ajc.com Holiday Guide

Sunglasses, plush dolls, music boxes and red wagons are among the dizzying array of children's products recalled recently for excessive levels of lead paint — and those were just the ones listed so far this month.

Of the 25.6 million toys recalled this year, 3.8 million had lead problems, and a big chunk of that was lead paint, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.

Consumer Product Safety Commission (ENLARGE)

Curious George plush dolls are among the toys that have been recalled because of a possible high-lead risk.

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With the holiday shopping season near, safety concerns have some parents declaring bans on manufacturers such as Mattel and Fisher Price (each had toys that were recalled in recent months), bans on toys from China (where many toys are made), or bans on toys period.

Industry insiders, however, caution against extreme reactions.

"Even though the [recall] numbers in some cases look big, on a total scale it is a very, very small number" of total toys, said Len Simonian, president of the Only Hearts Club, a California-based line of wholesome, age-appropriate dolls. "People should make sure they don't overreact."

Alison Rhodes, a mother of three and founder of www.safetymom.com, understands a parent's concern. It used to be that parents could look at things such as magnets or pull toys with long strings to gauge toy safety, but today's hazards aren't always apparent.

"No one could have suspected what happened with Aqua Dots," said Rhodes, referring to the recently recalled craft toy that left at least two children in a comatose state after they swallowed beads. "I even worry about Beanie Babies. If it tears somehow ... it's a choking hazard."

Still, avoiding any products made in China is probably not realistic.

"When customers say, 'I don't want anything from China,' I say, 'What book do you want to buy?' " said Rebecca Goblish, owner of Picayune Toys in Dunwoody. "It's amazing that [people] don't realize most of the toys come from China."

So what steps can shoppers take when buying toys or other products for children this holiday season?

1. Get informed. Find resources and visit sites such as www.cpsc.gov that provide information and e-mail notification of toy recalls. "The information is coming so quickly, you have to stay on top of it," said Rhodes, whose www.safetymom.com also posts recall announcements.

2. Buy from independent retailers. "We know more about where our things come from," said Goblish of Dunwoody's Picayune Toys, citing the close relationships that independent retailers often have with smaller vendors. Some vendors even supply exact specifications of the materials used to make the toys such as organic dyes and wood from rubber trees. (See list for some independent toy stores.)

3. Pay attention to age-appropriate recommendations. "Most of the time, if I show something that I think is age-appropriate, they say, 'Wow, that looks babyish,' Goblish said. But even a 5-year-old who reads at a high school level may still feel compelled to pop a magnet in his or her mouth.

4. Don't buy into the toy hype. "It doesn't matter if it's not on Wal-Mart's top 10 list," Rhodes said. "It's peer pressure, and it's mom pressure. Parents need to take charge and be the ones to protect their children."

5. Be creative, or go back to basics. Books, computer games and educational toys are great gift options for the holidays, Rhodes said. Parents should even consider making toys, either from kits or from their imagination, said Stevanne Auerbach, aka Dr. Toy, who offers toy suggestions and a holiday gift guide at www.drtoy.com.

6. Scrutinize toys for broken parts. This is especially important if your child has a tendency to put things in his or her mouth. Dr. Toy suggests that toys with small parts either not be used or be carefully monitored.