Play is an important and integral part of childhood. This activity helps to mould the child and facilitate several aspects of normal development. An inseparable part of play is the association of the phenomenon with many different types of toys and playing with toys is generally taken as an integral part of normal childhood. A child using toys to play, either by himself or by herself or with other children, is an everyday occurrence. Children go through different developmental stages in which their patterns of play vary considerably. It must be remembered that in addition to keeping them occupied, certain types of toys are known to augment cognitive development of the child. It is up to the parents, grandparents, other close relatives and friends of the family to think of and provide appropriate toys for a given child.

In selecting toys, several different features such as the age and stage of development of the child, his or her preferences, utility values and the cost need to be considered. In the case of infants rattles which are strongly made and without small parts that could break off, a large soft ball, bath toys, things to put in or on such as large nesting boxes, rings to put onto something, block wagons, toys that make a noise when pushed or played with are probably the best. For small babies, generally of age one to two years, books with large simple everyday pictures, nursery rhymes, push along/pull along toys, very simple puzzles, ride-on toys, teddy bears, dolls, blocks, toy cars, sand toys such as bucket and spade, drums, large blocks, balls, simple matching games, musical tapes, picture books with very simple stories and rhymes, ride-on toys, household toys such as small brooms to copy parents and finger and hand puppets are some of the appropriate selections. For the age range of around 3 to 5 years, simple picture books with stories or rhymes, non-toxic paints, large crayons, building sets with large pieces, dolls, cars and trucks, dress-ups, nursery song CDs, finger or hand puppets, toy animals, puzzles, tricycles with helmet, clay, doll’s house and furniture, building sets such as lego, matchbox cars, puzzles, balls, simple computer games, "making" toys, bicycle with trainer side-wheels and helmet, simple board games, tents and cubby houses are most useful selections. For school-age children, bicycles with trainer wheels and helmet, board games, beginning reader books, simple computer games, "making" toys, miniature dolls and animals, dolls’ houses, toy make-up, building sets such as lego, skipping ropes, CDs of books. simple table games or card games, construction kits, jigsaw puzzles, radio, swimming pool toys if appropriate, bats and balls, books, musical toys, toy soldiers, craft equipment, magic tricks etc are ideal choices. For older children and adolescents, as their interests become more specialised and polarised, it is best to follow the child’s own interests such as crafts, sport, music, clothes, toiletries, make-up or books or a trip to the shop to let them choose whatever they fancy. Brightly coloured toy building blocks and nesting cubes can provide young children with creative and constructive play as they stack and knock down their creations. Before purchasing these toys it is necessary to check that paints and lacquers used are non-toxic. There should be a label on a painted toy specifying that the paints are non-toxic. Make sure plastic pieces are durable and not brittle. When brittle plastic breaks it can form sharp jagged edges or points that can cut. It is generally better to select wooden items that are smoothly finished and made from soft wood that is unlikely to splinter when bent or when force is used on it. It is of course necessary always to demonstrate the safe use of building sets to a child.

For children to get the most out of toys, they must be safe and should be the right toy for the child’s age and ability. Some toys such as bicycles and skateboards are not easy to manage and children need some help before they can use them safely. Other toys may not be safe because they are for older children or perhaps because they are not well made. Unfortunately toys are also known to do some physical damage and cause injuries. It is normal for young children to explore, touch and move whatever they see. One cannot always teach a young child to play safely. Child safety depends on the people around the child. It is necessary to put away things that they should not touch, watch what they do and stop them if what they do is unsafe. There are different reasons why children get hurt by toys. Sometimes the toys are dangerous in themselves such as guns that shoot something out. It is generally best to avoid giving children toy guns for more than one reason. For one thing, it is necessary to inculcate the idea that all types of guns, toys or otherwise, are very dangerous. On another plane, toy guns that actually project missiles can and do a lot of damage by the impact of the missiles on sensitive and vulnerable areas of the human body such as the eyes. Sometimes, other toys are not well made and parts can break off easily while some toys have small parts that come off and could be swallowed by a young child. Some of them have sharp edges and some may be fine for older children but dangerous for younger children.

It is also possible to make the toy safe for use by using non-toxic paints, glue and other finishes and always washing fabrics to remove any toxic coating. One must ensure that the materials used are not flammable, especially doll’s hair, clothing and accessories. It is also important that the toy is well made and sturdy enough to withstand playtime activity. Thus the seams should be strong so that the filling cannot escape, all small pieces should be securely fastened to the toy so that they cannot be easily pulled off and become a choking danger, wooden toys should be sanded smooth with no sharp edges and preferably made from soft wood that is unlikely to splinter. Toys that contain liquid include rolling balls, doll baby bottles, children’s tumblers, necklaces, pens, paperweights, key chains and liquid timers. If the liquid is not identified on a label as safe and you suspect that it could be a harmful chemical substance, the toy could be dangerous for a child if they bite into or puncture it.

One should buy toys that are suitable for the child’s age. If a toy is labelled ‘Not suitable for children under 3’ that means exactly what it says and it may be dangerous for that age group. That statement is not an indication of skill level or intelligence needed. Even if a child is very bright and could play with older children’s toys, young children could still swallow small pieces that older children would not put in their mouths. It is always best to get advice on good brands. Other parents and teachers are likely to have very useful ideas. Parents themselves should look for possible dangers of the toys by themselves. Things like small parts that may be easily loosened or are likely to break off, jagged or spiky edges or ends, long strings or ribbons that could choke a young child and small ends on baby toys that could reach back into the baby’s mouth, should be scrupulously looked for.

In the case of stuffed toys one should look for buttons or eyes that could come off. Polystyrene bead stuffing is dangerous because the beads are easy to swallow or get into a child’s lungs. Foam toys can be dangerous for young children if pieces can be bitten or pulled off. They are not suitable for children under 3 years because of the risk of choking. In ride-on toys one should look for the age recommendation on the label. Make sure they are strong and do not tip over easily. Toys with a high back such as a horse with a high tail, are hard for very young children to get on and off safely. Noisy toys such as those that can be held up to the ear such as toy radios, should not make a loud noise because they can damage hearing. Parents should look for non-toxic label on crayons, pencils or any toys that have liquid in them. Shooting toys such as such as guns that shoot something out, bows and arrows and darts can hurt children badly. They are best avoided altogether. Most children like to play with balloons, but before they are blown up, or after they burst, the balloon pieces can be inhaled, blocking the airways.  Children have died due to balloons.  It is always necessary to watch young children when they play with a balloon and take balloon pieces away quickly. It is worth remembering that small batteries in toys can cause poisoning if swallowed. 

There are some important things one could do at home regarding toys for children. Toys bought for older children should be kept away from younger children if they are not safe for young children. This is also important when there are younger children visiting. Toy boxes with heavy lids should be avoided as the lid could accidentally fall on a child. Toy boxes should be stored low so that children do not have to climb up to get the toys. Broken toys should be either repaired or thrown away. Toys need to be kept away from passage ways, corridors, stairs etc to prevent children and even adults tripping on them. It is a very good idea to have a designated and safe play area at home for children.

Carefully selecting toys is not enough and is not the end of the story. Supervising a child’s play and providing them with a safe area to play in can be the best ways to protect the child from harm. It is always best to explain and demonstrate to the child the correct and safe use of a toy when first giving it to them. The safety of the play area in the home can be improved by removing and immediately discarding packaging before giving a toy to a small child, ensuring older children’s toys are out of reach of younger children, checking toys for breakages or potential hazards such as a loose part that could be a choking hazard, never giving uninflated balloons to small children and removing burst balloons from their play area, removing ‘dead’ batteries in toys as they can leak poisons or liquid that can damage skin or eyes and of course by making your own toys at home. Children under three-years old often place toys in their mouth to explore them by sucking and chewing on them. This particular age group is ever so specially vulnerable to choking on small objects. Keeping small objects out of reach of young children and always supervising their play time is an essential practice. Examples of toys suitable for children under three years of age include toys to be grasped, shaken or rattled by small hands, simple action toys for surprise or identifying sounds or pictures, special toys including books for recognising basic letters and numbers and toys for sorting large shapes that do not need finger dexterity.

Brightly coloured toy building blocks and nesting cubes can provide young children with creative and constructive play as they stack and knock down their creations. Before purchasing these toys it is necessary to check that paints and lacquers used are non-toxic. There should be a label on a painted toy specifying that the paints are non-toxic. Make sure plastic pieces are durable and not brittle. When brittle plastic breaks it can form sharp jagged edges or points that can cut. It is generally better to select wooden items that are smoothly finished and made from soft wood that is unlikely to splinter when chewed. It is of course necessary to demonstrate the safe use of building sets to a child. Mechanical, electrically or battery powered and moving toys are the craze all over the world. Children need to be instructed on the proper use of such toys and should be supervised whenever possible. The bigger children do enjoy playing with these articles of play. Some of them, like model trains, use mains electricity. Children who play with such devices should be instructed on basic safety features of using electricity.

Toys play an important part in the world of a child. It is not always necessary to spend large amounts of money in purchasing sophisticated toys. Some quite nice toys could even be made at home with minimal expense. All toys, when properly selected, have beneficial effects on the child and they form an essential part of the "make believe" and "imaginary" world of a child. g

The writer would appreciate feedback from the readers. Please e-mail him at

 bjcp@sltnet.lk