Gift Buying Tips for a Safe Holiday Season

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Picking the right gift for the kids, family and friends can be quite challenging. This holiday and summer season, show that you love them by treating them with gifts which they can enjoy and at the same time, help protect from injuries at home, at play and on the road.

What to buy:

- A booster seat. Jazz it up and let their imagination run wild (tell them it's a rocket ship or a fairy chariot!). Remember, kids are safer in a booster seat until they're big enough to fit an adult seat belt properly. The easiest way to tell: If they're under 148cm tall, they still need a booster seat.

- A cycle helmet. If Lance Armstrong needs one, your kid will too. Let them pick their own helmet and remember to be a role model (buy and use one yourself).

- Tools with safety locks. Nothing pleases dad more than a brand new power tool. Buy one with a safety lock, and protect curious little hands by storing them out of children's sight and reach.

- A Portable Pool Fence. Owners of small or portable pools still need to comply with pool safety regulations. A portable/ flexible pool fence is a perfect gift to help enjoy the summer season safely.

- Smoke alarms. If you've visited a relative or a friend's house and notice that they don't have a smoke alarm, buy one as a present (don't forget the batteries). What better gift than one that could save their lives in a fire.

What NOT to buy:

- Toys that are choking hazards. If a toy can fit inside the hole of a toilet roll, it is a potential choking hazard for babies and toddlers.

- Baby bath seats and rings. Bath seats and rings give a false sense of security, and using one can be dangerous. Babies can slip or get trapped underwater.

- Baby Walkers. They could fall against fires, down stairs and off decks if they use one. They could be burned by hot water from kettles or pots they shouldn't have been able to reach, or poison themselves with medications and cleaning products parents thought were stored high enough.

For more information in keeping kids safe at home, at play and on the road, visit http://www.safekids.org.nz.

ENDS

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