Play it safe with your child<\/p>\n
By Martina Zainal<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Few parents realize the maze of pitfalls they
\nface in choosing toys for their children.<\/p>\n
It used to be that if you had a girl, she played with dolls.
\nIf you had a boy, he played with cars (or guns if you are
\nmilitary-minded).<\/p>\n
The variety and quality of toys available for children today
\nseem to require that buying parents have high IQs and big bank
\naccounts as well as an understanding of the safety factor of the
\ntoys.<\/p>\n
There is no doubt that parents need to choose children's toys
\nwisely. Not just for the age suitability that applies to the toys
\nthey buy but their safety, too.<\/p>\n
Today, each stage of a child's development is catered for with
\na myriad of mind-stimulating, character-building, preparing-for-
\nlife toys.<\/p>\n
Babies too young to do really anything but grab their toes can
\nnow be stimulated with cloth ankle and wrist straps that have
\nsoft toys attached to them with Velcro.<\/p>\n
When the baby is in its playpen, the soft toys can be
\n\"Velcroed\" to their accompanying playpen cloth-hanger.<\/p>\n
When children get to the sitting up and crawling stage, the
\ntoy choice is mind-boggling. They can ring bells, pull cords,
\npunch numbers, honk horns and generally begin the time when they
\njust don't stop making noise, any kind of noise, until they are
\nold enough to be unleashed upon the world.<\/p>\n
We've all heard the horror stories of small wheels being
\npushed up toddler's nose, screws swallowed, eyes poked with sharp
\nobjects, etc. or children finding (or being given) toys not
\nsuitable for their age group.<\/p>\n
If we are going to invest (at today's prices, that's the word
\nI'd use) in quality toys for our children, we need to make sure
\nthe toys are not going to harm them. Of course, there is no 100
\npercent guarantee; there will always be a child who is able to
\ntake even a \"child safe\" toy apart.<\/p>\n
Here in Indonesia, some say toy-safety awareness is a new
\nthing, what with department stores now selling what seems to
\nparents an infinite variety of imported toys and \"foreign ideas\",
\nwhich affect how our children play.<\/p>\n
One mother feels that certain toys imported and sold in
\nIndonesia are rejects from overseas because the manufacturers can
\nget away with selling whatever they like here.<\/p>\n
The Directorate of Consumer Protection at the Ministry of
\nTrade and Industry's Directorate General of Home Trade said it is
\n\"still developing its product quality control system for
\nIndonesia.\"<\/p>\n
But it does expect all goods made here or imported to comply
\nwith international standards.<\/p>\n
An employee at the directorate said that the directorate
\nwelcomed letters of complaint or information from consumers as
\nthey were considered a great help in its establishment of quality
\ncontrol and safety.<\/p>\n
\"All letters of complaint were followed up,\" he went on.<\/p>\n
This way, unsafe toys, or any other goods for that matter, can
\nbe checked and if found faulty taken off the market and banned.<\/p>\n
One example of a toy that was taken off the market was a toy
\ngun with plastic bullets.<\/p>\n
In November last year, after receiving a letter from one
\nmother who said her son had shot himself in the eye, and another
\nincident where two boys were playing with the gun and one was
\nshot in the head, resulting in serious bruising, the directorate
\ninvestigated the claims, which resulted in the seller being asked
\nto stop importing the toy and having all the toy guns withdrawn
\nfrom the market.<\/p>\n
Suitable toys<\/p>\n
According to Toy Manufacturers of America (TMA), based on
\nchild development research, the following guide will help in your
\nselection of toys for various age groups.<\/p>\n
Some playthings are recommended for more than one age
\ncategory, as children of different ages often enjoy the same toy,
\neach playing with it at his or her own level.<\/p>\n
Always remember that supervision is very important. This is
\nespecially important to remember in Indonesia where young and
\nvery young children are sometimes left in the care of household
\nstaff for many hours on end while both parents need to work.<\/p>\n
Birth to six months: Experts agree that even babies benefit
\nfrom toys. Infants use their senses to learn about their world.
\nFor the first few months of life, babies are unable to grasp
\nobjects with their hands, but enjoy exploring with their ears and
\neyes. Therefore, toys that make noise or feature high-contrast,
\nblack-and-white or brightly colored images are especially
\nappealing to newborns and young infants. Remember to avoid
\ndangerous entanglement; toys never should be hung or attached to
\na crib, playpen, stroller, infant seat or around a child's neck
\nwith elastic, string or ribbon.<\/p>\n
Suggestions: crib gyms, mobiles (don't forget to remove when
\nbaby is five months or is able to push up on hands and knees),
\nfloor gyms, activity quilts, safety mirrors, teething toys,
\nlarge, interlocking rings or keys, cloth toys, soft dolls,
\nstuffed animals (with short pile fabric), musical and chime toys,
\nand rattles.<\/p>\n
Six months to one year: In the second half of the first year,
\ninfants master motor skills that enable them to play with toys in
\nnew and exciting ways. When babies can sit up, they enjoy
\nplaythings they can manipulate -- to bang, drop, stack up, put in
\nand take out, and open and shut.<\/p>\n
Suggestions: balls (five centimeters and larger), push-pull
\ntoys, busy boxes, nesting and stacking toys, simple shape
\nsorters, pop-up toys, soft blocks, bath toys, teething toys,
\nlarge, interlocking rings or keys, soft dolls, stuffed animals
\n(with short pile fabric), simple musical instruments, rattles,
\nsqueeze\/squeak toys and cloth picture books.<\/p>\n
One year to two years: In the second year of life, children
\nare explorers. Fueled by curiosity and wonder, toddlers also
\npossess the physical skills that make it easy for them to play
\nand learn. A busy toddler needs toys for physical play --
\nwalking, climbing, pushing and riding -- and ones that encourage
\nexperimentation and manipulation. At this age, children imitate
\nadults and enjoy props that help them master life skills.<\/p>\n
Suggestions: balls, push-pull toys, ride-on toys, wagons,
\nbackyard gym equipment, nesting and stacking toys, simple shape
\nsorters, pop-up toys, blocks, bath toys, sandbox\/sand toys,
\nwading pool\/water toys, puzzles with knobs, stuffed animals,
\ndolls and baby gear, play vehicles, kitchen equipment and
\ngadgets, play household items, playhouse, child-sized table and
\nchairs, nontoxic art supplies (large crayons and coloring books,
\nclay, finger-paints), musical instruments, cardboard picture
\nbooks and pop-up books.<\/p>\n
Two years to three years: Older toddlers love testing their
\nphysical skills -- jumping, climbing and throwing -- and enjoy
\ntoys for active play. This age group also possesses good hand and
\nfinger coordination and enjoys putting these skills to work with
\nbasic arts and crafts, puppets, blocks and simple puzzles.
\nImaginative play also begins in the third year.<\/p>\n
Suggestions: balls, tricycle and helmet, wagon, backyard gym
\nequipment, shape sorters, building blocks and building systems,
\nblocks with letters and numbers, wading pool\/water toys,
\nsandbox\/sand toys, puzzles with knobs, stuffed animals, dolls
\nthat can be bathed, fed and diapered, dress-up clothes and
\naccessories, play vehicles, hand and finger puppets, kitchen
\nequipment and gadgets, play household items, playhouse, play
\nscenes (e.g., farm, airport) with figures and accessories, child-
\nsized table and chairs, nontoxic art supplies and storybooks.<\/p>\n
Three years to six years: After the age of three, children
\nbegin to play actively with each other. Preschoolers and
\nkindergartners are masters of make-believe. They like to act out
\ngrown-up roles and enjoy costumes and props to help them bring
\ntheir imaginations to life. It is quite common for children of
\nthis age to develop strong attachments to favorite toys, express
\nfeelings to a special doll or teddy bear. Materials for arts and
\ncrafts are also popular with this age group, which enjoys
\ncreating things with their hands.<\/p>\n
Suggestions: tricycle and helmet, bicycle and helmet, backyard
\ngym equipment, construction toys, lacing and threading sets,
\npuzzles (10 to 20 large pieces), stuffed animals, dolls and doll
\nclothes, dress-up clothes and accessories, props for make-believe
\nplay, play vehicles, hand and finger puppets, play scenes with
\nfigures and accessories, tape player and tapes, nontoxic art
\nsupplies (safety scissors, construction paper, crayons), simple
\nboard games, word and matching games, and storybooks.<\/p>\n
But the most important aspect concerning our children is that
\nwhenever or whatever they play, they feel safe and are well-
\nsupervised.<\/p>\n
Take the time to get down and play with your children; don't
\njust hand them (or the nursemaid\/household staff) a box and say:
\n\"Here, play\".<\/p>\n
Interacting and playing with our children will not only create
\na positive atmosphere for their immediate time frame, but it will
\nbe something they will remember when they are parents and
\nbeginning down the same road with their children; they'll
\nremember that mom and dad took the time to be with them and
\nhelped them enjoy their childhood.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/play-it-safe-with-your-child-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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