I love the products from Manhattan Toy, and I know many other parents (and babies) love them, too, so I wanted to spread the word about the recent recall of the Tumble Tower Rattle by Manhattan Toy.  The rattle is pictured here.  According to the toy recall notice, the blue plastic caps on either end of the Tumble Tower Rattle can break, which means the pieces inside will come out posing a choking hazard.
If you have a Manhattan Toy Tumble Tower Rattle, the recall notice says you should stop using it immediately and return it to the store where you bought …read more

Check out this video from ToyPortfolio.com on the Top Ten Myths About Toy Safety:

Here are some great safety tips for buying toys for your kids this Christmas:

Swindell’s 5 tips for safe holiday toy shopping:
1. Don’t worry, but be vigilant. “The toy recalls have raised concerns about a number of features on imported toys,” notes Swindell. Check online for up-to-date recall information before heading out to the stores. Look for warnings about small parts, breaking, fire and choking hazards, as well as information about lead paint. “Even made in the U.S.A. does not mean it is a safe toy, so make sure to check all labels and recalls,” Swindell cautions.
2. Be cautious when shopping …read more

Another couple of posts and articles to keep you up on a few more recalls and some tips on keeping safe with the toys in your home.
From Thrifty Mommy:
Karen shares More Recalled Toys Part I and Part II.
Then check out some safety tips and reminders from seattlepi.com. This one includes a link to a recall site, handy for keeping up on recalls for hand-me-down toys and such.

With all the talk of the lead paint in recalled toys, I’m wondering how seriously parents are taking the news. So, here’s my question: Did you clear out the potentially dangerous toys from your kids’ toyboxes? Did you compare the recall list to your current toy inventory list? Will you buy a lead test kit to ensure that the toys that you bring into the home from now on are free of the toxic substance?
Lemme know.

There is a massive toy recall on Fisher Price products due to the discovery of unsafe levels of toxic lead paint. Many of the toys feature our kids’ favorite characters such as Dora the Explorer and Sesame Street characters. The following are a few articles containing more information:
Recall info from injuryboard.com
Recall info from CBS News
Recall info from The New York Times
Recall info from the Marine Corps (includes extensive product list)
Time to head to the toy box and clean it out!
ht: Hsien

An article put out by BBC News last week questions the safety of many of the toys made in China. The article follows from the results of an investigation by Chinese officials.
A couple of quotes of interest:
Industrial waste, including dirty carpet fluff, paper and used instant noodle packaging, was found in some toys, the newspaper reported.
Some baby clothes contained harmful chemicals, the investigation found.
“These fluffy toys with bacteria or even viruses in them could cause children to itch if they touch them for a short time, or even cause disease over the long term,” Beijing News said.
About …read more

The Toy Industry Association is reinforcing the themes of safe play and responsible gift-giving this November during National Toy Safety Awareness Month. Here are their tips for safe buying and playing.

When shopping for toys, keep in mind the child’s age, interests and abilities.
Read toy or packaging labels for age ranges and safety warnings – and only choose toys that are appropriate for the age of the child.
Be especially careful when choosing toys for children under three. Select toys that are free of small pieces (or pieces that separate or can be broken off), are lightweight, have no sharp edges …read more

Do you remember playing with a doctor’s kit like this as a kid? I seem to remember mine had a metal case that had started to rust. (Or maybe it was my brother’s and I just took it from him. Oops.) Do they even make metal toys anymore?
While toys like these are lots of fun and can encourage our little ones to aspire to great careers in the healthcare field (whether it’s caring for people or our furry friends), there is a caution to go with them.
My dear friend, Jackie Mathias, who is a former preschool …read more