On the Blog: Toy Safety for your Home & Play! 👍

Choking is a risk for kids ages 3 years or younger, because they tend to put random objects in their mouths. We all know this and I don't how many times I have fished out random objects from my own kids mouths when they were younger, taaaaaaaa taaaaaaa. And there you go, that bit of Lego I was looking for is inside their mouth. But rest assured, most injuries from toys are minor cuts, scrapes, and bruises.

We think that is what makes our wooden toys Quality Toys compared to some of the big cheap chain stores. 

We have drafted a few little things for you to look out for when purchasing toys…

All of our wood toys are clearly marked for the right age. Age recommendations on toys are helpful, because they offer a guide on the following:

1. Safety of the toy (for example, if there any possible choking hazards?)
2. The ability of a child to play with the toy
3. The ability of a child to understand how to use a toy
4. The needs and interests at various levels of a child’s development

Another key point is just keeping your toys safe at home. Wood toys do last longer but some care still needs to be taken with them. It really depends on how your little one plays with wooden toys. Adding water to wood toys is a definite no no. And smashing wood toys in the sand pit will also make them wear in faster. There are usually no nails used to make wood toys so sometimes things might just break off. Glues are used to add features on wood toys and can easily break off if Rampage Rory is playing with it too hard. Wood toys are not one big piece of wood - they are made of many components. We think wood toys are a little bit more of investment and last longer in the long run. And we actually like all the scratches and dint's in our wood toys as it shows how much our kids have loved playing with it.

After you've bought safe toys, it's also important to make sure kids know how to use them. The best way to do this is by supervising kids as they play. This teaches kids how to play safely while having fun.

For all Toys Parents should:

1. Teach kids to put toys away and all of our boxes are designed to last and pack all the wood parts back into the box
2. Check toys regularly to make sure that they aren't broken or unusable. We also sell spare parts on line to replace anything damaged or broken. If we don't have it online, simple contact us and we will be happy to help
3. Wooden toys shouldn't have splinters and this might only happen if they have been broken
4. Bikes and outdoor toys shouldn't have rust
5. Stuffed toys shouldn't have broken seams or exposed removable parts
6. Throw away broken toys or repair them right away
7. Store outdoor toys when they're not in use so that they are not exposed to rain

And be sure to keep toys clean. Some plastic toys can be cleaned in the dishwasher, but read the manufacturer's directions first. Another option is to mix a little eucalyptus oil with hot water in a spray bottle and use it to clean toys, rinsing them afterward

Read the toy label. Warning labels give important information about how to use a toy and what ages the toy is safe for.

Be sure to show your child how to use the toy the right way.

1. Avoid toys that shoot objects into the air
2. Avoid toys that are loud once again wood don't toys make any noise.....
3. Look for stuffed toys that are well made. Make sure all the parts are on tight and seams and edges are secure. Take off any loose ribbons or strings to avoid strangulation. Avoid toys that have small bean-like pellets or stuffing that can cause choking or suffocation if swallowed.
4. Buy plastic toys that are sturdy. Toys made from thin plastic may break easily.
5. Avoid toys with toxic materials. All our toys are toy tested for this and none of them are toxic.
6. Be careful when buying crib toys. Any hanging crib toy (mobiles, crib gyms) should be out of the baby's reach
7. Think Large. We do add an age range on our toys and we do test all of our toys but the bigger the pieces the less likely they are to put in their mouths.

We really don't want to alarm you.  We want you to enjoy our toys and have fun and play safely.  We just wanted to remind you that we work hard as a small company to ensure ALL are toys are Quality Toys.