Shopping for Safe Toys

With Christmas just around the corner many anxious parents will be wondering what to buy for their children. Every year there seem to be more and more toys to choose from and sometimes budgetary constraints and the desire to fill up your children's stockings can make cheap toys from discount traders all the more attractive.
But when it comes to buying toys for children, the Ministry of Consumer Affairs recommends you take some time to remember these 'buy wise' tips to help you and your children have a safe and happy Christmas.

Here are some basic guidelines to consider when buying toys:

• Read labels and packaging. For what age is the toy suitable for? Follow the age recommendations and instructions about proper assembly, use and supervision.
• Jewellery should not be given to children under three years of age.
• How well made is the toy? Remember, children can be pretty rough on their toys. Will the toy stand up to being bitten, sucked on, stood on and thrown around? A cheap toy that comes apart soon after opening probably isn't worthwhile and could harm your child.
• Check for sharp edges or rough surfaces that could injure your child.
• Make sure that any paint and fillings used are non-toxic.

You should also remember the Five S's when out shopping for toys:

Size - Remember the smaller the child - the bigger the toy. Children under three put everything in their mouths, up their noses and in their ears. Also, they can't cough things up until they're over three years old. If a toy is small enough to fit into a small container about the size of a film canister, or can easily break into small parts, a child under three should not be playing with it.

Smooth - If a toy has sharp points or rough edges a child could badly scratch or cut themselves.

Surface - Check that any decorative bits and pieces on the surface of toys are firmly attached and any stuffing from soft toys can't come out.

Strings - Check that strings or tails on toys are not long enough to pose as a strangulation or choking hazard. Watch out, they can also get wound around little fingers or toes.

Supervision - Carefully selecting a toy is still only half the story if you want to help prevent injury to your children. There is no substitute for adult supervision of young children.

It also pays to have a safe area to play in, in and around your home for your children. You can help make a play area safe by:

• removing any packaging after giving a toy to a child
• ensuring older children's toys are out of reach of younger children
• checking toys for signs of breakage
• removing dead batteries from toy as they can leak poisons
• never giving uninflated balloons to young children and removing burst balloons as they can present a choking hazard.

Also look out for:

Things that play music, ring, clatter or click. They can make fun toys for Children. But noisy toys can also be a hazard and loud or shrill sounds can damage children's hearing. Think twice about buying noisy toys for children less than 18 months old. If you do buy a toy that makes a noise, it should be no louder than a washing machine or dishwasher, and should be kept well away from a baby's head.

For children over 18 months, and even as old as 14 years, sound from toys should not exceed 85 decibels (as a guide, heavy traffic, coffee grinders, or blenders are around 85 decibels). Be wary of any noise-makers that are designed to be put up to the ear, for example, toy mobile phones.

Safety Standards

A mandatory Product Safety Standard exists for all toys that are intended or suitable for use by children under three years of age. The Product Safety Standards (Children's Toys) Regulations 2005 requires that toys made for this age group do not pose ingestion and inhalation hazards. The Standard requires that toys do not have small parts that can come apart or break off the toy. All businesses involved in the manufacture, distribution and retail of toys suitable for children under three must comply with this Standard.

For further information on product safety and Product Safety Standards, visit the Ministry of Consumer Affairs' website at www.consumeraffairs.govt.nz and click on 'Product Safety'.