It's Christmas time, and many parents, grandparents, families and friends are rushing to buy toys for gifts. Toys are fun, but they are also learning tools for play. Toys can serve many developmental purposes for a child's life. Toys can foster creativity, enhance motor skills, stimulate intellectual development, develop social concepts, promote a sense of self-concept, and of course provide a way to relieve energy in a positive and supportive way.

"We want to make sure parents realize just how important it is to select safe toys for their children," says Southern University Ag Center East Baton Rouge extension agent Karen Stevens. "In 2005, there were an estimated 202,300 toy-related injuries treated in U.S. hospital emergency rooms."

Stevens suggests considering the following when selecting safe and appropriate developmental toys:

• Look for a quality design and construction. Be sure to read the Consumer Product Safety Commission label (CPSC). The label indicates when a toy is not safe for young children and why it is not safe.
• Look for labels to identify age recommendations.
• Select toys based on the age, abilities, skill, and interest level of the child. Remember, just because the child asks for a specific toy, it does not mean it is appropriate for him or her.
• If the child is a young infant, toys should be designed to attract attention. Select toys the young infant can look at and feel.
• One and two year olds enjoy investigating toys. Select toys that can be taken apart and put back together.
• Two and three year olds like to build with blocks and turn pages in books. Selecting toys that appeal to the senses is good for this age group. To encourage sharing, select toys that require your child to share with others.
• Toddlers enjoy pretend play and learn by doing. Selecting dolls, painting sets, play telephones and tools are some of the toys that will bring smiles to their faces.
• Four to six year olds enjoy the creative and dramatic stage, dressing up in clothes and costumes. During this age, the child is learning to read and write. Therefore, toys that foster the learning process are a good selection also.
• Avoid toys that are too complex for young children.
• Avoid toys with long strings or cords for infants and young children.
• Avoid toys that shoot objects. These can cause eye injuries.
• Consider the toys the child currently has on hand and the needed storage space required. Each toy needs a safe place to be stored.
• Consider your budget beforehand. If electrical toys are selected, factor in batteries and other needed accessories. Electrical toys for children younger than 8 should not require heating elements.
• Toys for older children can be more complex with multiple, detachable parts. Younger children who are still putting objects into their mouth should avoid toys with small parts which could cause choking.
• If on Christmas day, a child is overwhelmed with a host of new toys, consider putting some of the toys away for a later date. This will provide the child with an opportunity to focus on one toy at a time.
• Examine toys regularly to check for damage or unsafe parts. The safest toy can become a potential hazard if used often.
• Teach children safe ways to play and provide good examples.
• When in doubt, check the toy out! Call the CPSC hotline at 1-800-638-2772.

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For more information on selecting safe toys, contact your Southern University Ag Center parish agent or East Baton Rouge Parish extension agent Karen Stevens at (225) 389-2056 or karen_stevens@suagcenter.com