Toddler Indoor Toy Shelf Work Ideas

Grandmama: Before AuntyB gets into the ideas she has for that toy shelf, I'd like to speak a word on safety. Some of the "work" she mentions involves manipulation of small parts. And, therefore, I must speak of choke hazard.

Whenever you're thinking of using items that seem small, you have to have your total awareness on what your child is doing.  You can't be called away to the phone or distracted by the doorbell or the dog. An instant is all it takes for tragedy.

Such items must be placed out of reach when not directly supervised. And I do mean totally out of reach. If the shelf is for marginally supervised play, you must limit the toys to those "safe" for your child.

What is small? The Consumer Product Safety Commission has established guidelines and publications to help. You'll want a choke tube. From the CPSC:

The Small Parts Regulation specifies how to test for small parts. In essence, if we determine that a toy is intended for children under 3, the toy is tested using a small parts test cylinder, also known as a “choke” tube. This is a hollow truncated cylinder with dimensions specified in the Small Parts Regulation. If the toy fits entirely within the cylinder, it’s considered a small part. If it doesn’t fit, it’s subjected to use and abuse test procedures and any parts that detach or break off the toy are similarly tested with the choke tube.

A cardboard toilet paper roll is roughly the diameter of a choke tube, so people at home may use that as a general guide if they’re concerned about a toy’s size for a young child.

Sadly, a choke tube and careful scrutiny of toys is not enough.  In 2006, two children choked to death on the oversized, plastic nails that came with Playskool's Toy Bench.  That toy remains on their "10 Most Wanted" List.

One of the current horrors is the Magnetix toys.  The magnets can come off and if swallowed or inhaled can attract to one another causing perforation or blockage of the intestine. According to CPSC:

To date, CPSC and Mega Brands are aware of one death, one aspiration and 27 intestinal injuries. Emergency surgical intervention was needed in all but one case. At least 1,500 incidents of magnets separating from the building pieces have been reported. Although the Magentix hazard was initially thought to be a problem primarily for children younger than six, it has since been learned that at least ten injuries involved children between the ages of 6 and 11 years old.

Since you're reading this on the Internet, there's no reason for you not to subscribe to CPSC's recall for infant/child products. They email you a notice whenever they recall one.

So, it's not enough to buy "safe" toys like the Playskool Toolbench or age-appropriate ones like Magnetix. Accidents happen. It is up to you to maintain you awareness and discipline your children for the protection of their lives.

AuntyB's IDEAS FOR INDOOR TOY SHELF WORK

• Bead Stringing: Large wooden beads and a flexible fish tank tube with a knot in the end is the best to begin with. (Grandmama: Not so long a section of tubing that a child could strangle itself with it. Watch every minute where those beads go. No, this is not boring. Cultivate a sense of wonder and discovery at what you see unfolding before your eyes.)
• Simple 2 Piece Puzzle: Individual pieces with matching pictures in the opening help with language as well as successful placement of the piece. Be careful that pieces do not have difficult edges to fit in for beginners. (Grandmama: And check them out with your homemade choke test tube.)
• Viewmaster with multiple slides. (Grandmama: Teach careful use. Supervise.)
• Inexpensive wind-up music box. (Grandmama: One for children or for total direct supervision.)
• Later: Threading cards.

• Small Bucket of Wooden Zoo Animals presented together with Good Night, Gorilla by Peggy Rathman. (Grandmama: Check the animals with the choke tube. I got some really nice hand carved ones at a garage sale. They were really napkin rings!)
• Small Bucket of Farm Animals or Barn presented with the book: Big Red Barn Board Book by Margaret Wise Brown. (Grandmama: Yeah, right -- choke tube.)
• Wooden Pounding Board with pegs and hammer. (Grandmama: Choose carefully; there are acceptable ones out there.)
• Tray of Common Transportation pieces: fire truck, airplane, car, trash truck, pickup truck, tractor, boat. The more realistic they are, the better. Be careful of small pieces or loose wheels that can become choke hazards.
• Tray of Toy Wooden Nuts and Bolts. They do make these large enough to be safe.
• Empty plastic Spice Bottles: They still retain fragrance: cinnamon, mint, curry, bay leaf . . .
• Basket of Fabric Squares: Two of each to find and match up textures. Velvet, leather, terry cloth, silk, denim . . .
• Collection of Open/Close Household Items: threaded, capped plastic jars; zipper; snaps; toothbrush holder, an article of clothing with large buttons and buttonholes. (Grandmama: Need I say, "choke." That zipper or snaps needs to be firmly attached to something. Supervise, supervise. There are hazards you can't get away from. Toddlers want and need to be able to dress themselves. They also need to practice.)
• Photo Album (child-sized) with family snapshots doing different activities. Toddlers love these photos and look at them often.
• Commercial toys: Set of Blocks; First word cards with real photo illustrations;  Baby Doll with clothes and blanket; and Others . . .

A final word: avoid plastics as much as possible. Add metal, cloth and wood toys for texture discrimination.

Comments

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