How to buy safe toys for babies and children

Dec 17, 2009 5:00 AM

Toys are safer than ever before, thanks to tough new laws that help protect children from lead and phthalates, a potentially dangerous chemical found in some plastics. Both chemicals can be toxic if a child happens to ingest them, and since kids often chew on toys, it can happen.

Last year Congress passed the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008, which made safety standards mandatory rather than voluntary, and some retailers do a great job of setting their own stringent standards.

Walmart has its own Toy Safety Net program, which requires date coding so that toys are easier to identify in case of a recall or another safety issue. Toys “R” Us and Target have similar programs. So be reassured, but you should still shop with these safety strategies in mind:

• Read labels. This smart advice doesn’t apply only to food shopping. When you’re looking at a toy, check the package to make sure the toy fits the child’s age and stage of development. That’s more than just a way to gauge whether the kid will have fun with the toy; it also indicates whether the item might be a potential choking hazard because it contains small parts, for example.

Beware of any toy that has small magnetic pieces. If two or more magnets get swallowed, they can damage a child’s intestines. Magnet toys can be harmful for pets, too, and they made up a lot of the recalled toys list in 2008.

Also look for “no phthalates” on the package label. And note that toys made in the U.S. have a better track record than many imports. Be especially wary of the “made in China” label; many toys recalled in recent years came from China.

• Check for recalls. You can find a current list of recalled toys and other products on the Consumer Product Safety Commission’s recalled product search. Retailers are required to remove recalled toys from their shelves, but some may fall through the cracks. (See the CPSC’s list of recalled toys.)

• Don’t buy toys at the dollar store. When we went dollar-store shopping recently, our safety expert found some cheaply made toys that could pose a variety of hazards. An easy test for small parts: If it fits through a toilet-tissue tube, it might be a choking risk for a child younger than 3.

Also watch out for sharp edges or small parts that could break off. And beware of dangerous look-alikes; at the store we found lighters that looked like a toy drill and a baseball bat.

Finally, shop carefully on eBay or at thrift stores and check to make sure products you find there haven’t been recalled. Don’t give your child any toy with missing or broken parts.

See our toy shopping posts and toy buying guide for more information. And get more great shopping tips in ShopSmart magazine.