How to stay informed about toy recalls and safety alerts

Staying informed about the latest toy recalls is an issue that I recently went through myself. Two of the toys that I had purchased for my children recently were recalled. I was watching the news and they mentioned it, so I went directly to the toy manufacturers website and was able to get all the information that I needed.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

1. The toys that I purchased myself were ...
   
   For my daughter ~ The Barbie Doll and Tanner set. It recalled because they feared the magnets were hazardous to smaller children. They thought that they were to small and some children would swallow them. My daughter is older so it was not a big deal and I didn't have to do anything about this toy.
   
   For my son ~ Go Diego Go Talking Rescue 4 x 4 was recalled due to Lead paint. I had purchased in June and the recall information on their website said anything sold after May 1, 2007 is at risk. So I looked for the model number located on the toy and it was a recall. So it advised that I remove the toy from my child and sent me a printable prepaid mailing label in an email. This way I was not required to pay any shipping and handling charges.
2. Next I mailed the toy to them and they sent me a replacement voucher for the toy amount. It was a simple and speedy process. I think this problem should been avoided all together by making sure that the companies do all the tests BEFORE they are allowed to place the product on the store shelves to be sold. It is a shame that millions and million of toys are recalled because the company's do not check the items beforehand.
3. I recommend that you watch the news since they are always making the public aware of any recalls on any products. Another way to stay informed of any toy recalls is checking the manufactures websites directly. The majority of the websites will havea recall link that you can click on to see if any of the items recalled are in your home.
4. Also I notice that at the stores when there is a recalled item the store will post a note next to where the product should be. Listed on the note will be the phone number and website where you can get any information that you need. It also often will tell you the product code numbers that are recalled. For instance when I was at Target I noticed in the toy section where the Barbie my daughter had there was a note stating that the toy was recalled.
5. So when you are shopping this holiday season pay attention to the news and any notes that you may see around the toy section of the store. These are the most common way to find out about any potential toy recalls. If the manufacturer can not take care of the items in their warehouse before they are sold to the public, we as parents need to take the required measurements to ensure our children's safety.