Navigating the Toy Store Jungle

by WiredBerries Editors — November 13, 2007

If you're organized enough to be getting a jump on holiday shopping and you need to find toys for your kids, nieces and nephews, or any little bean in your life, you might be overwhelmed by the obligation to find non-lead-laden, phthalate-free, actually fun toys. Consider the following guidelines provided by KidsHealth when shopping for toys:

• Toys made of fabric should be labeled as flame resistant or flame retardant
• Stuffed toys should be washable
• Painted toys should be covered with lead-free paint
• Art materials should say nontoxic
• Crayons and paints should say ASTM D-4236 on the package, which means that they've been evaluated by the American Society for Testing and Materials

Any suggestions for places to find safe toys?