Safety Decisions

Toy safety decisions are mostly made before the box is opened: at the age the toy is bought for, in the home it will live in, with the other children and pets who will be around it. These guides cover small parts and choking hazards, materials and finishes, battery compartments, magnets, and how to read age labels for what they actually mean. The age label is about hazards, not readiness — the age-by-age guide explains both. Before buying anything for a child under three, read the buying checklist, which includes the safety checks to run in the first ten minutes.