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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to actually take notice of the recommended age on toys?

81 replies

ceebee74 · 01/01/2008 19:33

I have always thought that the recommended age on toys is there for a reason (i.e. for safety reasons, or even that the child wouldn't know how to play with it) - what do others think?

DH's cousin bought DS (18 mo) a toy for age 3+ for Christmas - MIL thought I was being petty in saying that it was inappropriate (we have had this argument before as she keeps trying to buy DS 3+ toys).

AIBU??

OP posts:
lennygrrl · 01/01/2008 19:54

Message withdrawn

tassisssss · 01/01/2008 19:55

oooooh, ceebee, that Pat van was an enormous hit with ds. he got it for christmas when he was 20 months and his sister who's 14 months was playing with it today. really it's ok, it's been very well played with here by lots of LOs and the wing mirrors are still intact.

differentYearbutthesamecack · 01/01/2008 19:57

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

pooka · 01/01/2008 20:01

DS had that at about 18months. It was such a hit when we went away with friends that they bought their dd one for her 1st birthday - really enjoyed crawling after it.

MadamePlatypus · 01/01/2008 20:10

This sounds very like the postman pat van that DS had - the wheels came off. I can't remember their size, but I would have thought potentially a choking hazard?

I agree with you ceebee - I wouldn't buy a toy for somebody else's 18 month old that was marked for over 3's. I would be more relaxed about a 2 year old, and Dd (14 months) certainly plays with her big brother's toys, but there were loads of age appropriate toys for under 3's the last time I was in ELC.

Hecate · 01/01/2008 20:12

Not really. I get things that are suitable for their personal level of understanding and ability, rather than their chronological age, iyswim.

mincepies · 01/01/2008 20:17

We got given a vile glove puppet for DD for Christmas. It's not suitable for children under 3. To be honest, it's so shoddily made (and has a very odd battery arrangement!!!) I wouldn't even give it to a child over three.

The gift came from my MIL. On Christmas day, DD was, wait for it, 11 weeks old...

No, YANBU!

ChasingSquirrels · 01/01/2008 20:22

that postman pat one is fine (if it is the one I am thinking of), ds1 had it before 3, and I am getting it down from the loft for ds1 at the end of the month when it is his 2nd birthday.

wannaBe · 01/01/2008 20:27

ds had that van when he was two. As well as all the bob the builder toys that are all 3+ and I have no idea why as none of them have small parts.

tbh I agree with your mil - if something isn't suitable right now you could just put it away, at 18 mo your ds isn't going to know that one of his presents has been put away.

My mil is constantly buying toys that are over his age, although she does go slightly overboard - bought him a ve complicated macano set when he was 3, and has bought him lego suitable from age 8 for christmas - he is 5. Those toys I often put away because if they're over complicated then it just frustrates him and he gets little enjoyment from them, but as long as he was happy/able to play with a toy I saw no issue with age.

ChasingSquirrels · 01/01/2008 20:32

wannaBe - my MIL brought 3.3yo ds some meccano too - dh found it hard so that went away for a year!
He is now 5.3yo and has had some 8+ lego this christmas and is fine with it, so if you have put that away it might be worth him trying it.

notnowbernard · 01/01/2008 20:38

DD2 is 2.8 years younger than DD1. She has never been interested in the toys intended for her age group - is far more interested in DD1 and what she is playing with.

And as they do play nicely together, kind of think it doesn't matter, really... obviously am not going to let her get her hands on a bag of marbles or anything, but she has developed a taste for chalk

Occasionally I get a bit neurotic and test her stacking capabilities though

glassofwhite · 01/01/2008 20:49

We have one of those,and i would say its fine for under3s.

Beat this! MIL wanted to buy ds a remote controlled car last easter,he was 2.5. We said thanks but no thanks,and then explained he already had one (a chico one which was for 2yr+) and that he was having trouble mastering how to work it. She said ok.
2 weeks later she gave ds a remcon car, age group 8yrs+!

Hulababy · 01/01/2008 20:49

Having seen what toy it is - then I'd be fine with that. Maybe MIL was using her own common sense and judgement and just thought that it would be suitable. I do think a lot of the 3+ labelling is just there for companies tocover themselves and I think it is actually so much more stringent for them to get a >3+ rating they go for the easy life.

MadamePlatypus · 01/01/2008 20:56

This is the postman pat van DS had. As posted before, the wheels fell off.

tassisssss · 01/01/2008 20:57

that's the one we have too

3 years on, and after much use, it's still doing great.

i let my dd (14 months) play with it.

Original poster
ceebee74 · 01/01/2008 20:57

Madame - yes it is exactly the same one. I guess I had better go and talk to DH about whether to remove it for now then if the wheels come off (never thought about the wheels, just the wing mirrors!)

OP posts:
wannaBe · 01/01/2008 21:02

surely a child couldn't swallow the wheels on that?

mummymagic · 01/01/2008 21:06

Oh gosh, I NEVER look at age recommendations... I look at the toy/household object and decide if it is safe or safe with supervision for MY child. Surely the age thingys are to do with money and tick boxes, no? My dd (20mths) hasn't mouthed anything since about 10 months and is very careful and steady - tbh I give her pretty much anything to play with.

My next child might be a wanton crazy reckless thing and so won't be allowed to play with coins at 12mths (eek, terrible parent alert ).

Washersaurus · 01/01/2008 21:09

DS1 has had one of those since he was 15mths (now 2.5) and it is one of his favourite toys. Nothing has broken off it and I didn't hesitate in giving it to him to play with.

IMHO, for the reasons given below, I think you are being a bit precious about the 3+ thing.

FGS they couldn't physically swallow one of those wheels

hatrick · 01/01/2008 21:11

This reply has been deleted

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cadelaide · 01/01/2008 21:15

Ds has that van, he loves it. Dp and I bought it for him, didn't even notice it was 3+ tbh.
We just looked at it, yes Pat and Jess come out but they are too big to choke on. Has been one of the most successful toys in our house this Christmas.
Ds is 18m.
So I spose what I'm saying is YABU!

MadamePlatypus · 01/01/2008 21:16

I can't remember how big the wheels are in real life, but I suspect they are small enough to qualify as 'small parts'. To be honest I wouldn't be concerned if my 14 month old came across this van at a friend's house (our one was retired from active service due to lack of wheel), but on the other hand I can see why it has the 3+ age label.

Washersaurus · 01/01/2008 21:21

It is worth bearing in mind also that the age recommendation isn't always a safety thing, but relates to the play value of the toy too.

cadelaide · 01/01/2008 21:22

Ceebee, you say your ds loves it. I think it's the mechanism isn't it? They can push it a bit and it trundles along for ages, whereas ds is too young to "get" pull-back mechanisms.
Bloody marvellous toy really.

notnowbernard · 01/01/2008 21:24

I was going to say, maybe the PP van has a 3+ age because PP is aimed at the pre-school group, rather than babies and toddlers?

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