If you’re buying your child a bicycle, scooter, inline skates or skateboard, make sure you also give the proper safety equipment. Recommended safety gear include helmets that meet safety standards plus hand, wrist, knee and shin guards.
    Look on the label for certification by Snell or Consumer Product Safety Commission.
[SOURCE: KidsHealth for Parents, “Choosing safe toys,” reviewed by Kate Cronan, M.D., May, 2007]

 Facts about Phthalates
                                                                                                               

The U.S. Public Interest Research Group, a consumer advocacy organization, recommends that parents check product labels this holiday season for the presence of phthalates. Phthalates are substances added to plastics to make them softer and more flexible. Products containing phthalates, including toys and baby care products, are widely available, although less frequently than in the past because of health concerns.
    Based on research showing adverse effects on laboratory animals and human studies suggesting abnormalities in  children born to mothers with high levels of phthalates, the use of the substance in toys has been restricted by the European Union and several states. 
    A U.S. law banning the use of six  phthalates for products intended for children under 12 was signed into law in August, 2008 and will take effect in 2009.
    The “Phthalate Information Center” (www.phthalates.org), an internet site that claims the health concerns of phthalates are unfounded, is sponsored by major plastics manufacturers rather than independent scientists.
[SOURCE: Phthalate Information Center]

 Reporting an Unsafe Toy or Product
                                                                           

Have you discovered a safety hazard in a toy or other product? Report it to the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC): 1-800-638-2722; www.cpsc.gov/incident.html; mailto%20info@cpsc.gov. 
    The CPSC has the authority to issue recalls on toys or other products it finds to be hazardous.
[SOURCE: Dr. Steven Parker, “Toy safety,” Healthy Children blog, WebMD, November 29, 2005]

Toys Should Be Emotionally Safe Too
                                                                           

Most parents take for granted that the toys they buy their children should be physically safe–free of lead-based paint, toxic chemicals, sharp edges and small parts that could be swallowed by toddlers. But emotional and social safety are also important. Studies have indicated that children can be negatively influenced by graphic depictions of violence presented in an interactive way in computer or video games. Games are rated, but parents should do their own checking as well since games rated as suitable for “everyone” often contain significant violence. Toys that promote negative racial, ethnic, cultural or gender stereotypes can also be emotionally damaging and give children a message about what their parents value.
[SOURCE: Danette Glassy, et al, “Selecting appropriate toys for young children: the pediatrician’s role,” Pediatrics, April, 2003]

Warnings on Safe Toys Dilute Message
                                                                                   

After pushing for and obtaining appropriate warnings on toys that constitute a choke hazard, the Public Interest Research Group is now concerned that some manufacturers are “over-labeling toys,” placing the hazard warning even on toys that do not contain small parts. PIRG warns that this “could dilute the meaning of the warning labels, making them less useful to parents.”

[SOURCE: Public Interest Research Group, “Trouble in Toyland,” November, 2004]

Wash Hands Rather than Disinfect Toys
                                                                                   

Toys can transmit viruses and bacteria, just as any surface of your home can. If other children visit, you may want to put washable toys and vinyl books in the washing machine once a week or so. Soap and water is every bit as good as antibacterial products in cleaning them. The easiest and best way to prevent the spread of germs is through frequent hand washing.

[SOURCE: Donald Middleton and Sharon Dickinson, “Why Buying Toys, Aim for Safe & Stimulating,” Newsweek, September 29, 1997]