HomeToy safety
Toys cause injury to thousands of children in the UK every year.You should always shop with care to make sure any gifts you buy for youngsters are safe to use. You can do this by:
- only buying toys from recognised outlets
- making sure toys display the European Community (CE) symbol. This means they meet the requirements of the EC Toy Safety Directive and are safe to use.
- checking the toy is suitable for the child's age. For example, if it comes with a small parts warning for 0-3-year-olds, never give it to children this age as they are particularly prone to choking.
- checking for loose hair and small parts, which could present a choking hazard
- avoiding toys with sharp edges and points which could cause injury
- looking out for long pieces of string or loose ribbon which could cause strangulation
- avoiding novelty items and sweets which come with small toys.
