Play it safe with your child

By Martina Zainal

JAKARTA (JP): Few parents realize the maze of pitfalls they face in choosing toys for their children.

It used to be that if you had a girl, she played with dolls. If you had a boy, he played with cars (or guns if you are military-minded).

The variety and quality of toys available for children today seem to require that buying parents have high IQs and big bank accounts as well as an understanding of the safety factor of the toys.

There is no doubt that parents need to choose children's toys wisely. Not just for the age suitability that applies to the toys they buy but their safety, too.

Today, each stage of a child's development is catered for with a myriad of mind-stimulating, character-building, preparing-for- life toys.

Babies too young to do really anything but grab their toes can now be stimulated with cloth ankle and wrist straps that have soft toys attached to them with Velcro.

When the baby is in its playpen, the soft toys can be "Velcroed" to their accompanying playpen cloth-hanger.

When children get to the sitting up and crawling stage, the toy choice is mind-boggling. They can ring bells, pull cords, punch numbers, honk horns and generally begin the time when they just don't stop making noise, any kind of noise, until they are old enough to be unleashed upon the world.

We've all heard the horror stories of small wheels being pushed up toddler's nose, screws swallowed, eyes poked with sharp objects, etc. or children finding (or being given) toys not suitable for their age group.

If we are going to invest (at today's prices, that's the word I'd use) in quality toys for our children, we need to make sure the toys are not going to harm them. Of course, there is no 100 percent guarantee; there will always be a child who is able to take even a "child safe" toy apart.

Here in Indonesia, some say toy-safety awareness is a new thing, what with department stores now selling what seems to parents an infinite variety of imported toys and "foreign ideas", which affect how our children play.

One mother feels that certain toys imported and sold in Indonesia are rejects from overseas because the manufacturers can get away with selling whatever they like here.

The Directorate of Consumer Protection at the Ministry of Trade and Industry's Directorate General of Home Trade said it is "still developing its product quality control system for Indonesia."

But it does expect all goods made here or imported to comply with international standards.

An employee at the directorate said that the directorate welcomed letters of complaint or information from consumers as they were considered a great help in its establishment of quality control and safety.

"All letters of complaint were followed up," he went on.

This way, unsafe toys, or any other goods for that matter, can be checked and if found faulty taken off the market and banned.

One example of a toy that was taken off the market was a toy gun with plastic bullets.

In November last year, after receiving a letter from one mother who said her son had shot himself in the eye, and another incident where two boys were playing with the gun and one was shot in the head, resulting in serious bruising, the directorate investigated the claims, which resulted in the seller being asked to stop importing the toy and having all the toy guns withdrawn from the market.

Suitable toys

According to Toy Manufacturers of America (TMA), based on child development research, the following guide will help in your selection of toys for various age groups.

Some playthings are recommended for more than one age category, as children of different ages often enjoy the same toy, each playing with it at his or her own level.

Always remember that supervision is very important. This is especially important to remember in Indonesia where young and very young children are sometimes left in the care of household staff for many hours on end while both parents need to work.

Birth to six months: Experts agree that even babies benefit from toys. Infants use their senses to learn about their world. For the first few months of life, babies are unable to grasp objects with their hands, but enjoy exploring with their ears and eyes. Therefore, toys that make noise or feature high-contrast, black-and-white or brightly colored images are especially appealing to newborns and young infants. Remember to avoid dangerous entanglement; toys never should be hung or attached to a crib, playpen, stroller, infant seat or around a child's neck with elastic, string or ribbon.

Suggestions: crib gyms, mobiles (don't forget to remove when baby is five months or is able to push up on hands and knees), floor gyms, activity quilts, safety mirrors, teething toys, large, interlocking rings or keys, cloth toys, soft dolls, stuffed animals (with short pile fabric), musical and chime toys, and rattles.

Six months to one year: In the second half of the first year, infants master motor skills that enable them to play with toys in new and exciting ways. When babies can sit up, they enjoy playthings they can manipulate -- to bang, drop, stack up, put in and take out, and open and shut.

Suggestions: balls (five centimeters and larger), push-pull toys, busy boxes, nesting and stacking toys, simple shape sorters, pop-up toys, soft blocks, bath toys, teething toys, large, interlocking rings or keys, soft dolls, stuffed animals (with short pile fabric), simple musical instruments, rattles, squeeze/squeak toys and cloth picture books.

One year to two years: In the second year of life, children are explorers. Fueled by curiosity and wonder, toddlers also possess the physical skills that make it easy for them to play and learn. A busy toddler needs toys for physical play -- walking, climbing, pushing and riding -- and ones that encourage experimentation and manipulation. At this age, children imitate adults and enjoy props that help them master life skills.

Suggestions: balls, push-pull toys, ride-on toys, wagons, backyard gym equipment, nesting and stacking toys, simple shape sorters, pop-up toys, blocks, bath toys, sandbox/sand toys, wading pool/water toys, puzzles with knobs, stuffed animals, dolls and baby gear, play vehicles, kitchen equipment and gadgets, play household items, playhouse, child-sized table and chairs, nontoxic art supplies (large crayons and coloring books, clay, finger-paints), musical instruments, cardboard picture books and pop-up books.

Two years to three years: Older toddlers love testing their physical skills -- jumping, climbing and throwing -- and enjoy toys for active play. This age group also possesses good hand and finger coordination and enjoys putting these skills to work with basic arts and crafts, puppets, blocks and simple puzzles. Imaginative play also begins in the third year.

Suggestions: balls, tricycle and helmet, wagon, backyard gym equipment, shape sorters, building blocks and building systems, blocks with letters and numbers, wading pool/water toys, sandbox/sand toys, puzzles with knobs, stuffed animals, dolls that can be bathed, fed and diapered, dress-up clothes and accessories, play vehicles, hand and finger puppets, kitchen equipment and gadgets, play household items, playhouse, play scenes (e.g., farm, airport) with figures and accessories, child- sized table and chairs, nontoxic art supplies and storybooks.

Three years to six years: After the age of three, children begin to play actively with each other. Preschoolers and kindergartners are masters of make-believe. They like to act out grown-up roles and enjoy costumes and props to help them bring their imaginations to life. It is quite common for children of this age to develop strong attachments to favorite toys, express feelings to a special doll or teddy bear. Materials for arts and crafts are also popular with this age group, which enjoys creating things with their hands.

Suggestions: tricycle and helmet, bicycle and helmet, backyard gym equipment, construction toys, lacing and threading sets, puzzles (10 to 20 large pieces), stuffed animals, dolls and doll clothes, dress-up clothes and accessories, props for make-believe play, play vehicles, hand and finger puppets, play scenes with figures and accessories, tape player and tapes, nontoxic art supplies (safety scissors, construction paper, crayons), simple board games, word and matching games, and storybooks.

But the most important aspect concerning our children is that whenever or whatever they play, they feel safe and are well- supervised.

Take the time to get down and play with your children; don't just hand them (or the nursemaid/household staff) a box and say: "Here, play".

Interacting and playing with our children will not only create a positive atmosphere for their immediate time frame, but it will be something they will remember when they are parents and beginning down the same road with their children; they'll remember that mom and dad took the time to be with them and helped them enjoy their childhood.