Toy Safety: Doing Your Own Checks

Nowadays toy safety is a greater concern than ever. After last years extensive recalls of toys manufactured in China, parents are doing everything they can to make sure that the toys the buy for their children are safe. But many consumers have little trust for the toy industry’s checks on itself, and are taking responsibility for checking the safety of their kids’ toys. Here are some of the most important things to look out for when investigating the safety of a toy.

-    The toy should be both sanitary and washable—it’s amazing how quickly children’s toys can get dirty.
-    Toys should be well constructed. Cheap toys can come apart, exposing dangerous parts like wires, springs, or sharp edges.
-    Toys should not have no small parts that could come off and be swallowed or otherwise misused, and make sure the toy itself is large enough that it cannot be swallowed or put into the nose or ears.
-    Every part of the toy, including all paint and decorations should be non-toxic.
-    Look out for points that your child could fall on, or strings or cards that are long enough to choke.
-    Stuffed toys should not be filled with potentially dangerous materials like small pellets.
-    Toys made with cloth should carry the labels “flame resistant,” “flame retardant,” or “nonflammable.”

Of course, as your child gets older and you can trust him or her to play safely, less of these checks will be necessary. It’s also important to keep track of your children’s toys, and broken toys should be either repaired or disposed of so that they don’t pose a danger. You should also make sure that the toy is age appropriate for your child.

For more toy safety information, check out our post on the toy industry’s safety certification program.

“The Dark Knight” Toys

With the recent release of Batman: The Dark Knight breaking the record for opening weekend box office sales, it’s no surprise that the movie’s toys and collectibles are flying off of shelves across the country. The official toys are coming from Mattel, who has released a line of action figures, role-playing toys, vehicles, and playsets.

Some of the most popular toys are the Wayne Tech Mega Cape Accessory, a cape with a five foot wingspan that retracts into a back harness. The Shift Attack Sports Coupe comes with both Batman and Bruce Wayne figures, and the coupe turns into a missile-firing attack vehicle. And the Rapid Fire Utility Belt has a motorized blaster of foam missiles and also comes with a cape.

Collectors, however, are flocking to the Joker toys. Heath Leger’s renowned performance and untimely death have made the toys all the more appealing. The Japanese toy company Medicom has also released some hip designer vinyl toys.