age inappropriate toys???

[catchertrain]

my ds 1 yr really likes toy cars and plays with them at play group etc. the ones he really likes are the small metal ones like this:

www.amazon.co.uk/Hot-Wheels-10-Car-Pack/dp/B000B6MKMO/ref=sr_1_14?ie=UTF8&qid=1324066310&sr=8-14

but all the ones I've seen of this type are for age 3+. why is this as they are still too big to be choked on? is the paint toxic or something? I don't think the wheels come off either. Does anyone know why they are 3+?? and do people typically buy their kids 3+ toys when they are younger (as they always play with them when out of the house (e.g. playgroup) anyway?

I don't look at the ages, I look at what DS will enjoy and I feel is suitable for him. He is 2 and most of his toys are 3 plus - if I got him age "appropriate" toys then he wouldn't enjoy them half as much!

Both my DSs had these kind of cars at a year old, I think they are classed as a choking hazard, but am probably wrong! I buy my children some 'age innapropriate' toys, depends what it is, why the age is what it is, etc etc.

My youngest ds has played with cars like those since he could crawl- he would pinch his big brothers

It's probably a choking hazard thing, in case the wheels fall off and end up in the mouth etc.

Just make sure he doesn't mouth them.

It's to do with insurance & testing - each age group has a 'cost' under 3 is much more expensive

I always take the view that 3+ means that the product might be a danger ( scratch/choke etc) to an unsupervised child, but if you are playing with your child and supervising them, then they can happily enjoy "age inappropriate" toys with you.

There are particular tests they have to do to show toys are suitable for under 3s so sometimes 3+ just means the manufacturer hasn't done those tests to prove safety.

I think sometimes also the risk is a bit theoretical, that if you ripped the wheels off it they would in theory be a choking hazard. But the wheels not being able to be removed really.

My DS is 2 and has a number of 3+ toys, including dinky cars. He doesn't like big chunky plastic cars which are all there are suitable for his age. I would just check anything over really carefully to see how easy they are to break, as most 1yr olds do still out stuff in their mouths.