Kentucky Attorney General Jack Conway is encouraging consumers to keep safety in mind when buying toys for kids.
Nationwide, there were about 265,000 toy-related injuries treated in U.S. hospital emergency rooms in 2012.
To avoid such mishaps, Conway and his Office of Consumer Protection recommend that you be aware of toy recalls and practice these tips:
*Follow recommended age ranges on toy packages.
*Read instructions carefully before allowing your child to play with a new toy.
*Be aware that children age 3 and younger can choke on small toys and toy parts with a diameter of one and three-quarters of an inch or smaller.
*Be careful with gift bags, wrapping paper, ribbons and bows. They pose a suffocation and choking hazard for small children.
*Make sure kids have proper safety equipment for riding toys, skateboards and in-line skates. Helmets and safety gear should fit properly and be worn correctly.
Darla Carter, The Courier-Journal
(Photo credit: Ingram Publishing; Thinkstock)