Salt Lake City, UT -- (ReleaseWire) -- 12/13/2021 --It is the gift giving time of year, and experts from Intermountain Healthcare are advising parents and grandparents to be aware of safety when it comes to picking out toys this holiday season.
Carley Barrett, a child life specialist in the emergency department at Intermountain St. George Regional Hospital in Utah spends her time working with children of all ages, helping them through a variety of traumatic situations. She says one of the best ways she's found to connect with kids is by playing with them using age appropriate safe toys.
"Play is a child's language," Barrett said. "I try to normalize what they're going through in the emergency department in order to help them cope."
Depending on the age of the child, Barrett said she often takes a container of Play-Doh and talks with the child while their hands are busy creating something else. However, if the child is young, Barrett said you want to be cautious about introducing anything they might ingest.
"Just because things like Play-Doh may be non-toxic, doesn't mean you want your kid to be eating it," Barrett said. "If they're little and they want to paint, but they are also at an age where they are mouthing things, you can make edible paint using yogurt and food coloring, or Kool-Aid powder and water."
In addition to choking hazards, Barrett said it is important to think about what else a young child might do with little toys, like Lego or beads.
"Kids tend to find a spot for those kinds of toys in their nose, or in their ear," Barrett said. "Even kids who are past the point of putting it in their mouth and choking, they might be curious and it ends up lodged someplace else."
Some of the toys Barrett relies on in order to distract a child from a procedure, or to build rapport with them include "I Spy" books, interactive light-up toys, or even simple songs and games on a tablet.
"A good rule of thumb when selecting a safe toy is to pay attention to the age range listed on the label," Barrett said.
Basic safety for toys such as bikes, scooters, ATVs and hover boards include wearing a helmet.
"Especially at a young age, modeling is important, so parents need to wear helmets too and explain why they're important," Barrett said. "There are going to be accidents on these kinds of toys, but if we can protect their heads that is super helpful."
Some other toy suggestions from Barett include:
- 0-2 years — Children are in a sensory motor stage so toys should be things they can touch and feel. Toys should be safe to be put in their mouths, such as safe-sized rattles. Anything with bright colors. Noise making toys are also good at this stage.
- 1-2 years — is a fine motor stage. Shape sorters. Pop up toys that teach cause and effect.
- 2-4 years — Imaginary play is important here. Open-ended toys like animal figures, little dolls and cars, anything that allows the child to create their own story. Let the child take the lead when playing these toys with them. This is a good opportunity for children to express their thoughts through play.
- 5-7 years — Once they're in the school age years, their peers have a greater impact on the toys they choose. At this age, asking the child what they're interested in is a great idea. Often this age enjoys arts and crafts, cooking supplies, age appropriate video games; anything that gives the child a sense of accomplishment and mastery.
- Tween and teen phase — Children this age tend to know what they want. Outdoor and sporting equipment, books, music, clothes. It can be difficult to navigate this world of gift giving without their input. However, often times they want things that make them feel older, so gifts of self care like bath bombs, headphones, face masks and other things help them feel more mature and gives a bit of responsibility.
As for electronics, including phones, tablets and video games, Barrett said this is the world kids are living in and it is up to the adults in their lives to teach them how to use these things safely.
"I think some parents are scared to let their child enter that world, but you just have to monitor it and have open conversations about those things," she said. "Every child is different and every family is different, but teaching within certain guidelines is very helpful."
With all gifts, maintaining a sense of mental safety is important as well, Barrett said. "We want them to create an identity for themselves in a safe way. Think about things that will build their self esteem and empower them."
About Intermountain Healthcare
Located in Utah, Idaho, and Nevada, Intermountain Healthcare is a nonprofit system of 25 hospitals, 225 clinics, the Intermountain Medical Group with some 2,700 employed physicians and advanced care practitioners, a health plans division called SelectHealth, Homecare, and other health services. Helping people live the healthiest lives possible, Intermountain is committed to improving community health and is widely recognized as a leader in transforming healthcare by using evidence-based best practices to consistently deliver high-quality outcomes at sustainable costs. For more information, see Intermountain Healthcare or the Intermountain Healthcare Blog.