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Toy Safety: A Critical Balance
By Kim S. Blakely, PhD, Mary Ann Lang, PhD, Barbara Kushner Sosna, MA, SDA
Toy safety presents a unique challenge for parents and teachers of visually impaired children of all ages. Children with impaired vision may lack motivation to reach out and explore items and surroundings. In addition, impaired vision compounds risk because the child may not see a possible hazard. How can parents and teachers achieve a balance between encouraging children to explore, and protecting them from undue hazards?
Since it is important that the child have opportunities to explore the physical environment as well as interact with people and toys, ways must be found to increase contact and curiosity while minimizing risk. Encouraging interaction with the social and physical world is critical to the development of confidence, self-esteem, and concept and motor development, which form the basis of independence.
For the parent or teacher of a child with impaired vision, three factors -- awareness, motivation, and safety -- are the keys to developing a balanced approach to play safety. It is important that the child be aware of what is in the physical environment and any changes that have been made. The physical environment should have items that motivate the child to move and interact with them. And finally, it is necessary to ensure that when the child reaches out to the physical and social environment, he will not encounter undue risk.
Many commercially available toys can provide learning opportunities for the child with impaired vision. Toys should facilitate the learning process, and therefore should be matched to the child's abilities and not to his chronological age. They should vary in difficulty and grow with the child by offering new opportunities to explore and discover.
Not all toy manufacturers take precautions to make toys as safe as they could be. On the other hand, not all toys are appropriate for children of all ages and could inadvertently present a safety hazard. Consequently, toys should be examined closely before being purchased and should be appropriate for your child's abilities. The age level marked on toy packaging is not necessarily a indicator of the age at which the child might be interested in the toy or possess the skill necessary to use the toy. It is, however, an indicator of the age at which a child is most likely to safely use this toy. For example, games or toys with small, detachable parts are not considered safe for children during the very early years when everything tends to be placed in the mouth at some time. Safety age level may not necessarily apply to a child with impaired vision. To ensure your child's play safety when purchasing toys, the following information is provided.
Safety Considerations for the Infant or Toddler
- For the infant and toddler, some items can be easily swallowed, or put into ears or noses. One item on the market that tests for size safety is called the No-Choke Testing put out by Lakeshore. This tube simulates a young child's throat: any object that fits entirely into the cylinder fails the test. A toy or item passes the test if it protrudes from the tube.
- Beware of elastic ropes or ribbons on toys or cradle gyms that can choke a child or entangle his hands or feet.
- Make sure the toy has no sharp edges and cannot be easily broken at its joints.
- Make sure that the toy has no stick-on components that can be accidentally peeled off and eaten.
- Examine the toy for the possibility of its pinching little fingers or toes.
- Read the toy's instructions and safety labels.
Considerations for All Children
- Examine the toy for sharp edges.
- Read labels indicating the material used to make the toy to ensure that the coating is nontoxic.
- Beware of hidden wires in battery operated toys; pulling these wires may cause a shock.
- Check to see that the toy you have purchased is nonflammable.
- If electrical toys are used with a child with impaired vision, adult must be present to supervise.
- Think about the volume and intensity of sound a toy makes. Loud sounds can hurt the child's hearing. There is additional evidence that high frequency sounds can hurt an infant's hearing.
- Avoid toys with parts that fly or shoot off.
- Teach the child to store the toy safely.
Achieving a balance between safety factors and awareness and motivating factors is very challenging. Close examination of children's toys and family or teacher involvement play important roles in maintaining this balance. All family members, especially older siblings, should be taught to be careful not to leave toys or other objects within easy reach, if they do not want the toddler or young child to handle them. It is inevitable that children will bump into things, fall, and explore objects that are inappropriate and present a risk. However, close attention to the layout of the physical environment, discussing objects and toys the child plays with, and scrutinizing the toys that are purchased for the infant, toddler, or young child will help minimize the risk.