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No Kidding with Unsafe Toys

It's the holidays! And if you are thinking of giving toys as gifts you need to know which may be dangerous to children. A recent study by the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) suggested minority children have higher rates of preventable injuries and deaths associated with children products. We have compiled guidelines and resources to help you become informed and make the right choice:

Guidelines for Good Toys

• Is the toy age appropriate?
• Does it have, or could it break into small parts that a child could put in his/her mouth?
• Is the fabric labeled as flame resistant or flame retardant?
• Is the stuffed toy washable?
• Is the toy painted with lead-free paint?
• Are the art materials nontoxic?
• Stay away from older toys and hand-me-downs.
• Is the toy too loud for your child?

For parents, Grandparents, and Other Kid Pleasers

• The Good Guide is highlighting the "The Greenest Toy Companies of 2009" and "Testing Toys for the Holidays"
• Since 2006 HealthyStuff.org has tested thousands of toys. Toys tested in 2009 can be viewed, by level of chemical of concern.
• KidsHealth.org has an article on "Choosing Safe Toys"
• Safekids.org has information on preventing accidental injury from toys

Read Government Reports on Toy Safety

• Stay up-to-date with toy recalls. Check U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (USPSC) . You can also call 1-800-638-2772 to get information.
• The USPSC also has a Web Page on age appropriate toys from 0 to 12 years old: "Are you Buying the Right Toy for the Right Age Child?"
• The Centers for Diseases Control and Prevention Information on toys
• New York Online Access to Health (NOAH) has information on age appropriate toys, how to choose safe toys, the dangers of electric toys, and toy recalls.
• The GAO report "Better Data Collection and Assessment of Consumer Information Efforts Could Help Protect Minority Children" [PDF | 801KB]
• "New Actions to Reduce Consumer Product-Related Deaths and Injuries to Minority Children" [PDF | 75KB] is a response by CPSC to a study conducted by the GAO suggesting that minority children may have higher rates of preventable injuries and deaths associated with children products.
• More information on infant and child health from the Office of Minority Health

Check Out Independent Research

• 2010 "10 Worst Toys" List
• U.S. Pirg’s 2011: Trouble in Toyland Report
• U.S Pirg's 2009 "Trouble in Toyland: The 24th Annual Survey of Toy Safety"
• Minority children at higher risk of accidental death by Consumer Reports

Playing with Toys in the News

• Toys that reflect racial diversity hailed as 'about time'
• On Parenting: Evaluating hazards of children's toys by The Washington Post