manufacturer may have put a warning on the | | | | convenient, but it can also be risky, according to |
| product label. As the Carolinas HealthCare System | | | | "Kids Health for Parents." The Website says |
| notes on its Website, "If there's a warning, there's | | | | Internet retailers aren't required to include |
| a reason." So check every side of the package | | | | information about choking hazards or the age level |
| for a warning and heed it if you see it.CHECK | | | | of the toys. It also says foreign toy |
| MATERIALS. Some toys are made from unsafe | | | | manufactuers "aren't even required to meet strict |
| materials. Recently The CBS Early Show | | | | U.S. regulations." So be careful about buying toys |
| Consumer Watch did a story called, "Choose Safe | | | | you haven't seen.You may have purchased |
| and Fun Toys." According to the program, | | | | unsafe toys or come across them in stores. The |
| necklaces and zipper pulls have been recalled | | | | U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission wants |
| because of lead poisoning risks. And the Website | | | | to know about these toys. To report an unsafe |
| "Kids Health for Parents" says fabric toys should | | | | toy call 1-800-638-2772 or email a report to . You |
| be labeled "flame retardant" or "flame resistant." | | | | may also report unsafe toys on the U.S. |
| Art materials should say "nontoxic somewhere on | | | | Consumer Product Safety Commission's Website, |
| their packaging," the Website adds.HAS THE TOY | | | | Internet services are available day and |
| BEEN TESTED? Look carefully and you'll see that | | | | night.Copyright 2005 by Harriet Hodgson Hodgson |
| some toy packages have the letters "ASTM" on | | | | has been a nonfiction writer for 27 years and is a |
| them, which means the toy has met American | | | | member of the Association of Health Care |
| Socety for Testing Materials and Standards. Toys | | | | Journalists. She has written several books about |
| that have been tested will be safer than toys | | | | making toys and games from safe throw-aways. |
| that have not.SAFETY COMES FIRST. Never buy | | | | Her 24th book, Smiling Through Your Tears: |
| toys for infants and toddlers that have parts | | | | Anticipating Grief, written with Lois Krahn, MD, is |
| small enough to choke them. The store may have | | | | available from A five-star review of the book is |
| a "choke tube" tester you could use. Objects that | | | | also posted on Amazon. |
| fit in this tester are unsafe. As for older kids, be | | | | |