Make sure that they can be mouthed, because this is an important way that babies play and explore an object,” says Parlakian.įor toddlers, go big, parent. “I recommend choosing a variety of balls of different sizes and different textures: Fabric, bumpy, smooth, to babies a chance to explore the sensory aspects of different balls. When choosing balls for babies, make sure they’re big enough to be held, but never small enough to be choking hazard. This is an important cognitive process in learning how the objects in their world work,” says Parlakian.Īnd ball play helps toddlers with hand-eye coordination and teaches them about timing (as they figure out when to throw or catch something), collaborative play (when kicking a ball back and forth with parents), and force (when they see how much harder they need to kick a soccer ball than a beach ball). “They learn that balls can roll, they can be grasped, they can be dropped, squeezed, or thrown. Using balls sized for little hands helps babies develop their fine motor skills, while also providing a sensory learning experience. “Visual tracking is the ability to follow a person or object with our eyes as it moves across our visual field.” “Simple ball play, when we hold a ball and move it in front of a baby’s field of vision, or roll it slowly along the floor where baby can watch, gives little ones a chance to fine-tune their visual tracking skills in the early months of life,” says Rebecca Parlakian, the senior director of programs at the early childhood research and advocacy nonprofit Zero to Three. Not only are they clutch toys to use outdoors, but balls for toddlers also teach kids the foundational skills they’ll need to master as they head to preschool and kindergarten. They seem like passive objects that are just kicked, thrown, hit, and rolled around (to kids’ great delight), but in fact, balls are key developmental toys that are engaging precisely because they’re so basic. Both have ear drum damage, and one hearing loss.Baby ball toys are deceptively simple. The delay in finding the beads allowed them to grow until the kids, who were 5 and 7 years old, needed surgery. In two CPSC reports, children were treated for ear infections when doctors couldn't spot clear beads in their ears during an exam. Poison Control reported a 6-month-old who needed surgery after swallowing a water bead the baby later died from an infection. Many recent cases reported to the CPSC involve young children under 3 years old swallowing water beads given to their older siblings. Similar products still are sold in craft stores and garden centers.Ī website created by the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has documented many reports of children being injured after ingesting water beads. prompted a voluntary recall of several types of water-absorbing balls, beads and toys shaped like fruit and animals. Have some water beads been recalled?Ī decade ago, deaths of children overseas and injuries in the U.S. You can also call Poison Control at 1-80. If you suspect your child swallowed or placed water beads into their ears, seek treatment right away. Signs your child may have swallowed water beadsĬomplaints that something is stuck in the throat or chest Supervise children when using water beads. Store the water beads in a tightly sealed container kept in a safe place that young children can't reach. Because some are the size of a pinhead when dry, they are difficult to find or notice if they fall on the floor. Only use water beads on a table over a hard floor. If you are interested in buying water beads, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends:Ĭonsider waiting until all the children in your household are at least 3 years old. Recently, while the beads are labeled as "non-toxic," concerns also been raised about the safety of the chemical acrylamide used to make them. And the beads may not be visible on X-rays. The beads can continue to grow once inside the body, causing blockages and life-threatening damage. Kids also have put them in their ears, and even The problem is that because water beads look like candy, young children may be tempted to swallow them. Why water beads can be dangerous for young children The clear, colorful beads can then be dried out and reused. When the tiny, hard plastic balls are placed in water, they can grow up to 1,500 times their size. They are also called sensory beads, used as play tools for children with autism and other developmental conditions. Made of superabsorbent polymer chemicals, water beads are also known as jelly beads, hydro orbs, crystal soil and gel beads. Water-absorbing gel beads sold as sensory toys and used in vases and gardens are a growing problem among young children.
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