Christmas time is a very special moment of the year for everybody, especially for kids. They know Santa is going to forgive them for any misunderstanding they had with their parents and listen to their wishes. And what could they possibly want more for Christmas than toys? No matter the size, color or shape toys are better than sweets when it comes to kids. But with millions of toys made in China pulled from the shelves over safety fears in recent months, deciding what to buy to your children for the holidays has become an increasingly difficult decision.

 

According to the US Consumer Product safety Commission, 18 children died in toy-related deaths in 2007. And an additional 170,100 were treated in emergency rooms for toy-related injuries. Given the circumstances, I guess parents should be very careful when it comes to the safety of their children. They should know from the very beginning what toy is suitable for their children keeping in mind the age of their kids, the materials the toys are made of, and the way the kids can handle the toys. And parents always have to worry about toys that can harm kids in other ways such as ones with batteries that can explode or with small parts that a child can choke on.

 

“If you’re going to buy ride-on toys, anything that gives your child more mobility, we want to make sure you also are buying the proper safety equipment. If you do buy that brand new shiny bike, you should also buy the helmet. You should get the complete package for your child,” said Nychelle Fleming, a spokesperson for the CPSC.

 

Safety is the number one issue when it comes to your kids. Therefore, you should do anything in your power to ensure your children are safe when playing with the toys you’re buying for them. And there are a number of thing you should consider when buying a toy. First of all, ensure that your kids are trained to use toys and sports gear properly. Then avoid electrocution and other injuries by not letting children recharge their own toys or batteries. You’d better inspect toys and avoid small magnets or other detachable parts that could be choking hazards. And why not, supervise your children and stay involved while they play.

 

Then, make sure you don’t buy a recalled toy. You can check the recall status of a product by going to www.cpsc.hov. Also at that Web site, you can sign up to be kept up to date on dangerous products and to get recall announcements sent directly to your email account. The CPSC encourages people to seek out information about all types of recalls at www.recalls.gov. CPSC also seeks your help in identifying dangerous products. Therefore, they have the following instruction on their web site: To report a dangerous product or a product-related injury, call CPSC’s hotline at (800) 638-2772 or CPSC's teletypewriter at (800) 638-8270 , or visit CPSC’s website at www.cpsc.gov/talk.html.