As September marks Home & Sports Eye Safety Month, we've chosen to highlight ways to keep your home eye safe particularly when it comes to children. It's important to be proactive to ensure your home doesn't pose any series dangers to your children's eyes.
Naturally, kids enter the world with an immature optical structure that grows with them. In the beginning, newborns can see objects at close range only. All through their growing years, kids are visually stimulated. Children's games and toys can be one of the best methods for stimulating kid's vision. However, at the same time, it's important to remember that a large number of childhood mishaps take place at home, many with toys.
How can you avoid compromising your children's eye sight? Here are some simple tips for selecting toys for the house to guarantee your child's eyes are safe.
Firstly, check that long-handled toys - such as a pony stick- don't have sharp edges, and prohibit or monitor young children carefully if they are handling them. While blocks pose little danger for almost all ages, it's important to check that the edges are blunted, in order to reduce the risk of eye damage. It's advised that you steer clear of toys that shoot objects in the air, such as slingshots or dart guns. If this is not possible, then use of these toys should only be used when accompanied by a responsible adult. If your older child uses a chemistry set or woodworking tools, be sure he or she wears protective goggles.
What else can be damaging in the home environment? Toys are actually just the tip of the iceberg. As a guardian to your children, it's your job to go through your home and guarantee there's nothing that could threaten your child's eyes. The number one danger is chemicals that haven't been carefully put away. If children can reach these materials they are at great risk.
Although it's true that games and toys for children won't always be 100% risk-free, there are lots of excellent toys that can contribute to a child's eyesight. There are a number of age-appropriate toys for kids that provide amazing ways to grow optical development. When buying toys for kids, look for those that emphasize hand-eye coordination and will help kids to understand spatial relationships. It can also be a good idea to do some research before checking out the toy store. This way you can do your best to make sure your purchase will protect your children and will enrich their optical development at the same time!