National Toy and Gift Safety Month

Nothing is more important than making little Susie or Jimmy happy this Christmas. Fulfilling his or her every toy or gift desire is somewhere on every parent’s holiday list. But, when it comes to selecting presents, is toy and gift safety at the top of your list?

For National Toy and Gift Safety month, Army Community Service sat down with the Director of the JBM-HH Child Development Center to gain insight and share with the Army community information about toy safety selections, educational resources, and sanitation methods.

Safe Toy Selections
Are you the parent who has been roaming the aisles searching for toys to buy this holiday season? Then, read below to find out questions to ask when shopping for safe and secure presents.
• What is the size of the toy? How many parts come with the toy? Can it get lost easily? Can small children or infants swallow it?
• Does the toy have sharp edges?
• Is the toy sturdy and adequately constructed?
• Is the toy painted? If so, is it lead free?
• Can the toy be sanitized?

To find more information on safe toy selection, visit http://www.army.mil/article/92555/December_is_National_Safe_Toys_and_Gifts_Month.
Or, if you want to learn about product recalls, then review the Child Safety Act Protection Sheet at http://www.cpsc.gov/en/Safety-Education/Safety-Guides/Toys/. Although these are great tips to keep in mind, selecting toys for children with special needs differs. Additional information about choosing toys for children with disabilities or developmental needs can be found at http://www.toysrus.com/shop/index.jsp?categoryId=3601775.

Alternate Routes of Purchase
You live 35 miles from Toys-R-Us and the closest Wal-Mart and Kmart stores are sold out of the latest high tech gismo that little Jimmy or Susie believes he can’t live without. Or, have you decided to go against the grain this holiday season and look for educational materials and toys that will boost little Susie or Jimmy’s developmental skills? Don’t worry, ACS has provided three alternate routes of purchase or online consumer marketplaces that are full of educational and cognitive proficiency boosting toys:

1. Discount School Supplies
2. Kaplan
3. Fat Brain Toys

Toy Sanitation
Nurseries and child care facilities take the upmost care in sanitizing and cleaning their toys. Parents should do the same, too. Viruses, bacteria, and dirt can be transmitted though unclean toys that have been outside or on the floor, stuck in one’s mouth, or licked by your pet. Below are a few tips on cleaning toys:
• Stuffed animals or toys constructed of fabric: Throw them in the washing machine using the hot water cycle.
- Do not wash if the toy is stuffed with hard objects.
- Make sure the stuff animal is completely dry before putting it back on the playing floor.
• Toys with electronic parts: Use a sanitizing wipe, spray white vinegar lightly on a cloth, or apply an antibacterial spray solution for toys of this nature. Gently rub the exterior while making certain that the electronic toy is not sopping wet. Then, let air dry.
• Plastic dolls with hair: You can disinfect dolls with hair by shampooing their hair and using an antibacterial solution or a 50/50 solution of vinegar and water on the rest of the doll’s body.

Small toys for infants and toddlers should be cleaned twice a week or whenever needed. For more information on how and when to clean toys, visit Cleanmyspace.com.

What toys will you buy your child(ren) this holiday season? Share with us your toy and safety guidelines! ACS wants to hear from you!

**Links to external and non-DoD resources are posted in the common interest to the military community and does not imply Department of Defense endorsement of a commercial entity.**