What makes a toy safe?
Amelie Fay
2025-06-23 12:58:45
Count answers: 11
Toys made of fabric should be labeled as flame resistant or flame retardant.
Stuffed toys should be washable.
Paint on any toys should be lead-free.
Art materials should say nontoxic.
Crayons and paints should say ASTM D-4236 on the package, which means that they've been evaluated by the American Society for Testing and Materials.
Toys should be large enough — at least 1¼ inches (3 centimeters) in diameter and 2¼ inches (6 centimeters) in length — so that they can't be swallowed or lodged in the windpipe.
Battery-operated toys should have battery cases that secure with screws so that kids cannot pry them open.
When checking a toy for a baby or toddler, make sure it's unbreakable and strong enough to withstand chewing.
Also, make sure it doesn't have: sharp ends or small parts like eyes, wheels, or buttons that can be pulled loose small ends that can reach the back of the mouth strings longer than 7 inches (18 centimeters) parts that could pinch small fingers.
And make sure a toy isn't too loud for your child.
The noise of some rattles, squeak toys, and musical or electronic toys can be as loud as a car horn — even louder if a child holds it directly to the ears — and can lead to hearing loss.
Clotilde Considine
2025-06-23 12:10:08
Count answers: 7
Toys are age-graded for safety. Age-grades are guidelines that reflect the toy’s safety based on: Any choking or safety risks The physical skills a child needs to play with the toy How well a child can understand how to use the toy The interests, needs and abilities at different stages of a child’s development.
Choose toys that match your child’s age and skills.
Pick toys made of natural materials, like cotton, wool and uncoated wood.
Avoid old wooden toys with chipped paint.
The paint may contain lead.
Check that toys made of fabric can be washed.
Choose toys labeled phthalate-free, PVC-free and BPA-free, avoiding plastic toys with recycling codes #3, #6 and #7.
Choose paints, crayons, markers and other art materials that say “non-toxic.”
Buy the safety gear that goes with the item, such as a helmet with a bike.
Check toys often for damage.
Watch for splinters or sharp edges on wooden toys.
Sand them when needed.
If you repaint toys, use new paint; old paint may contain lead.
Laurine Cummerata
2025-06-23 11:05:32
Count answers: 7
Reputable toymakers apply rigorous safety processes to their toys. They will design the toy with safety in mind, knowing where potential risks may arise. They will ensure that their production process is stable and has no influence on the safety aspects. They will choose their suppliers carefully and will test materials. Once a toy prototype is ready, it will undergo several safety tests. These include use and abuse tests, a series of torque tests, tension tests, drop tests, impact tests, compression tests, tip over tests, seam strength tests, flammability tests, chemical tests and so on. The Directive defines the essential safety requirements that toys must meet before being placed on the market. This includes considerations such as toy’s physical and mechanical properties, their potential for flammability, their electrical properties, the chemicals used in manufacture and construction and so on.
Read also
- What are the safety guidelines to consider when choosing toys?
- How would you decide if a toy is safe?
- What are the criteria for selecting toys?
- What materials are safe for children's toys?
- What are three things caregivers need to evaluate when deciding if a toy?
- When buying toys What is a good characteristic to look for?
- Why is toy safety important?
- How to choose non-toxic toys?
- How can consumers be sure that toys are safe?