It’s that time of year again. Ahhh…the holiday season, a time for family, great food and shopping! We want to be sure your little one stays healthy and safe this holiday season so we’ve put together some tips and great resources to ease your shopping experience.
Clothing
When purchasing clothing, ensure clothing does not contain drawstrings to eliminate the risk of strangulation. Also, inspect the item for small pieces (i.e. movable eyes, bows, jewels, etc) that can be removed by your child and swallowed. Remember, choosing organic clothing eliminates exposure to harsh chemicals and flame retardants.
Toys
Did you know that choking is the most common toy-related death? Be extra vigilant in inspecting your child’s toys. Make sure toys are age appropriate and do not contain small parts to prevent choking. Not sure if your child’s toy is too small? Testing is easy. Just take the item in question and see if it can fit through an empty toilet paper roll. If it can, it’s a choking hazard. Balloons are also very hazardous and should not be given to young children.
Choking is not the only hazard to be aware of. Remember to keep cords, string and rope out of child’s reach to prevent accidental strangulation. Be extra cautious with toys that contain small disc batteries and/or magnets, both of these can cause severe internal injuries and/or death if ingested. Due to less stringent regulations in years past, toys made prior to 1978 may contain unsafe levels of lead paint and are not safe for children to play with. Be sure to monitor for recalls frequently as this year has spawned many recalls in the baby and children’s sector.
Prior to purchasing toys this holiday season, do your homework. The following resources can help.:
- HealthyStuff.org has tested many toys for toxins such as cadmium, lead, mercury and arsenic. The toys are rated to help guide you when buying toys. They also have a mobile application to help you when you’re out and about.
- Consumer Reports is another great resource to research safety ratings and read reviews. When you subscribe to ConsumerReports.org, you will also have access to Consumer Reports Mobile. If you have an iPhone, Consumer Reports Mobile Shopper can be purchased for $9.99/year.
- The U.S. PIRG (Public Interest Research Group) , Toy Safety 2010 can be accessed on the go from your mobile phone by visiting http://toysafety.mobi/
Many toys on the market today contain harmful chemicals and safer toys are not always easy to find in your local toy store. Check out these trusty resources for eco-friendly, non-toxic toys:
- The Soft Landing
- The Daily Green’s Best Green Toys of the Season
- The Safe Mama’s 2010 Holiday Toy Guide
- The Green & Clean Mom’s Eco-Conscious Gifts list
- Healthy Child Healthy World’s Healthy Toys Pocket Shopping Guide, The Absolute Greatest Guide to Green Gifts for Kids and The Top Ten Holiday Gift Guide
- Dandelion Earth-Friendly Goods
With these tips, a bit of research and some handy resources that you can access on the go, you can be armed with the tools that you need to hit the holiday sales. Happy shopping & happy holidays!
Author : Diba Tillery
Shopping for Safe Toys this Holiday Season
It’s that time of year again. Ahhh…the holiday season, a time for family, great food and shopping! We want to be sure your little one stays healthy and safe this holiday season so we’ve put together some tips and great resources to ease your shopping experience.
Clothing
When purchasing clothing, ensure clothing does not contain drawstrings to eliminate the risk of strangulation. Also, inspect the item for small pieces (i.e. movable eyes, bows, jewels, etc) that can be removed by your child and swallowed. Remember, choosing organic clothing eliminates exposure to harsh chemicals and flame retardants.
Toys
Did you know that choking is the most common toy-related death? Be extra vigilant in inspecting your child’s toys. Make sure toys are age appropriate and do not contain small parts to prevent choking. Not sure if your child’s toy is too small? Testing is easy. Just take the item in question and see if it can fit through an empty toilet paper roll. If it can, it’s a choking hazard. Balloons are also very hazardous and should not be given to young children.
Choking is not the only hazard to be aware of. Remember to keep cords, string and rope out of child’s reach to prevent accidental strangulation. Be extra cautious with toys that contain small disc batteries and/or magnets, both of these can cause severe internal injuries and/or death if ingested. Due to less stringent regulations in years past, toys made prior to 1978 may contain unsafe levels of lead paint and are not safe for children to play with. Be sure to monitor for recalls frequently as this year has spawned many recalls in the baby and children’s sector.
Prior to purchasing toys this holiday season, do your homework. The following resources can help.:
- HealthyStuff.org has tested many toys for toxins such as cadmium, lead, mercury and arsenic. The toys are rated to help guide you when buying toys. They also have a mobile application to help you when you’re out and about.
- Consumer Reports is another great resource to research safety ratings and read reviews. When you subscribe to ConsumerReports.org, you will also have access to Consumer Reports Mobile. If you have an iPhone, Consumer Reports Mobile Shopper can be purchased for $9.99/year.
- The U.S. PIRG (Public Interest Research Group) Toy Safety 2010 can be accessed on the go from your mobile phone by visiting http://toysafety.mobi/
Many toys on the market today contain harmful chemicals and safer toys are not always easy to find in your local toy store. Check out these trusty resources for eco-friendly, non-toxic toys:
- The Soft Landing
- The Daily Green’s Best Green Toys of the Season
- The Safe Mama’s 2010 Holiday Toy Guide
- The Green & Clean Mom’s Eco-Conscious Gifts list
- Healthy Child Healthy World’s Healthy Toys Pocket Shopping Guide, The Absolute Greatest Guide to Green Gifts for Kids and The Top Ten Holiday Gift Guide
- Dandelion Earth-Friendly Goods
With these tips, a bit of research and some handy resources that you can access on the go, you can be armed with the tools that you need to hit the holiday sales. Happy shopping & happy holidays!
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{ 1 comment… read it below or add one }
It’s so true that many toys on the market today contain harmful chemicals and safer toys are not always easy to find in your local toy store. True and also unfortunate.
However, there are also many smaller, family businesses that make it THEIR business to provide the safest, healthiest baby and children’s products. Alicia (the Soft Landing) is one such business. She’s doing a great job at advocating for safer, healthier products in the US. For parents looking for products in Canada, we hope they’ll find our store.
One reason why safer, better products are harder to find is that the smaller businesses really rely on word of mouth to let others know about them. So it’s great articles like this that help get the word out. Thank you!