How to Buy Safe Toys For Toddlers - A Checklist For Parents

Safety is everything when it comes to our kids. Unfortunately, the sad fact is that Mattel voluntarily recalled nearly a million toys in 2007 for being covered in lead paint, and the US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and Centers for Disease Control (CDC) have long lists of consumer products recalled for containing excessive amounts of lead (half of the products are toys). It's enough to want to forego buying any toys at all, especially for our very youngest children.

Lead is not the only problem, though, we've also heard about hormone-disrupting chemicals called phthalates in plastic products, such as baby bottles, that can affect reproductive and developmental health. Other news headlines include various hazards from chocking, magnets, and more. These headlines about lead and toxics in toys, as well as other hazards are scary, to say the least. For a time, I did not want to buy any new toys for my soon to be two-year old, mostly because everything goes in his mouth at some point!

Yet this is the real world, where toys and bottles are a part of life. The question becomes, how can we be sure the products we buy are safe? The good news is that national political leaders have finally taken some action. On August 14, 2008, President Bush signed into law a consumer safety bill that will ban lead in nearly all products designed for children 12 years old and younger. A second major step forward will occur next year, when a nationwide ban on six phthalates in soft plastic toys and cosmetics takes effect. The law marks a major shift in the way toxics are regulated in the U.S.

The burden of proof will now be on manufacturers to prove chemicals are safe in products for babies and children before they can be used (this has not been the case up until now). Until these laws really take effect (and even afterwards as no law can take all the risk out of purchasing toys), as parents we must be proactive, vigilant and stay informed. Here is a checklist of 7 things you can do to help make sure that you purchase quality, safe products for the children in your life.

1. Keep abreast of toy and product recalls. You can sign up for free email alerts and announcements from the US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) at http://www.cpsc.gov/cpsclist.aspx. The CPSC is s charged with protecting the public from unreasonable risks of serious injury or death from more than 15,000 types of consumer products. Their list of Toy Recalls is online at cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/category/toy.html. Also, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention maintains a list of all lead consumer product recalls by category. Both sites have pictures and descriptions of recalled products.
2. Check for published safety statements from toy manufacturers or vendors where you purchase toys. The best online toy retailers, for example, will post manufacturer statements about quality testing, lead content and more.
3. Buy age-appropriate toys. Check the packaging to make sure you are not buying toys intended for older children, which may have small parks that can break off.
4. Follow safety guidelines for buying toys (e.g. making sure toys for toddlers contain no parts too small that can break off, using helmets, putting toys away, etc.) The CPSC maintains several guides on toy safety, including a list of "toy safety shopping tips" (online at http://www.cpsc.gov/CPSCPUB/PUBS/toy_sfy.html). Tips include how to determine whether a product has been reviewed by a toxicologist. (It will be marked with the designation ASTM D-4236).
5. Find independent reviews of toys and products. Probably the most well-known organization for independent product testing is Consumer Reports. Their website contains a section for Babies & Kids.
6. Read reviews, talk to people, and search online. Find out others' experience with the products you want to buy. You can learn a lot (and save yourself some headache and heartache) by reading other opinions first.
7. Finally, monitor your child's play and the condition of the toys you do buy. Check toys periodically for breakage and potential hazards. Damaged toys should be repaired or thrown away.

Ava Anderton is a mother, author, and college instructor. She writes for DestinyBaby.com, where you can find more information on toy safety and resources for parents, including product reviews and deals for the best educational learning toys, games, puzzles and more for infants, toddlers and kids.

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