Tips To Buy Safe Toys For Babies by Dr. Chetan Ginigeri

1. Choose Age-Appropriate Toys

When you go toy shopping, you will see many colorful and vibrant choices. However, you should know that choosing age-appropriate toys will help your baby learn and develop. Toys suitable for all ages and developmental stages are now available in the market. These factors should be considered while shopping for toys for children.

Click here to read about age-appropriate toys for babies.

2. Do Not Opt For Loud Toys

Babies are fascinated by toys that are animated, emit light, and play music. They love to hold squeezes which make a sound when pressed. You need to be careful here since too loud sound can impair the hearing of your baby. This is because the baby’s play is unpredictable, what if he plays with the toy near his ear?

3. Go For Washable Toys

Children don’t watch where they are throwing their toys while playing. It may carry on several bacteria when thrown on some dirty objects. Since all the little ones have the habit of putting their toys in their mouths, those bacteria may cause many bacterial infections.

So, it’s better to buy toys that are easily washable and can be sanitized from time to time. Soft toys with fur and other elements should all be washable. Your baby is likely to explore these toys using his mouth and feel the texture, so make sure he is not falling ill because of germs hoarded by the toys. You may consider disinfecting the toys and washing them regularly to keep dirt at bay.

4. Electric Toys Are Not Safe Toys

You might not find it hard to understand why we have included this point in our article. Babies love their toys. They bang them on the floor, hit them, and take it in their mouths and, most of the time, love to sleep with their favorite toys. Have you ever thought about what will happen if they will behave the same with an electronic toy?

Any kind of breakage in electronic toys may make it shock resistant and can harm your baby in various harmful ways. So, it’s better to avoid buying an electronic toy for your baby until he becomes older enough to understand its working mechanism.

5. Consider Toy Size

Small toys increase the risk of choking. Ideally, the toys should be greater than 6 cm in length and 1.75 cm in diameter. Depending on the age of your baby, you may want to buy to stimulate his grip and coordination. Also, select toys that are lightweight at the same time. Heavier toys may cause unwanted injury to your baby.

6. Avoid Small, Loose Parts

Toys containing removable parts or those that can be easily pulled such as eyes or buttons should be avoided. Similarly, watch out for button batteries, small coins, and beads! They increase the risk of choking. Click here to know what you should do if your child swallows a coin or a small object.

7. Safe Toys Are Resistant To Chewing

Babies tend to put anything and everything in their mouths. They will chew toys or simply suck on them and squeal! So make sure that toys do not give in to your baby’s teething. The toys should not chip and break into small pieces which could be swallowed by your baby

8. Avoid Toys That Shoot Object Into Air

Never buy fancy toys that shoot things. Not only for your toddler but even for your elder ones until your little one is big enough to aim and get out of the way of the shot. If toddlers and infants handle these kinds of toys, by mistake, they might shoot something directly into their eyes or mouths. This can cause serious eye injuries or choking.

9. Toys With Sharp Edges Are Not Safe Toys

Sharp-edge toys are very dangerous for small ones. Safe toys are toys without sharp edges. They are innocent and don’t know what they are putting in their mouths. Sharp-edge toys may cause them some serious injuries. Small babies have soft and delicate skin. A little sharpness can pass through their skin and get them a painful cut. So, before buying a toy, feel its edges by yourself, and then handle it with your little one.

10. Check Strings Or Wires

Toys with long strings, threads, or wires pose a risk of strangulation for small babies. Sometimes babies can get caught among these which may hamper blood circulation and cause serious injuries. Remove any long ribbons or cords from the toys before handing them to the babies.

11. Safe Toys Are Non- Toxic Toys

You might be thinking about what is toxic in toys as they are made up of plastic. Then let me clear to you that toys made up of cheap plastic and painted with highly chemical substances are very toxic for your toddler. It causes the most harmful toxicity known as lead and mercury toxicity in your baby.

So, keep in mind to not buy China-made cheap toys and always go for high-quality checked toys available in the market. Other than that, these painted toys are highly flammable and can catch fire easily.

12. Sturdy Is The Key

Babies will do everything possible with their toys. Yanking, pulling, throwing, chewing, banging, etc. Toys should not become chipped or yield small parts when exposed to such behavior. So choose safe toys that are able to withstand such exposure. Toys that are cracked, with loose or broken parts should be immediately discarded

13. Avoid Electric Toys

Toys that have wire connections or run on electricity should be avoided. For the same reason that they will eventually end up in your baby’s mouth. Electric toys also have the risk of developing short circuits and shocks. With time, the wires may become broken in places and dangerous live cords can be fatal

14. Buying Second-Hand Toys

If you are buying any second-hand or used toy for your baby, make sure you inspect the toy well. Check for any buttons, nuts, batteries, wires, ribbons, eyes, beads, or plastic bits that could be coming off due to wear and tear. Anything that can be easily snapped or chewed away by your baby is not a good deal

Whenever you buy a new toy, discard the plastic covers immediately as they pose serious hazards to babies. It’s best not to leave your baby unattended with toys. It’s also recommended that you inspect your baby’s toys at regular intervals for their wear and tear. If the toy has loose, moving parts, it’s best to discard them appropriately.

It’s wise to purchase safe toys suitable for the baby’s age and those that will stimulate his development. As Doug Taylor rightly quoted “Toys are the greatest inspiration for me. People never really grow up.” So next time you are out to buy toys, do not forget the safety aspect of toys!