Carefully choosing a toy as a Christmas gift for children is a task we should not take lightly. If the wrong toy is chosen, we do not only risk wasting our hard-earned money but may also expose the children receiving it to danger. To ensure that we choose the right toys, we must meet these guidelines:

Age-appropriate toys

When choosing a toy we should look out for the age recommendation printed on it. Before making our choice, we should keep in mind the abilities of the child who will be playing with the toy.

Children may get hurt if they are given a toy meant for their specific age. A toy that contains small parts is usually marked as ‘unsuitable for children under three’, as children of such a young age tend to put everything in their mouths and may choke on small parts. Toy parts should therefore be bigger than the child’s mouth to prevent the possibility of choking.

Well-made toys

Very young children tend to pull, throw and twist toys. We should therefore only buy toys that are well made with tightly secured eyes, noses and other parts.

Look out for CE mark

This indicates that the toy has been manufactured in conformity with the essential safety requirements and can therefore be sold within the EU market. This mark should be printed on all toys placed on the European market in a way that is visible and easily legible and cannot be rubbed off or erased.

Before buying a toy, we should also ensure that on the toy or its packaging there is the name, address or trademark of the manufacturer and its agent or importer within the EU because it is their responsibility if the toy results unsafe.

Read warnings

To avoid possible dangers, we should look out for any warnings printed on the packaging of toys. These should not only be read and observed by the person buying them but also by parents or guardians who will be playing with the toy. These warnings should not be thrown away with the rest of the packaging but must be kept for future reference.

Physically check toys

When a new toy is given to our children it is advisable to physically check out the toy ourselves. We know how our children play with toys and we can use this knowledge to detect any possible dangers.

We should also spend some time with our children to make sure that they are playing with the new toy as intended and confirm that it is suitable for their age and abilities.

We must also make sure that the toy’s packaging is removed from the children’s reach, especially plastic packaging, as there could be a risk of suffocation.

Battery-operated toys should have battery cases secured with screws so that children cannot open them and remove the batteries.

Second hand toys

As parents/guardians of small children we should be very careful before giving them second-hand toys. Old toys may not meet current safety standards and may be so worn from play that they can break and become dangerous. Hence, used toys should be checked for any parts that could easily be chewed or snapped off, and damaged toys should be thrown away.

Reporting unsafe toys

Unsafe toys may be reported to the Market Surveillance Directorate within the Technical Regulations Division of the Malta Competition and Consumer Affairs Authority. This directorate may either be contacted by e-mail on info@mccaa.org.mt or by calling 2395 2000.

odette.vella@mccaa.org.mt

Odette Vella is senior information officer, Office for Consumer Affairs, Malta Competition and Consumer Affairs Authority.