What do the age gradings on toys really mean?

Age recommendations are guidelines for parents and gift-givers to use when purchasing toys for children. The age recommendations on Fisher-Price toys are based on the following factors:

• Safety guidelines
• Sound knowledge of the developmental stages of children
• Observations of children interacting with toys
• Input from parents of young children regarding the age-appropriateness of toys, and
• History of similar toys.

So you can see that much consideration, deliberation and testing goes into establishing the age recommendation for toys. In addition to following the age recommendations for toys, parents should instruct older children to keep their toys out of reach when younger children are around, as there could be small parts which could cause a choking hazard.

Dr. Bettye M. Caldwell Ph.D. Professor of Pediatrics in Child Development and Education

Parenting advice is given as a suggestion only. We recommend you also consult your healthcare provider.