Keeping Toys in Great Working Order

You’ve picked the right age appropriate and safe toys for your children, which is a start – but kids will be kids and it’s important that you keep a close eye on what they are actually doing with their new toys, and carry out regular cleaning, maintenance and toy checks to keep their possessions as safe as you can.

What Are The Everyday Toy Checks I Should Do?

• Make sure that younger children don’t get their hands on toys not intended for them. Be careful with toys for children under three and check warning labels to make sure they are suitable.
• Check toys regularly for any small parts that might be coming loose, hair that’s falling out and sharp edges and points. Check wooden toys for splinters and tough edges that could catch.
• Check toys on a regular basis for signs of damage, wear and tear, and repair or dispose of any damaged toys as soon as you can. Don’t let children carry on playing with toys that are broken, no matter how much they protest!
• Always follow the instructions and warnings provided with toys and teach your children to do the same as they get older. Make sure that all children are aware of safe toy storage, too.

Toy Checks For Electrical and Battery Operated Toys

Many toys come with batteries these days, and they are usually safe and easy to maintain. But make sure that they are used correctly and carry out toy checks to make sure they aren’t leaking or damaged.

When you’re changing the batteries in children’s toys, always use the same type of battery and don’t just replace one – replace them all. Make sure that when a battery is spent, you remove it straight away.

Small batteries like the mercury disc batteries used in some electronic games can be hazardous for little children who like to put everything in their mouths. If a small child swallows a small battery it could be poisonous, or they could choke, so don’t leave batteries lying around. Make sure that you tell the children never to put batteries into their mouths, ears or noses.

Toy Storage Options – Keeping Toys Safe

• If you teach your children to take care of their toys, it will serve two purposes – keeping the children safe and keeping the house tidy! Make it easy for kids to put their things away in a toy box or elsewhere by providing them with lots of brightly coloured and easy to reach toy storage areas.
• Transparent plastic boxes like old ice cream containers or even lunchboxes make ideal toy storage containers for any toys with small parts like Lego and puzzles.
• Give the children their own large toy storage box, maybe let them help choose, build and customise it so that they enjoy using their very own personal toy box.
• A plastic hang-up shoe holder is ideal toy storage for small soft toys and items that might get lost at the bottom of a larger toy box. Hang it somewhere the little ones can reach it, like the back of a bedroom door, and encourage them to tidy their teddies into it. You can also hang simple netting on doors and bedroom walls which are ideal for holding larger soft toys and bulky items that aren't too heavy. This keeps the toys visible but off the floor and stored neatly.
• Trunks, and old boxes or chests are great for keeping dressing up clothes and accessories in.

Teaching Children to Look After and Clean Their Toys

Toys, especially the better loved ones, will occasionally need a wash. Try to buy toys that can be easily washed, for example those with a wipe clean surface or toys that can be washed in a machine.

Encourage the children to help clean their own toys – it’s easy to get them involved with anything that has an easy, wipe clean surface, and they can watch you cleaning it first. Add some gentle disinfectant to a bowl of warm water and this should be enough for most plastic or wooden toys.