The Quilts Zone Blog

A great number of parents worry a lot about how the safe the toys they give their children are. They are right to be concerned as dangerous toys can and have caused serious harm to lots of children, although thankfully with improving toy regulations, instances are on the decrease. However, parents still need to be careful and below we highlight some of the important things to look out for to ensure toys are safe.

Sharp edges. Many toys that you might not consider to be a risk can have sharp edges that are potentially harmful. It is quite common for children to roll around with their toys or run with them, making it very easy to be caught by a sharp edge and even cut themselves badly.

Small parts. It is generally common knowledge that children and small parts do not mix well. As children invariably love to put things in their mouth, they can very easily swallow small parts and choke on them. Sometimes toys don’t have small parts on first inspection, but break up easily due to weak materials and these are equally, if not more dangerous.

Chemicals. Whether it is dangerous chemicals in plastics, harmful fluids in toys, or simply toxins in the paint that they are decorated with, kids can be seriously harmed by inconsiderate materials. Thankfully most toys are tested thouroughly for dangerous chemicals, but some will always slip though the net.

Mechanical Hazards. Some toys might not seem dangerous at first glance but their pure functioning poses a risk to children. Children can easily be hurt for example by poor quality toys that use elastic parts or springs, when they come lose and hit them in the face. Additionally, toys sometimes have dangerous hinges or gates that children can trap finger in.

All toys and Christmas gifts should comply with the health and safety regulations of their respective countries, so next time you’re buying gifts for her or him look out for the endorsement logos on the toy’s label first.

I am sure that there were various times during your childhood that you thought the world had fallen down around you – this is a feeling that all of us have experienced. It could have been something simple like falling out with a friend – something that at a young age always feels like the end of the world, even if it is forgotten about 24 hours later – or it could have been something more serious than that.

At this time it was commonplace for one of our parents to hand us our most beloved and trusted cuddly toy. Soft toys are as much a part of childhood as training wheels on a bike or mittens tied to coat sleeves. Quite simply, they are something all children remember as they grow older.

There is no doubt whatsoever that the soft toy is something that leaves an imprint for any child, due to its familiarity and comforting capabilities. Their presence to a child is positive and reassuring, and anything that makes a child feel better is of great value, even though to others the object in question is worthless.

Children have plenty of toys to choose from, many of which are more ‘cool’ than a soft toy, but none of the others available offer much in the way of personality and friendliness. It is no coincidence that the only toy that can really be hugged is also a child’s favorite toy. Hugging brings reassurance, and soft toys in that way have the same quality as a comfort blanket. In fact, it is the amount of hugging and loving that causes almost all soft toys to look so threadbare and worn out come the end of childhood.

Another reason for the popularity of the soft toy is that it is a 24 hour toy; what other toy gets taken to bed with a child? Having a familiar face next to us as we tried to sleep is something that made being alone in the dark easier to deal with.

That they have remained cherished through out the generations, gives little room for argument against soft toys being the number one toy. They have a classic appeal and it be would surely be a mean parent who felt that their child didn’t need one. Every child needs one, because every child has tough lessons to learn – lessons that are made that little bit easier by having a reassuring and loving presence beside them throughout.

Didis.com is the online toy store and online toy shop that provides quality toys and stuffed animals for all your gift needs.

It is no easy task to second-guess what any child of an age between that of a baby and a kindergartner will do next. By this time they are walking, and talking a little bit too, but they are too young to be left for more than a minute or two without being under the supervision of a parent.

Looking after them can be quite tiring for an adult, because they seem to have the boundless energy of an older child yet the insane thirst for exploration of one much younger. They are in the midst of an unquenchable desire to learn about every little thing in the big world that surrounds them.

At this point in their lives, children can be hard to separate from their toddler toys – usually these are fairly anthropomorphic and cute toys which the child views as being like another human. In a child’s imagination, their dialogue with the toy is both very real and the most important thing in the world. As a result they want to take them everywhere with them.

This, coupled with the chances that a toddler will fall over (always high!), means that it is suitable to make sure they have quite safe toys to carry around with them. Something like a teddy bear or other stuffed animal will mean that should the toddler fall over their toddler toy does not do them any harm.

The fact that soft toys have remained popular throughout the generations says a lot. There is no doubt whatsoever that children really respond to cuddly toys, from the utterly lifelike to the charmingly outlandish.

At this point they are more intuitive than they were as babies, and better able to understand things that you say and that they see. As such, any toys that develop their senses can be absolutely perfect for a child. Alphabet games or toys with noises will not only excite but will also mean they have already learnt some basics for when they start at kindergarten.

Of course the most important thing is that their toys are fun, so this should be prioritised, even in educational toys – after all, it makes them more likely to pay attention.

Didis.com is the online toy store and online toy shop that provides quality toys and stuffed animals for all your gift needs.