When you make your holiday shopping list for the preschooler in your life, it's not a bad idea to check it twice to make sure everything on it is safe.
"Trouble in Toyland," a new report from the U.S. Public Interest Research Group takes a hard look at a wide-range of playthings that are unsafe for children. They've broken the toys into three categories:
- toys that may pose choking hazards
- toys that are excessively loud
- toys that contain the toxic chemicals lead and phthalates
Offenders that might be of interest to preschool parents includeMy First BABY Learn by BABY Born by Zapf Creations (contains near small parts), Kota and Pals Stompers Tricerotops by Playskool (excessively loud) and the Elmo Lunch Bag by Fast Forward New York (contains potentially toxic chemicals).
The group has also developed a smart phone website that you can access while you are in the store to see if a product is safe. For a the complete report, visit U.S. PIRG.
Have you purchased a toy only to discover it was unsafe?
Related: Toy Buying Safety Tips from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission
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Do children in daycare watch more television than their center-based counterparts? Possibly, says a new study published in the December issue of Pediatrics.
Researchers from the Center for Child Health, Behavior and Development at Seattle Children's Research Institute and the University of Washington School of Medicine examined 168 child care programs in Michigan, Florida, Washington and Massachusetts, in the first study of screen time in day care settings in over two decades.
According to the study, "among preschool-aged children, those in home-based daycares watched TV for 2.4 hours per day on average, compared to 0.4 hours in center-based settings." The study said in cases where staff at home-based daycares had college degrees, the amount of television watched matched center-based programs.
"It's alarming to find that so many children in the United States are watching essentially twice as much television as we previously thought," said lead researcher Dimitri A. Christakis, MD, MPH. "Research continues to link excessive preschool screen time with language delay, obesity, attentional problems and even aggression depending upon content. At the same time, studies show that high quality preschool can be beneficial to children's development. Unfortunately, for many children, the potential benefits of preschool may be being displaced by passive TV viewing. I suspect many parents are unaware of the frequency and extent of TV viewing in day care settings. Hopefully, these findings will serve as a wake up call for them."
Experts at Seattle Children's Research Institute suggest that parents who have concerns about children watching too much television should talk to their daycare providers and find out how much your child actually watches each day. It's important to let your provider know if you want to limit your child's screen time and indicate the amount of time you are comfortable with.
How much television does your preschooler watch each day?
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The title of this one alone makes me giggle.
It's easy to see why Bear might be confused. In Bear Snores On (compare prices) by Karma Wilson and illustrated by Jane Chapman, he wakes up from his slumber one cold winter to night to find that a whole bunch of animals -- a badger, a mouse, a hare and more -- are having a perfectly wonderful time in his cave -- without him.
This perfectly sweet tale features a surprise ending that is sure to delight everyone who reads it. Great for reading at bedtime, naptime or even when you just want to snuggle up and cuddle, Bear's story, along with the warm, interesting illustrations are pleasers, and one you'll want to read again and again.
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Book cover image: PriceGrabber/Little Simon/Simon & Schuster
You might have a preschooler in your life, but chances are when it comes to holiday shopping, you have a lot of folks to think of. Other children, nieces, nephews, parents, grandparents, babysitters, teachers -- at holiday time it's fun to share the joy! As you get ready to do your holiday shopping, consider these great gift guides, put together by the experts on the About.com Parenting Channel. Happy shopping!
For Everyone on Your List:
Gifts for Her:
Gifts for Tweens, Teens and Young Adults:
Gifts for Kids:
Gifts for the Whole Family:
Gifts for Baby:
Gifts for Grandparents:
Movies for the Family
Do you shop on Black Friday? What are you buying this year?
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Image: Photodisc/Tim Hall
