Car Seat & Stroller Toys Buying Guide

Car seat and stroller toys are not just cute decorations. Like any other toy for your baby, thoughtfully chosen car seat and stroller toys can aid your baby's physical and mental development. Do not forget, though, that safety must come first, regardless of the developmental value of the toy.

Appropriateness to Baby's Stage of Development

Newborns do not develop good motor skills for several months, so their early car seat and stroller toys must attract a baby's attention through their eyes and ears. A newborn can only see 8" to 14", and for up to six months, babies cannot see color. They can only see high contrast between colors, such as black and white. They also notice changes in sound. At eight weeks, consider cloth toys, squeeze balls, rattles, keys on rings, and musical and chime toys. Because they like to look at faces, mirrors also attract the attention of babies. As soon as babies can reach and grab toys, they are attracted to texture. Teethers are best around six months.

Safety

Babies are going to put everything they can into their mouths. The risk of your baby choking on a toy or part of a toy is one of the biggest concerns. If a toy can fit in a toilet paper roll, or if a large enough part of it fits that could fill your baby's​ mouth and block breathing, then the toy is not safe.

Toys that have small parts that could detach, such as buttons, yarn, ribbons, beads, eyes, and plastic parts, are not safe for babies. Remove those parts before allowing your baby to have the toy. Make sure that seams are reinforced and that attachments to toys like legs and tails are sewn on securely. To prevent strangulation do not buy toys with cords or cordlike features longer than seven inches Check for rough edges and paint that peels, rubs off, or washes off. Inspect your baby's toys regularly for any unsafe wear. Toys with batteries and magnets are also a safety concern. In addition, if the noise level is too loud for you, then it is too loud for your baby.

Toxic chemicals are another concern with babies. Phthalates used in plastic, lead, cadmium, mercury, and arsenic can be found in toys. As a tip, plastics with phthalates will have a recycling #3 on them. While there are certification labels guaranteeing no toxic chemical content for some baby products, there are none for toys. So, carefully read the labels and research products and manufacturers

Gifts and Hand-Me-Down Toys

When dealing with gifts you receive for your baby, think safety first. Family and friends mean well, but they may not realize the hazards associated with their gift. You can be sure that they would not want your baby to have​ their gift if it could harm your baby. So if you receive a gift for your baby, and there is not enough tags and packaging to adequately determine the safety of a toy, do not allow your baby to have it. Apply the same rules to homemade car seat and stroller toys. If you cannot verify the safety of the materials, including the filling, or if the construction would not meet​ safety regulations, do not allow your baby to have it.

Hand-me-down toys have several issues connected with them. Safety regulations have changed a lot, and elements of these toys may no longer be considered safe. These products could also have been recalled. You should always check the Consumer Products Safety Commission's recall list on their website before buying or using older items. Finally, make sure that hand-me-down items are cleaned thoroughly before using them. If items such as stuffed animals are not machine-washable, do not use them.

Conclusion

Car seat and the stroller toys may seem like just decorations and something to keep your baby busy, but the developmental benefits for your baby and the safety of a good toy really are important​.

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This page about Car Seat & Stroller Toy was composed by V. Tobies and published by Alternative.me.
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