Happy holidays from the Safety For Toddlers team. Thank you to everyone who helped make 2008 a great year.

This year, we made a donation on our customers’ behalf, to the Children’s Home Society of Idaho.

The mission of The Children’s Home Society of Idaho is to bring hope to children and the families who care for them. They currently operate the Warm Springs Counseling Center, Warm Springs Training Institute and The Bridge. Through these programs, the CHS provides mental health care services, training to mental health professionals, and innovative foster care reform.

For more information, visit childrenshomesociety.com.

See you in 2009.

The Safety For Toddlers Team

Check out the latest toy safety tips from Safe Kids USA. Also download their helpful Toy Buying Guide.

Do you have any tips to share?

Christmas, Hanukah and Kwanza are wonderful wintertime celebrations. We like to deck out the house with candles, wreaths, trees and lights. What household hazards can we avoid to keep our babies and toddlers safe during our celebrations?

Holiday Tips

• Christmas tree safety is critical. Two years ago, my sister-in-law returned to her apartment to find the building closed off due to a careless neighbor whose Christmas tree burst into flames while they were out. The neighbor’s apartment was burned out – the rest of the building was spared. A quick read on Christmas Tree Safety can be found at Better Homes and Gardens.
• Think about the plants with which you like to decorate the house. Poinsettias and Mistletoe are classified as toxic or poisonous plants. Download the “Plants and Children – How to Choose Plants for Your Home” guide from the Rocky Mountain Poison and Drug Center. Keep these plants well out of reach or substitute them with artificial plants that you can use year after year.
• Consider fire safety when decorating. Do not overload electrical outlets with holiday lighting or special effects, and do not block exit doors.
• Keep lit candles and matches out of reach. Decoration manufacturers offer battery-powered candles that are much safer.
• We love to spoil our kids with gifts. Make sure that the gifts you give are age-appropriate. If you have older children or teenagers, make sure they keep toys out of reach of their younger siblings. This applies to doors that might pinch, sharp-pointed or sharp-edged toys and projectiles and toy guns. The latter require adult supervision.
• We’ve recently received a lot of questions around toys with lead-based paint. How do you know if your toys’ paint contain lead? The first step is to review recalls.gov for the latest updates. The second step is to purchase toys that are guaranteed to be lead-free. One example is to purchase toys made in the U.S.A. HearthSong has an interesting collection of locally-made toys.

What other safety tips can you recommend for babies and toddlers during the holidays?

We just got this notice in from the International Association for Child Safety (IAFCS) re. the dangers of roman shades and roll-up blinds. Bottom line — strangulation hazard. Read more at cpsc.gov or download the CPSC Bulletin.