Buying children's toys – 11 tips from TÜV SÜD

Buying children's toys – 11 tips from TÜV SÜD

Christmas gifts for children should give pleasure for longer than the festive season. To ensure that the fun and games continue long after Christmas is over, children's toys should be bought with care and consideration. The professionals at TÜV SÜD have assembled 11 useful tips for prospective purchasers.

1.Check the origins: Does the toy you have chosen show the name of the manufacturer or importer with the full address? If this information is missing, watch out: you may have picked a cheap and even potentially dangerous product from origins which cannot be traced.

2. Fair exchange is no robbery – it's your right: The best places to buy toys are specialist retailers, reputable online stores or well-known discounters. All these allow you to exchange faulty goods and claim compensation if the worst comes to the worst. Buyers browsing the Internet can check that their chosen source of a product displays the TÜV SÜD "s@fer-shopping" mark as a sign that the purchasing processes used by the site are secure.

3. Reward performance: When you make your choice, ensure that the value of the material and the price of the toy are in relation to one another. Ultra-low prices are generally the result of compromises over safety and reliability.

4. Read the signs: The CE mark is the manufacturer's voluntary confirmation that its products comply with the minimum requirements of the applicable European directives. As a 'passport' for free goods trade within Europe, the CE mark is primarily directed at market surveillance authorities and customs officials – not consumers. It does not stand for independent monitoring of products or production facilities by a certification organization.

5. Make your mark: To ensure your Christmas is a happy one, it is best to rely on the GS (Tested Safety) Mark. Products bearing this mark have been examined by an approved independent certification body. In addition, the quality seal demonstrates that production sites have also been inspected at least once per year. The GS Mark is protected by law, and is further anchored by Germany's new Product Safety Act which replaced the old Equipment and Product Safety Act on 1 December 2011.

6. Follow your nose: When buying toys, use your nose as well as your head and avoid any products with a strong smell of chemicals or fragrance, as this may be an indication that the product contains harmful substances. The law requires painted or varnished toys to be resistant to saliva and sweat.

7. Smooth things over: A particularly important consideration for children's toys. Hold the toy in your hand and check for any sharp corners or edges that may cause injury, recommend the product pros at TÜV SÜD.

8. Small isn't beautiful: A principle that particularly applies to children up to the age of three, who love to put toys in their mouths. To avoid any danger of choking, as a rule of thumb babies and toddlers should not be allowed any objects smaller than a two-euro coin or 50p piece – including, and especially, any detachable individual parts of toys. Any manufacturers' age ratings and age restrictions should be carefully observed.

9. A good wash: Before using a toy for the first time, (washable) toys should be cleaned – especially where this is recommended in the instructions. After washing, ensure that cloth dolls, soft toys and their friends are dried thoroughly to avoid mould formation. As far as further use of the toy goes, a useful tip is that 24 hours in the freezer will kill any mites.

10. Study the instructions: Is the toy supplied with instructions for use that are complete and easy to understand? If the instructions are lacking altogether or sound as though they have been computer-translated, caution is advised. After purchasing, it is important to read the instructions thoroughly before starting to use the product, and any manufacturer's warnings must naturally be observed.

11. Keep in touch: Toys should regularly be inspected thoroughly. Have any small parts become detached? Is the paint or dye coming off? Is the toy leaking fluids? Responsible long-term monitoring of the condition and quality of toys as children's gifts is all part of the process of giving.

Contact: