The Child Accident Prevention Trust (CAPT) said it has seen evidence of nursery staff buying toys for their settings from cheaper websites whose products come from abroad to save money. Also, from Amazon where there are unknown sellers from overseas.
It’s chief executive Katrina Phillips told Nursery World, ‘Cheap toys from unknown sellers on online marketplaces can come from anywhere in the world and can be really dangerous, as they don’t meet UK safety standards. Think water beads that block a child’s bowel, magnets and button batteries that cause serious internal injuries, and recalls and copycat toys that break and choke a child. It’s just not worth the risk!
‘Pre-schoolers are at heightened risk as they put everything in their mouths. If you’re buying toys for your setting it’s especially important to buy from brands or sellers you know. And if you buy something that looks unsafe, trust your instincts and send it back.’
The CAPT has produced a toys fact sheet with advice on which toys are most dangerous for children and how to buy safe toys. Dangerous toys highlighted in the fact sheet include: Cheap copies of popular toys Water beads – dangerous if swallowed. Magnetic toys Baby sleep products Slime - some can contain high doses of harmful chemicals.
- The fact sheet is free to download here
