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