PLAY SAFE

Safekids Aotearoa director Ann Weaver’s safety tips:

If an object can fit inside the hole of a toilet roll, it’s a potential choking hazard for babies and toddlers.

Under-5s should not eat small, round or hard foods, including pieces of hot dogs, cheese sticks or chunks, hard candy, nuts, grapes, marshmallows or popcorn.

Keep small magnets away from children. These include magnets found in construction sets, children’s toys, stressrelieving adult desk toys and refrigerator magnets.

Keep cords and strings, including those attached to window blinds, out of reach.

While not a choking injury, if a child swallows a button battery, it can get stuck. Saliva triggers an electrical current causing severe burns and tissue damage within two hours.