By Clair Morton
Published: Tuesday, December 5, 2017
Safety Santa and his elves spend all year in the North Pole tinkering with gifts and toys, so they know their stuff about safety. Here are their top safety tips:
- Before you buy, check the toys are age appropriate and don’t have any warnings associated with them. For a list of the latest toy recalls visit Product Safety Australia.
- If something requires self-assembly, put it together yourself or help your children assemble it to make sure the job’s done properly.
- If your little one is getting a bike or roller skates for Christmas, don’t forget to also give them a helmet, and if necessary, the ever-trendy knee and elbow pads.
- The first thing your child will want to do when they get a toy is to test it out – make sure you supervise them when they do. If they’ll be riding a bike or skating on any road, teach them some basic road rules beforehand.
- Remember, toys with small parts can be a choking hazard for young children and pets. Work out if an item might be dangerous by using the ACCC’s Choke Check tool. LEGO blocks in particular can also be incredibly painful to tread on.
Safety Santa always checks instructions carefully.
- Inflatable pool toys are always a popular choice at Christmas – just make sure your children are actively supervised by an adult while they’re playing in the pool. It only takes a few seconds for excitement to turn into tragedy. For tips on pool safety go to Kidsafe SA.
- Drone technology is taking off right now and getting cheaper by the day, making them a popular choice on Christmas wishlists. You don’t need approval to fly a drone for fun, but there are some things you should know before you take to the sky.