How to Choose Safe Baby Toys
Lead paint, toxic chemicals and hard-to-pronounce ingredients have no place in a baby’s mouth. So why are these materials so common in baby toys? A wide range of baby toys are chock full of potentially hazardous materials, leaving parents with yet another issue to worry about. Spare yourself—and your baby—by buying appropriate, safe and all-natural baby products. Here are some tips to avoid toys that may soon appear on the product recall list. After all, play time should be worry-free—for both infants and parents.
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Instructions
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Browse the list of recalled baby toys from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission's website (see Resources). Join a mailing list to get the most up-to-date product recalls.
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Check the toy’s age range to make sure the toy is age appropriate for your child. If you can’t find a suggested age listed on the toy, call the manufacturer.
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Avoid toys with strings longer than seven inches, toys with sharp edges, toys that produce loud noises and damaged or broken toys. When in doubt about an object, throw it out or call the manufacturer.
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Consider buying a small parts tester, a tube designed for testing if an object poses a choking hazard for children ages three and under. If an object fits into the small parts tester—also know as a “choke tube”—you know it’s hazardous for a young child.
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Purchase toys made from nonchlorinated plastics only. Look for labels of polyethylene (“2” or “4”) or polypropylene (“5”). One frequently-used type of plastic to avoid is polyvinyl chloride, or PVC, which may cause negative health implications. Phthalates are chemical plasticizers used to make flexible PVC items like the soft teething rings found in big-name stores. Phthalates can leach out of PVC into your baby’s mouth.
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Buy toys made from wood, organic cloth or metal—just make sure non-toxic sealers and paints are used. Many European toy manufacturers offer only PVC-free, non-toxic, environmentally sustainable toys.
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Tips & Warnings
If you're unsure of any ingredients, call the manufacturer.
Send toys containing PVC back to the manufacturer. Many communities burn their trash, so if you throw toys away, all those toxins will be released into your local environment.
