• Is there a variety of toys provided for each age group?



• Are there enough toys (including duplicates of popular items) for all children to have something and to prevent fighting?



• Can toys be easily washed and sanitized? Stuffed animals should be machine washable.



• Are toys set aside for washing after a child has placed them in their mouth?



• Are riding toys the right size for children?



• Are objects smaller than 1 ¾ inches in diameter, and toys with small parts kept away from children who put objects in their mouths?



Hint: Toys should be inspected and cleaned frequently and repaired as needed.

Want to know more?

• Selecting Toys

• Are toys suitable for the age group of children using them?



Example: Small balls are in the preschool area but not in the infant/ toddler rooms

For additional examples see:
Which Toy for Which Child: Ages Birth through Five (U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission)
http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/pubs/285.pdf


• Do toys encourage the children to use all their senses except taste (see, hear, touch, smell)?



• Is there a variety of toys, especially toys that encourage physical activity?



Note: Some toys should help build strong muscles, others should develop eye-hand coordination.


• Do toys encourage skill development through active play and imagination?



Example: A play set with farm animals and farm props will help a child develop more language than a hand held video game where the child pushes a button and the cow says, "moo".


• Do toys promote healthy habits?



Example: Kitchen toys should include plastic fruit and vegetables rather than plastic French fries and soft drinks.


• Do dolls, dress up clothes, and other toys and props reflect diversity? Are children allowed and encouraged to play "across gender lines"?



Examples: Boys can play with dolls, girls can play with trucks, boys can cook and clean, girls can build and repair.


• Do toys promote positive social skills?



• Toys that promote sharing like games or acting with props.


• Children can learn to channel frustration and aggression positively, through active physical play - running, jumping, team sports like basketball.


• No toy guns or other props for war games should be allowed.


• No shooting or projectile toys should be allowed (also to prevent injuries like eye injuries).





• Toy Safety

How to find out if a toy is unsafe and has been recalled by the manufacturer or by the government

If you think a toy at your child's program looks unsafe, you can check to see if it's been recalled by going to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission's web site:
http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prerel.html

When observing the program and play areas, you should see:

• Toys that have no sharp edges or points, loose parts or screws, or places where skin and fingers can get pinched.


• Kids are not permitted to play with any type of plastic bag, balloon or latex gloves (to prevent choking hazards).


• Toys are put away when not being used (to prevent tripping or falling over them).


• Toy chests have air holes and a lid support or do not have a lid.


• Toys should be located where children can get to them safely.


• Toys are not hung across the cribs of infants who can sit up (to prevent strangulation or choking).


• Rattles and other objects like pacifiers are NEVER hung around an infant's neck (to prevent strangulation).


• Riding toys, such as tricycles and scooters, should be appropriate to the age of the child.


• All children should wear helmets when riding tricycles, scooters and other riding toys.


• Stuffed toys are not placed in the crib (to help reduce the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome - SIDS).


• If you see painted toys, be sure to ask if the paint used was lead-free.


• Baby walkers (that can move a child across the floor) are not used in the program.



Note: Baby walkers are NOT SAFE for use in child care. Children can move quickly and reach dangerous objects or fall down open stairways.


• Children under 3 years of age or older children who still put objects in their mouths should not have access to:


• Toys or objects less than 1 ¼ inches wide and 2 ¼ inches long.


• Balls that are smaller than 1 ¾ inches in diameter.


• Plastic bags, balloons or latex gloves.


• Coins.


• Marbles.


• Styrofoam.



Note: If soft foam toys are used (under DIRECT SUPERVISION), they must be put away once the game is finished.


Example: A soft foam, neon orange, ball is good for playing catch indoors. But it looks like a juicy orange to a toddler who might try to take a bite!



• Pool Toys

• If a pool is present (properly fenced and used only under strict supervision), does the program follow these rules?


• No tricycles, wagons or other non water toys permitted on the pool deck or side of the pool.


• No flotation devices present (they give non-swimmers and their supervisors too much confidence).


• Toys should be made of hard sturdy plastic or metal (no glass allowed).





• Cleaning and Sanitizing Toys

• Does the program use toys that can be washed and sanitized? Dishwasher safe toys are good - they are convenient to wash and sanitize.


• Do toys have smooth, nonporous surfaces?


• Are machine washable cloth toys used by only one child and then set aside for washing before they are used by another child?


• Are there enough toys so that they can be rotated through the cleaning process yet children still have enough toys to play with?


• Is a toy that an infant or toddler puts in his/her mouth, cleaned and sanitized, before another child plays with it?


Hint: Look for signs that toys are being cleaned: Infant and toddler toys in the dishwasher, or in drying racks next to the sanitizing sink.

Why is cleaning and sanitizing so important?

• All toys can spread disease when children put toys in their mouths, touch the toys after putting their hands in their mouth or after going to the bathroom and not washing their hands properly.



• For selecting an appropriate sanitizer see Appendix I in Caring for Our Children, 2nd Ed.


See also Cleaning and Sanitizing Section

How to help your caregiver with this topic

• If you are donating a used toy or piece of equipment to your child's program, make sure it's in great condition. Check that there are no recalls on the equipment with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission at http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prerel.html.



• Repair, clean and disinfect the equipment or toy before giving it away.



• Donate toys and equipment that can be used by more than one child, or buy more than one.



• Organize a "toy shower" for your child's program; get a wish list from your caregiver.



• If you are donating supplies for arts and crafts, make sure they are safe and non-toxic.



• Organize your friends and family to clean out their clutter, and put together prop boxes that promote dramatic play. Let your own interests and hobbies inspire you! Here are a few ideas to get you started:



• Rhythm instruments, sheet music (laminated, if possible), CD's or cassettes for an orchestra kit.



• Silk flowers and leaves, ribbons, crepe paper and a pole for a May Pole kit.



• Leaf press, magnifying glass, tracing paper and book of plants for a botanist's kit.



• Gardening tools (nothing sharp), watering can, seed packets, plastic pots, and potting soil for a gardening kit.



• Maps, a compass, backpacks, plastic water bottles, empty and cleaned sun screen containers and granola bar wrappers for a traveler's kit.



• Toy animals, clean animal grooming brush, stethoscope, note pad and pencil for a veterinarian's kit.



• Take a digital camera to your child's program and capture the kids at play with the prop boxes. Share the photos with the prop donors and your caregiver.



• Don't allow your child to take a favorite toy from home to child care - it may be hard to share it, and if it gets damaged, the caregiver should not be expected to replace it.