Used Baby Toys Before passing it along to your child, check the old toys for chipped paint or loose pieces. This is especially important on toys that might contain lead paint. If it's chipped or broken, don't use it! Also watch for items with small parts that could be choking hazards.
Second-hand toys may well be grubby and are not likely to be hygienically clean. Knowing the best way to wash these, can be a challenge. Cleaning soft toys: Most soft toys can be sponged with disinfectant spray or put through the washing machine.
To kill bacteria and viruses on the surface, use a disinfecting wipe, an alcohol wipe, or dip a clean cloth in a mix of four teaspoons of chlorine bleach to one quart of water. Wring the cloth well and wipe the toy.
But are vintage toys safe? Unfortunately, if you ask the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), the answer is a big old “no.” Congress passed a law in 2008 that set the current federal safety standards for all toys made in or imported into the United States.
Toys made in the 1970s and 1980s have been shown to contain high lead levels.
The only two methods to accurately test a toy for lead is through a certified XRF Analyzer or by certified laboratory. Although do-it-yourself kits are available, they do not indicate how much lead is present and their reliability at detecting low levels of lead has not been determined.
Toys made before the ban on lead paint in 1978 may contain lead-based paint. Therefore, painted antiques or collectible toys that are passed down through generations may contain lead. Additionally, older toys made of tin, brass, or pewter alloys may contain lead.
If a child still wants to play with toys as they move into adolescence, it is totally normal and to be celebrated! Unless a child's play is affecting or replacing real-life friendships, there is no need to worry.
As children are inconstant in their affection, most toys have an average lifespan of only 6 months [10], and thus the life cycle of toys is not long.
“We don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing.” Essentially, toys remain beneficial regardless if children or adults play with them.
Wooden toys make great secondhand purchases because of how sturdy they are, and because of how easy they are to be cleaned and sanitized.
Bed bugs can certainly live on stuffed animals. Bed bugs prefer areas like mattresses and headboards, but given the opportunity, they'll also infest stuffed animals that your child plays or cuddles with at night.
Mix one part white vinegar with one part water and use that to wash any plastic or wooden toys. You can either put the solution on a clean cloth and wipe them down or, if you want, submerge them in the solution and let them soak for a bit. Vinegar is an excellent sanitiser, killing a wide range of bacteria and mould.
The problem with having too many toys
Similar to cluttered pantries or office spaces, which make it hard for adults to focus, having too many toys around the house can make it difficult for children to concentrate, learn, and develop important skills around play.
Rotate toys when it feels right—no more than once a week and potentially every few weeks. Some weeks you might change just a couple of toys and others a few more, depending on how your child is playing and showing interest. Some favorites can stay on the shelf for a year or more.
As long as they're not broken or warped, bottles are fine to reuse.
It's important not to overwhelm the play space with toys. As an approximate guide, try to keep the number of toys immediately available to under 4 for a premobile child, under 8 for a crawling child, and under 12 for a toddler, depending on the size of the space and number of parts to each toy.
The condensed version is - kids are NEVER too old for toys! If your child starts to seem too old for toys, it isn't time to get rid of playthings altogether. This is a new developmental stage, and just like when they progressed from a tricycle to a bike, it is time to transition to a different types of play.
There is no minimum number of toys needed—in fact, a recent study found that when toddlers had fewer toys in their environment, they played with each toy longer, allowing them to focus more and play more creatively.
Originally Answered: Is it weird that I'm 17 and stil love toys and I like play with toys? While it might be unusual it is by no means wrong. Unless you're no physically or mentally able to do something you're never too old for it.
As experts would tell you, there is no age limit for dolls. It may seem unusual in this day and age, but several 12-year-olds still play with dolls. And in a world where the internet is widespread, this may be a good thing.
Helen's rule of thumb when it comes to getting rid of toys is 'If they have grown out of it – pass it on to a younger child; if it is worn out, recycle it and it if isn't being used, takes up too much space or you have more than one, donate it'.
—Do the smell test.
Toxic softeners in plastic often have that “beach ball” smell. Strong fragrances and perfumes can provoke allergies or asthma. —Lean toward products that are fair-made from natural materials: organic cotton-stuffed animals and wooden blocks, for example.
Toxic chemicals in most old toys
The hazardous chemicals that were discovered included phthalates and short chain chlorinated paraffins used as plasticizers and flame retardants in toys.