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At Wee Folk Art we strive to create designs that are natural, beautiful and safe for children to play with. But if we had to pick one of those attributes, hands down, it would be safety first! Have you ever wondered if something was safe for your baby to play with? Of course you have. And if you are like most parents, you always error on the side of caution. As I’m busy putting together a list of things I want to make or buy for Meghan and Drew’s “Little Lady”, due September 25, one of the first things I thought of was a No-Choke Testing Tube. There was nothing like this available when my children were young, at least not that I was aware of, but later, when I ran a preschool, they were in every room.
It occurred to me, that many mothers may not know of their existence, so I wanted to take a minute to share them with all of you.
This little device is known as a No-Choke Testing Tube. It simulates a baby’s (children 3 and under) throat. When an object is inserted in the tube, if it extends beyond the top of the tube, it is safe for a baby.
If it fits inside the tube, it is not. (Although in the picture below the Flower Bud gnome extends slightly above the top of the tube, it is close enough that I would not give this to a baby.)
Of course, you still need to use common sense. Even if the object extends beyond the top of the tube, if anything on the object has something that can be chewed off, it can still be a choking hazard.
So, how much would you expect to pay for this potentially life saving little test? How does $1.99 sound? That’s right. Order one for yourself today and one for everyone you know with little children. Of course, we can pretty much judge for ourselves, but I was surprised to find that a few of the toys that I thought were safe slipped easily into the tube.
There are several different sites where you can find these. I bought mine from Toys To Grow On.
FYI… there are many things we craft for our gnome house that are NOT safe for children under 3. And remember… this is a guideline for choke potential. You may have older children that still put things in their mouths. The age that you share small toys with even older children depends on their maturity.
You guys are great. I’ve never heard of this. I am definitely going to get one for our house and a few for friends. Love you guys!
I am going to get some too. For years I have just used a toilet paper roll as my guide but they get wrecked so quickly. My only question is whether they are glass?
They are made of a hard plastic… probably plexiglass.
Our Parents As Teachers educator suggested that we test toys by seeing whether or not they would fit through a bathroom tissue tube. (It’s free!) She also suggested that we ensure that our crib had small enough spaces on the sides by testing whether or not a soda can could fit through the slats.
You are right. The tp test is a good one and free. So is the can with the crib slats. Thanks for sharing 🙂
Cool. I’ve never seen these before either. I know common sense can make the call most of the time, but I’ve wondered about many things. I actually have a friend that freaks all the time about things her baby is going to choke on. I think this may give her a little piece of mind. I’m off to order a couple. Thanks guys.
I used a toilet paper carton roll to check for the size of toys. I made my sons decorate it and named them toy cops. They did a great job testing toys so that their sister wouldn’t choke on them
What a super way to get older sibs involved in the caretaking of their little sister. Decorating the tube also makes it special and specialized. Great idea. Thanks for sharing 🙂
This is an ingenious product and one that every household with little ones needs. Even when a child visits grandma’s house…hmmmmm. Giving me ideas now. 🙂 Thank you for sharing this link. Pam @ Sallygoodin