It was concerning to learn recently about a common car seat safety mistake parents make: “adding additional padding, toys or mirrors to a child’s car seat.” This point, highlighted in a list by AAA of common car seat errors, particularly struck a chord because, in a way, I was also making a similar oversight. While I hadn’t attached any toys directly to my daughter’s car seat, I had been giving her board books and various toys to play with while we were driving. Like many parents, we keep a selection of books and toys in the car to keep our little one entertained, especially on longer journeys.
AAA points out that loose toys can become “dangerous projectiles” in the event of a car crash. They could also potentially interfere with the car seat’s crucial safety design and performance during an accident. The idea of a car ride without toys seems almost unimaginable for many, particularly during the busy holiday season for toy shopping. To get clarity on safe options, I consulted with car seat safety expert Dr. Alisa Baer from TheCarSeatLady.com, to discover which toys, if any, are actually safe to use in the car.
Dr. Baer shared a straightforward method to assess the safety of a toy for car use. She calls it “the ouch test”: “Take the toy and gently hit yourself on the head with it. If it makes you say ‘ouch’, then it’s likely to exert too much force during a crash and is unsafe.”
Dr. Baer explains that the forces at play during a car crash make objects much heavier and impactful than they are when stationary. Conversely, if the toy doesn’t cause you to say “ouch” during this gentle test, it’s considered “soft and light enough to be safe in the car.”
Baby Whoozit
Applying this simple test, Dr. Baer advises that board books are not suitable as car toys due to their rigid nature. However, she suggests several safer alternatives. These include soft toys like the Manhattan Toy’s baby Whoozit, soft lovey blankets (similar to many popular comfort blankets), and soft bath books. Furthermore, Dr. Baer recommends keeping the number of toys in the car limited to just two or three at a time, and suggests rotating these toys regularly to maintain a child’s interest and engagement.
What are your go-to car-friendly toys for keeping your children safe and entertained?
