Holiday Gatherings

• During parties hire a sitter or designate someone to watch the young children.
• Keep candies, nuts or other snack foods out of children’s reach. (Children under 4 could choke on these types of foods)
• Keep visitors’ belongings out of the reach of young children – visitors may bring medication, lighters or matches with them.
• Remember to clean up after a party. A toddler may rise early and get into leftover food, tobacco or alcohol.

Toys and Gifts for Children

• Follow the age recommendations on toys.
• For infants and toddlers, avoid toys with long strings or cords.
• For children under three, buy toys large enough that they cannot pass through the tube of a toilet paper roll.
• For children under three, inspect toys to make sure they do not have parts that can break off and be swallowed.
• For children under three, throw away all packaging materials, such as plastic bags.
• Make sure the batteries in toys are new and secure.

Decorations

• Avoid using decorations that are small or have removable parts to prevent children from chocking on them.
• Keep all breakable decorations out of reach of children.
• Use flame-resistant and lead-free decorations.
• Keep lit candles out of reach of children. Lit candles should never be left unattended.
• If you use a real tree at Christmas add water daily. Anchor real or artificial trees to prevent them from tipping over. Place trees away from traffic areas, heat vents, radiators and fireplaces.