Tina Rowland 
Babies are delicate and have to be taken care of with extreme caution.
It is healthy for every child at a tender age to be associated with toys of varying categories and use, but some of these toys are not safe for your babies as they may cause unexpected situations or harm your baby in one way or the other.
You don’t have to worry about what products to choose/avoid for your babies as this article contains all the necessary play tools to steer clear of in order to promote their healthy playtime.
Toys that have sharp edges/sharp points
It is very essential to avoid toys that have sharp edges and sharp points though babies’ toys rarely have those, but you cannot be too careful.
Such toys can cause marks on your child’s skin or even puncture his/her skin especially when they are not being monitored.
Even toys that are made of flimsy materials may eventually break into smaller pieces and these pieces may end up having sharp sides that unknowingly to your baby is highly unsafe.
If your baby has any toy at the moment that has sharp edges/points, use adhesive tape to tape the edges instead of throwing the toy out but make sure to monitor your baby whenever such a toy is being handled.
Toys with loud noises
Babies have sensitive hearing so they have to stay away from toys that produce loud/shrill noises as such toys can damage their hearing.
Though there are a variety of toys that have sound effects but take note to read the warning labels/instruction manual for how to use them safely.
When perusing the store for toys that have sound features, make sure to check how loud the sounds are but if there is no specification, simply test the toys if possible.
Low-quality/Artificially manufactured toys
Toys that are made of chemicals and toxic materials such as BPA/PVC plastics and toxic finishes are harmful to infants.
These materials sometimes release unpleasant odors that are unsafe to your child’s sensory.
Even toys made of low-quality materials are a no-no; although these toys may not last for a long while, but they also tend to break easily and have unsafe small removable parts.
Your babies may place the pieces of such toys into their mouth and this can be lethal to their health so it is best to completely avoid them.
Choose toys that are made of natural materials such as cotton, wool and uncoated wood as well as toys that are BPA-free, PVC-free and have non-toxic coatings.
Toys with cords and strings
When getting a toy that has cords or strings for your baby, make sure the cord/string is no longer than 7 inches.
If longer, accidents are likely to occur such as your baby wrapping the cord around his/her neck.
Avoid hanging toys that have pulling mechanisms or toys that have strings, cords or ribbons especially around children who are still crawling and learning to walk because they tend to stretch their arms a lot and can grab unto anything that seems fascinating to them.
If possible, stay away from these toys until your child is old enough to avoid getting tangled in a longer cord.
Electric toys
Toys that have electrical features especially heating elements, are harmful to kids even when they are approved to an older kid, especially if a younger kid is around.
Buy only toys that are labeled “UL Approved” (Underwriters Laboratories).
Toys that have heat elements are all right for children above 8 years old but they have to be adult-supervised.
Toys that are battery-operated are okay but make sure the battery port has a secure cover preferably one with screws. When your baby is handling a battery-operated toy, make sure to closely monitor them.
Small toys with small parts
Before you purchase small toys for your kid, make sure they are large enough that they cannot be swallowed, even if they are soft toys that can be squeezed into smaller sizes.
3 years and younger kids should have toys that cannot fit into an empty toilet paper tube, but if such toys fall through the cylinder, keep them away from kids of those ages.
Toys that have small parts that are removable such as stuffed animals which eyes or other parts can be detached, dolls and its accessories, puzzles with small pieces, etc.; these should be kept away from younger kids.
This is because the pieces can be swallowed or become stuck in your kid’s ear, nose or throat.
Fragile/Breakable toys
No matter how appealing they look, never buy a fragile or breakable toy.
As the name implies, these toys are delicate and will break easily. When this happens, especially while your child is playing with the toy, straight to the mouth it goes!
This may lead to them choking on a piece or placing toxic products into their mouth. Teething kids are the main culprit.
So if you have a fragile toy, supervise your kid as he/she plays with it, but if such toy breaks or a piece detaches, immediately pack it up and place it in a place that is beyond reach to your baby.
Toys that have loose seams
Toys that have seams are majorly stuffed toys.
Before purchasing a toy that has seams, check how tight the seams are.
If they are not tightly sewn, please do not purchase it no matter how cute they appear to be or how encouraging the reviews are.
Such toys contain small balls that can be swallowed or get lodged in the nose or ear of your baby.
In addition, toys that have loose seams are not durable, as these toys may eventually dismantle.
When this happens, your kid may try to wrap the fabric of the dismantled stuffed toy around their body and in the process, it may get hooked around their neck thus leading to suffocation or strangulation.
