How to Find Safe and Quality Toys for your Children

Buying safe toys for children is always a concern for parents, but increasing numbers of toy recalls have made safety an even greater concern. Parents do not want to spend a small fortune for toys, but they do want quality toys that will stay in one piece during play, and they do not want toys to pose a danger to the child. Fortunately, there are alternatives to most retailer offerings that can help parents meet all of those goals.

One of the easiest places to find safe, quality toys for children is through online retailers. Online retailers are often more able to offer unique, quality toys than retailers who are subjected to the limitations of corporate purchasing. At 1888toys.com, for example, there is a wide selection of toys for all ages, including toys and furniture for bedrooms and waiting rooms, which are tested not only by the manufacturer, but also by the merchant, in order to ensure quality and safety. Such retailers are also able to offer a variety of toys that have been designed, and tested, to be safe for children.

Among the quality toys that parents can look for are handmade wooden toys and wooden puzzles. Wooden toys and puzzles are painted with water-based child-safe enamel, although some may be purchased with an organic natural finish. The enamel used meets all government standards as a lead-free paint, and is perfectly safe for use by children. In addition, the toys are more durable, and generally have few to no small parts, helping to eliminate choking hazards.

Of course, wooden toys are not the only options for parents. Because babies tend to chew on everything, educational baby toys must pass government standards regarding the possibility of transmitting any toxic elements to the baby. Hand puppets and marionettes must meet the requirements of flammability and heavy metals testing. Most board games are required to pass certain standards regarding the safety of the ink, paper, and game pieces.

Finding safe, quality toys may not always be easy for parents, but there are specific things they can look for in toys. Typically, toys that are made in the U.S.A. are less likely to be subject to product recalls. The U.S. government has imposed strict regulations regarding flammability, presence of lead or heavy metals, and general safety of toys. Any toys that fail to meet government standards may not legally be sold or purchased.

Parents should also look for toys from reputable manufacturers. Individual toymakers, craftspeople and artisans are also good option as the manufacturer of safe and quality toys for children. An individual typically does not make a toy simply to make money. Instead, the toys are expressions of their creativity, and they are made with a genuine love for the toy and the child in mind. Toys made by individuals will rarely contain parts or chemicals that are harmful to children.

There are options for parents who want to buy safe toys for their children, and who also desire a quality toy. Knowing where to look, as well as knowing what to look for, can help parents find safe, quality toys. While those toys may not be on the shelf of the local mass retailer, they are well worth spending the time to find.

About the Author

Marina Neiman, author and mother of two, writes for 1888Toys.com – Educational Toys Store, featuring classic wooden toys and selection of safe and quality toys for children.

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Never Say Die: The Eccentric Architecture of Arakawa + Gins

Architecture has, and continues to be, constructed with the goal of marrying form and function in a purposeful and aesthetic way. Perhaps it’s time for loftier goals.

Arakawa and Gins are two artists and architects that have worked together for over 45 years. Troubled by the notion of mortality, the two have decided that they’re never going to die, and are working to outlaw death for everyone. One way they’re doing this is by creating residential spaces that will extend the lives of those who live in them.

Their self-made anti-death philosophy is known as “reversible destiny” and their building designs are based on something they call “procedural architecture.” Their design methods create unusual structures that “steer their residents to examine minutely the actions they take…and recalibrate their equanimity and self-possession, causing them to doubt themselves long enough to find a way to reinvent themselves.” What this heady explanation means is that the houses they build are challenging structures, designed to keep their residents off-kilter at all times. By living in a perpetual funhouse, you’re forcing your body and mind to stay active and seek new answers to problems. This could then lead to a new way of approaching life and facing obstacles from a new, enlightened perspective.

Arakawa and Gins could be onto something. There’s been a great deal of discussion in the medical community about brain plasticity, and about how stimulating the brain will help keep neurological problems like Alzheimer’s at bay.

In terms of the physical challenges inherent with their structures, Arakawa and Gins believe that the body can be challenged to greater health as well. They feel that their disorienting spaces can help improve one’s immune system, and even recommend their designs for seniors who have health problems and mobility issues. As Arakawa explained, even if people are forced to crawl on the floor like a snake, the health benefits will be worth it.

While most people want a living space that oozes comfort, for Arakawa and Gins, comfort is a harbinger of death. As Madeline Gins explains, “comfort is rife with anxiety, and elation comes when you erase that.” By living in a home that challenges your senses and is difficult to get around in, “everyday you are practicing how not to die.”

Their first American structure is known as the Bioscleave House, or Lifespan Extending Villa. It is located on Long Island NY, and cost $2 million to build. The home has remained unoccupied since the project was completed.

There are no doors on any of the rooms (bathroom included), thereby forcing you to reassess your need for privacy. The walls meet at strange angles and are painted with a multitude of bright colors. The concrete floors are hilly and covered with smoothed-over bumps that make walking a challenge, and the windows are set at varying heights so you can’t orientate yourself with the horizon. The kitchen is sunk into the center of the home and is practically unnoticeable. Fortunately, there are brightly colored poles to help the unbalanced. Altogether the home has a cheerful yet dizzying effect.

An instruction manual comes with the home, and a waiver must be signed before entering.

Innovative design that challenges our notions of home and life—this is what the architecture of Arakawa and Gins does for us. They force us to question things that we take for granted such as comfort and the inevitability of death. While the author of this article may prefer to live in a house that is relaxing and comfortable, it’s good to know that there are still people out there who are questioning limits, challenging perceptions, and working to achieve something we all want—to outsmart death.

About the Author

For information about Minneapolis lofts and condos, visit MinnesotaLoftsAndCondos.com. There you can search all loft and condo rentals in Minneapolis, in addition to getting the latest market information for the Twin Cities area.

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