With the holidays here, parents and gift givers are racing to stores to find a gift for everyone on the list. Before rushing to buy any gift for the child on your list, remember to consider if the gift you are buying is safe and appropriate.
Check the age range
Jody Jordet, a community life educator at Sanford Health, recommends considering a child’s age when buying gifts. Pay attention to age recommendations on the packaging. Toys for children under age three need additional safeguards. In addition, manufacturers develop toys for a specific age range. The toy should match the child’s skill level.
“It isn’t fun for younger children to play toy designed for older children and vice versa,” says Jordet. “Young children will not have the development or coordination needed to enjoy toy’s designed for older children, and older children will get bored quickly with a toy created for younger children.”
Consider the ages in the house
Perhaps the child you are purchasing a gift for would enjoy the game, but are there younger children in the house? Before buying a gift, make sure the child’s parents feel comfortable having the toy around young children.
When buying gifts for young children, avoid games and board games with small parts, such as Legos, Trouble and Checkers. Also, look over toys to ensure they have no sharp points, edges or small pieces.
Examine the toy and packaging
“Any toy you buy should be sturdy and well manufactured.” Jordet adds, “When buying a gift, choose quality over quantity. Cheap toys tend to break more easily. They just create clutter, are hard to clean up and are overwhelming to kids.”
Keep in mind the packaging material, wrapping paper and small pieces that come with the toy.
“The packaging material – zip ties, cellophane – is a big danger to children and pets. It just takes one time for a child to roll right into it and choke,” says Jordet. “I remind parents to place your packaging into a garbage receptacle right away.”
Watch for batteries
“The most important item to watch out for is nickel-sized button batteries. They are toxic to children and are the perfect size to get stuck in the throat easily. They look like coins so a small child thinks they are fun to taste. But a battery can burn a hole in the esophagus in little under an hour,” explains Jordet. “There are not a lot of symptoms with battery swallowing. By the time you notice, the damage is done.”
Keep the area safe
“The best way to avoid injuries or choking is to keep the area clean.” Jordet says, “Teach kids to clean up as you are opening gifts. If you have older and younger children in your household, consider having a special room for toys with small parts. That way you can block the room off from younger children.”
When visiting relatives who don’t have small children, be especially vigilant to look for small toys, unsecured medicine or other hazards. Do not be afraid to communicate with your family before arriving to make sure hazards are covered or removed. It’s in everyone’s best interest to ensure the area is safe for children.
With a little thought, the perfect gift is out there for every child on your holiday list. And you can rest assured that you have bought a safe gift for everyone in the household.
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Posted In Children's, Health Information, Healthy Living
