If you've got old baby gear stored away in the attic left over from your preschooler was younger, now just might be the time to bring it down and dust it off.
The "Great Trade-In," a program sponsored by Toys "R" Us and Babies "R" Us that runs through September 19, encourages parents to bring in any old cribs, car seats, bassinets, strollers, travel systems, play yards and high chairs in exchange for a 25 percent savings on the purchase of any new baby item, in any of these product categories, from certain manufacturers.
The event, which is being held for the third time, is concurring with the launch of a new safety initiative by Toys "R" Us -- the Product Safety Vigilance Program, a series of measures designed to keep parents in the loop about recalls and safety notices about children's products they may have in their homes.
As part of the program, Toys "R" Us has created a checklist -- "Eight Steps to Keep Kids Safe," as well as a product record list so parents can note various items that they have bought and have been given as gifts. Toys "R" Us also offers the following tips for parents:
- Register products with the manufacturer so they can be contacted in the event of a recall
- Track new and past purchases so that they have a quick reference guide of the products in use in their home in the event of a recall
- Sign-up to receive recall notifications from agencies like the CPSC and NHTSA
- Be mindful of using secondhand products
- Encourage family members and friends to keep their own record of the juvenile products they use
- Make sure they know that anyone caring for their children has a process in place for regularly confirming the safety of the children's products they use
- Report any concerns with the safety of a product to the proper government agency
- Remove any recalled or unsafe products from use immediately.
Manufacturers participating in the "Great Trade-In" event include Baby Cache, Babi Italia, Baby Trend, Bertini, Britax, Chicco, Contours by Kolcraft, Cosco, Delta, Eddie Bauer, Evenflo, Graco, Jeep, Nature's Purest by Summer Infant, Safety 1st and Sorelle.
Do you have baby gear lying around the house left over from your preschooler?
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I was unable to take advantage of this program last year and was looking forward to it this year. However, I’m disappointed that Peg Perego decided not to participate which will limit our ability to take advantage.