It’s tragic when a child is injured and it’s even more so when that injury could have been prevented. Numerous studies have shown that a large contributor to childhood accidents comes when children play with gifts that are age inappropriate; or rather just too old for the child.
A child of three will be well past putting small parts in his mouth, however a two year old may still be inclined to “taste test” some of her toys. Make sure that any gifts your child plays with are within the realm of what he or she can play with safely. If your child is given a toy that is age inappropriate, you can either exchange the toy for something your child can use now or put the toy away for a while until your child matures enough to play with it safely.
If you’re buying a toy for a child and you aren’t sure exactly what to get, just stick to a rule that no child under the age of three should be given a toy with small removable parts or riding toys that go over 2 MPH. Items such as kids puzzles, sturdy books, durably made toy cars for toddlers and colors & shapes games are usually hits with the under three crowd and they are items they can play and learn with safely.
Make sure every toy that your child plays with is age appropriate and you’ll keep every playtime a safe one and a fun one!
