During the exciting weeks leading up to the holidays, many people find themselves out shopping for gifts, driving to visit family and friends, and decorating their homes in the spirit of the season. Among all this holiday cheer we often forget that unsafe toys, and other holiday season safety hazards cannot only ruin the holidays, but the months and even years to follow.

• Make sure all toys are well-suited for your child’s age group and skill level.
• Check the Consumer Product Safety Commission website to look for toy recalls and reviews of unsafe toys.
• If you have small children in your home, avoid breakable or fragile Christmas tree decorations as well as edible decorations as children can easily be confused as to which ornaments are edible and which are not.
• Active toys such as skateboards, bicycles, skates, or sporting equipment should always be accompanied by the appropriate safety gear (helmets, pads, etc.)
• When enjoying the warmth of a fireplace, be sure to use a screen or glass enclosure to keep embers at bay and prevent logs from rolling out. A word of caution however, glass enclosures can heat up to 400°F in just 6 minutes and take as long as 45 minutes to cool. To prevent serious burns, keep your kids away from the fireplace for at least an hour after the fire has been put out.
• If you’ll be visiting friends and relatives over the holidays, know that their homes may not be child-proofed. Be sure to ask in advance if there will be fences around swimming pools or guns in the home and kindly remind them small objects that would be within reach of a toddler should be removed.
• If traveling, try to keep your child’s routine (eating time, nap times, etc.) as consistent as possible to keep both of your stress levels low and allow you to enjoy the holidays together.

By following these holiday safety tips you can help ensure that this season is filled with happy memories you’ll treasure for years to come.