It's the winter holiday season :). Toys are on almost everyone's list. But what do we know about toy safety? Especially, the riding toy safety? We found this helpful short article and video and thought we should share. Found on www.onsafety.cpsc.gov.
"Top Toy Lists Start with Safety
by CPSC Blogger November 16, 2017
"riding toy"holiday safety toy safety
It’s holiday time and as a gift giver, you may be receiving your child’s top toy wish list. While buying the hottest and trendiest toys for your child may be the first thing that crosses your mind, CPSC wants to remind you that safety should always come first.
Every year, CPSC receives many reports of kids younger than 15 who end up in hospital emergency rooms with toy-related injuries. Last year, there were more than 174,100 toy-related ER-treated injuries and 7 deaths associated with toys to children younger than 15 years of age.
Riding toys, specifically non-motorized scooters, were the toy category associated with the most injuries and nearly half of toy-related deaths in 2016. Most of the toy-related injuries involved cuts and bruises with the head and face being the most commonly affected parts of the body.
Before you buy, follow these simple tips to help your holiday gifts be a source of joy rather than pain:
Check the label: Choose age-appropriate toys by reading the age label on the toy. For children younger than 3, avoid toys with small parts, which can cause choking. In particular, avoid deflated or broken balloons, small parts or small balls.
Get safety gear: With scooters and other riding toys, helmets and safety gear should be worn properly at all times and they should be sized to fit. Avoid riding a scooter on a street or roadway with other motor vehicles.
Be careful with magnets: High powered magnet sets are dangerous and should be kept away from children under 14. Building and play sets with small magnets should also be kept away from small children.
Practice toy safety at home. Supervise your child’s playtime. Keep up-to-date on toy recalls by signing up at www.CPSC.gov for free recall announcements sent to your email inbox. If your child has a recalled toy, be sure to remove it and get your refund, replacement or repair right away.
Toy safety is a top priority at CPSC, as we work to keep consumers, especially our smallest consumers – kids – safe. Play it Safe and watch our toy safety video. For more toy and product safety information, don’t forget to visit www.cpsc.gov."
