Following that Mattel Fisher-Price brouhaha, where they recalled millions of made-in-China toys for sporting lead-based paint coating, parents should be warned of the potential hazards that toys can bring.

Ever wondered why babies almost always pop anything they could put their hands on their mouths? It’s because it’s their instinct to do so. Since they’re not old enough to understand a “no,” you should be responsible for them and be on the guard for all those things that they can put their hands on.

This means that you should be sure that there aren’t small enough objects (whether they be toys or trinkets) around a baby’s space since they are prone to swallowing such objects and they can definitely choke from them. Some more curious toddlers would even poke things up their noses and ears (and other orifices).

Make sure that toys should be too large to swallow, too tough to break, and have no sharp edges whatsoever. Don’t fully trust the age specs on the toy box too. Children’s growth varies.

Toxicity is also a great concern. Even if toys aren’t big enough, babies can try put them in their mouths. Some toddlers even tend to chew on their toys. Imagine if your child has been chewing on toys coated with toxic lead-based paint.

Crib mobiles are quite popular with babies. However, a danger that this poses is if the baby can grab the mobile. They can get strangled in the strings if not carefully placed. So make sure that when hanging a mobile, there’s ample space so that the baby wouldn’t just grab on to them.

If you have other older children who are old enough to cautioned, teach them not to hand the baby any small toy or object whatsoever. Sometimes, children who are just “trying to be nice” might hand something harmful to the baby. Also, tell them not to play with the baby’s toys. They might scamper off somewhere with them and make them dirty.