What the toy you are going to buy for your baby was made of, what age it is intended for, whether it has sharp edges and how to play with it - these are the most important things you should know when buying toys for your baby .

First of all, check what age it is intended fortoyif there is no warning on the packaging that the child may only play with it under adult supervision (as in the case of "little chemists ”).

Or maybe you will need to buy pads or a helmet (e.g. when you decide to buy skates or roller skates)? Some, such as slides and swings, must be accompanied by installation and maintenance instructions. If you are purchasing an inflatable water toy, the package should state thatchildmay only use it at a safe depth and under adult supervision. Also, do not forget to check that the manufacturer or importer has provided their name and address on the packaging.

How to choose toys?

The next step will be to carefully examine the toy. What material was it made of? Can it be cleaned easily? Are there no sharp edges or visible damage? Are its parts too small and are they well connected (a child might swallow them)?

With larger toys, check their stability and resistance to pressure. Warning! Packaging (e.g. a plastic bag that could suffocate a child) can also be dangerous, so just in case give your toddler a toy that has already been unpacked.

Can you buy your baby a toy for older kids?

The information "the toy is not intended for children under 3 years of age" does not refer to the child's development level, but to safety. For example, it may have small pieces that a child could easily put in its nose. If you decide to buy, despite the warning, you do so at your own risk.

Important

The CE mark does not guarantee safety

The manufacturer places this marking on the packaging, thus declaring that his product has been manufactured in accordance with safety requirements, which, unfortunately, is not always true. Whether this designation is true or not depends on its honesty and integrity. And it is he who, if it turns out that the product is dangerous, bears the responsibility. Placing it ismandatory if the toys are to reach the European market, so producers often print them from the machine.

In the third quarter of 2022, the Trade Inspection inspected 551 toys at 65 entrepreneurs, mainly in small and large stores and wholesalers. They questioned 33 percent. toys checked (182), mainly for formal but also constructional reasons.

Most reservations related to packaging and labeling, e.g. the lack of operating instructions, warnings, lack of manufacturer's or importer's data, or documents confirming the assessment of compliance with the applicable requirements. However, some of the toys could be dangerous to children. Phthalates - potentially carcinogenic compounds that can cause asthma in children and hormonal disorders have been detected in some toys.

The law of course allows a certain amount of phthalates in the mass of the toy, but unfortunately it happens that there are too many of them. The parent cannot detect it himself, which is why we test the toys in which we know that it can happen in the laboratory - emphasizes Agnieszka Majchrzak from the Office of Competition and Consumer Protection in an interview with the Newseria Biznes agency. The highest observed concentration was about 30%. with an acceptable level of 0.01 percent.

What's more, some of the cheeky toys had the CE symbol, which proves compliance with European standards.

Some of the toys may be dangerous to the child

Who is responsible for the safety of the toys?

Always a producer. But probably many parents gave up buying something that aroused their distrust, or bought a toy that fell apart in the child's hands. Never get over it! Notify the provincial branch of the Trade Inspection.

The toy will be tested in a laboratory, and if the tests confirm that it poses a risk to children, it will be withdrawn from sale and placed in the register of dangerous products on the website of the Office of Competition and Consumer Protection: www.uokik.gov.pl LEGAL BASIS :

Regulation of the Minister of Economy, Labor and Social Policy on the essential requirements for toys of November 14, 2003 (Journal of Laws of 2003, No. 210, item 2045). Regulation of the Council of Ministers on the introduction of measures provided for in the provisions on general product safety with regard to products containing phthalates that pose a serious risk, of April 6, 2004 (Journal of Laws of 2004, No. 73, item 656).

This article has been published with the financial assistance of the European Union. The Consumers' Federation is responsible for the content of the document, the views expressed in it do not reflect anyevent of the official position of the European Union.

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Child's he alth