I did an appearance on London’s A Channel this morning to talk about toy shopping for the upcoming holiday season. After last year’s staggering 25 million toys recalled for various hazards — lead in the paint or vinyl, the “date-rape drug”, batteries that were small enough to cause choking — the U.S. Congress passed a law on July 30, 2008 that promised to clean up the toy aisles of America…and Canada since most companies sell toys on both sides of the border. The catch?? The law doesn’t go into effect until February 10, 2009, leaving a potentially dangerous window of opportunity for any unscrupulous toy companies to unload their toxic toys. My advice? Make sure you’re on top of recalls so that you don’t fall prey to any auction sites or “second-hand” sites passing off dangerous toys (visit Health Canada’s site at hc-sc.g.ca/cps-spc/advisories-avis/child-enfant/index_e.html or go to www.notinmycart.org). Look for toys that are simple: unpainted wooden blocks, LEGO (which has a long history of being safe), puzzles and so on. If you’re unsure about a toy’s safety, check it out with www.healthytoys.org. Just key in the brand name and get a report card. If the site doesn’t have one on the brand you’re curious about, let them know.
With due diligence on the part of all of us parents, we can ensure that our kids’ toys are not only fun, but safe.