Buying safe, fun toys this holiday season

SAVANNAH, Ga. (WTOC) - You might be running out to buy those last-minute Christmas gifts for your kids, but experts want to you think before you buy. While they may look fun, not all toys are safe for your children.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission said there were more than 226,100 toy-related injuries that left children in the ER in 2018. Of that 73 percent of them happened to kids 15 and younger. With numbers like this expert have some advice for you this holiday season.

They say you not only need to buy age and developmentally appropriate toys but also do some research.

"The best thing to keep in mind is to look for labels that are on the side of the toys,” said Sam Wilson, Memorial Hospital Safe Kids Savannah coalition coordinator. “A lot of times they will have choking hazard labels or anything that has to do with the manufacturing information that's a really good place to start."

They also say you need to look out for choking hazards on small toys or even the movable parts on toys.

Another thing they see a lot of parents buy this time of year is riding toys like bikes, hoverboards and more. They say these gifts should include properly fitted safety gear like a helmet.

Ultimately, you know your child best and experts say you should get familiar with their toys too.

"The best piece of advice is to play with your child,” explained Wilson. “Use that toy, show them how it's supposed to be used and also show them where it's supposed to go after your done playing with it."

Experts with Safe Kids Savannah say once the presents are opened, your job isn't done. Parents also need to be on the lookout for recalls and keep their older kids’ toys separate from their younger children.

If you want to know more about toy safety, you can visit Safe Kids Savannah or if you want to see a list of recalled items you can go to the Consumer Product Safety Commission.

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