If you’re like my family, even though you tried not to go “overboard” with gifts this holiday season, there are lots of new toys and doodads around your house. How do you know if they’re safe and healthy for your kids to play with? Here are a few web sites that can help you find out:
* www.cpsc.gov (or click here to get straight to the toys) lets you check to see if any of the new toys and games in your house have been recalled for safety reasons. Recently recalled toys include snap beads, workshop sets, and pirate action figures. You can also sign up for email notifications of recalled toys and children’s products at www.recalls.gov.
* www.HealthyToys.org has test results for loads of toys and children’s products that haven’t been recalled but might still have unsafe levels of chemicals that can harm kids. Chemicals tested include lead, mercury, and brominated flame retardants, among others. See this page for more in-depth information on the chemicals tested for and why they are worrisome (we’ll talk more about these chemicals in the coming months). This website also lets you nominate products for testing, and even check if there’s lead in a toy by sending a text message.
* www.zrecsguide.com lists well over 1,000 children’s products in its Guide to Safer Children’s Products. The guide is skewed towards baby products, so it’s a great spot to check on infant and toddler toys, baby bottles, and the like. A great one for expectant parents!
Bookmark these web sites, and others as we cover them, so you can check them out next year before gift-giving season arrives.
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