Safe Shopping Safety Tips

If you want to be a safe gift giver, here are the Consumer Product Safety Commission's Top Safe Shopping Tips. Be Aware of:

Magnets - For children under age six, avoid building sets with small magnets. If swallowed, serious injuries and/or death can occur.

Small Parts - For children younger than age three, avoid toys with small parts, which can cause choking.

Ride-on Toys - Riding toys, skateboards and in-line skates go fast and falls could be deadly. Helmets and safety gear should be sized to fit.

Projectile Toys - Projectile toys such as air rockets, darts and slingshots are for older children. Improper use of these toys can result in serious eye injuries.

Chargers and Adapters - Charging batteries should be supervised by adults. Chargers and adapters can pose thermal burn hazards to children.

The CPSC also recommends using the following tips to help choose appropriate toys for children:

Be a label reader. Look for toy labels that give age and safety recommendations and use that information as a guide. Select toys to suit the age, abilities, skills and interest level of the intended child.

Look for sturdy construction, such as tightly-secured eyes, noses and other potential small parts.

For all children under 8, avoid toys that have sharp edges and points.

Immediately discard plastic wrappings on toys before they become dangerous play things.

Keep toys appropriate for older children away from younger siblings or neighbors.

Pay attention to instructions and warnings on battery chargers. Some chargers lack any device to prevent overcharging.

For 2008, the Commission has reports of 19 toy-related deaths and about 172,700 hospital emergency room treated toy-related injuries to children under 15. Almost half of these injuries, approximately 82,300 were to children younger than 5 years of age. Most of the deaths were associated with drowning, motor vehicle involvement, or airway obstruction from a small toy or small part of a toy. To avoid safety hazards and injuries, follow the tips above and you can't go wrong. Keep children safe and happy!