General guidelines to keep in mind when shopping for toys

General guidelines to keep in mind 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.

Steer clear of older toys, even hand-me-downs from friends and family. Those toys might have sentimental value and are certainly cost-effective, but they may not meet current safety standards and may be so worn from play that they can break and become hazardous.

And make sure a toy isn't too loud for your child. The noise of some rattles, squeak toys, and musical or electronic toys can be as loud as a car horn — even louder if a child holds it directly to the ears — and can contribute to hearing damage.