POINT PLEASANT — As area businesses and retailers stock their shelves with the latest toys in preparation for those last-minute deals, shoppers also need to be prepared with a few toy safety tips.

At the store:

• Check and follow age guidance and other safety information on packaging (age grading is based mostly on safety and not on how smart a child may be).

• Avoid toys with small parts for children under age three (3) and children who mouth toys.

• Inspect toys at the store, looking for sturdy parts and tightly secured joints.

Make sure that batteries in toys are firmly enclosed and inaccessible to children.

• For children under 18 months of age, avoid toys with strings, straps or cords longer than 12 inches.

• Check to be sure that plush (stuffed) toys have age-appropriate features such as embroidered or secured eyes and noses for younger children and seams that are reinforced to withstand an older child’s play.

• Avoid toys with sharp points or rough edges, especially for younger children.

• Shop at a reputable retailer you know and trust.

Once the packages are opened:

• Read instructions carefully; save directions, warranties and assembly hardware.

• Role play the right way to use the toy or game and explain to your child the importance of proper use.

• Dispose of all unnecessary toy packaging and gift-wrap as soon as possible (piles of discarded gift-wrap can conceal sharp objects or the edges of hard plastic packaging that can cut small fingers).

• Store toys safely in an easily accessible storage bin; lidded toy storage should be non-locking and have special safety features such as air holes, spring-loaded hinges and clearances at the hinges to make sure little fingers won’t get caught.

• Keep a separate toy chest for older children whose toys may contain small parts; enlist their help in keeping their toys out of reach of younger siblings.

Throughout the year:

• Engage grandparents and caregivers in a discussion about toys and safe play; help them become familiar with these toy safety tips and the importance of age- and interest-appropriate toys.

• Be a good role model for the safe use of toys and stay engaged in active adult supervision of children at play.

• Keep plush (stuffed) toys out of the cribs of infants and younger children.

• Keep toys organized and off stairs or high-traffic areas in your home.

• Keep toys away from unsupervised areas (pools, bathtubs, driveways or streets with traffic) so they don’t lure a child into a dangerous situation.

• Engage older children in keeping their toys away from younger siblings.

• Inspect toys regularly and repair (or replace) damaged or broken parts immediately.

The U.S. toy industry adheres to safety standards and regulations that are among the most stringent in the world. Parents and caregivers play a key role in toy safety partnership by selecting the appropriate toy for their child. The right toy, one that is age appropriate, properly designed and manufactured, and matches the interests of the child, will provide hours of fun and safe play.