During the holiday season, consumers have thousands of toys from which to select that perfect gift, each promising to educate or entertain children. The unfortunate reality, as demonstrated by the recall of millions of toys this year, is that not every toy is safe for our children. Before you purchase any toy, you can help protect children from injury by being careful, vigilant and informed shoppers.

The U.S. PIRG is the federation of state Public Interest Research Groups (PIRGs) that takes on powerful interests on behalf of the American public, working to win concrete results for their health and well-being. U.S. PIRG's 'Tips for Toy Safety' are designed to help parents, grandparents, care givers and toy buyers avoid the most common hazards in toys, such as choking, magnetic toys with powerful magnets, noise, strangulation, toxic chemicals and lead hazards.

When shopping for a child, consumers should observe the following general safety tips: Buy children accessories for safety - Toys such as bicycles, scooters, skateboards and inline skates are safer when children wear protective gear specifically designed for use with these toys, such as helmets, knee pads, elbow pads and wrist guards; Stay informed of all toy recalls* - *The Consumer Product Safety Commission recalls numerous toys and children's products each year. To ensure the toy you are about to purchase is safe check by logging on to www.recalls.gov, website for an archive of toy recalls, and you can sign up to receive email alerts of new recalls.

News reports about recalled or dangerous toys seem to be a regular occurrence; in order to protect children from being injured, or even killed, avoid buying toys that would present a hazard.

According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), choking is the most common cause of toy-related deaths. Do not buy small toys or toys with small parts for children under 3, or any child who still puts things in their mouth.

Powerful magnets used in most magnetic building toys and magnetic jewelry pose a special hazard to children. If a child swallows more than one magnet, they can be attracted to each other in their body, stomach and intestines, and cause life-threatening complications.

A child's ears are extremely sensitive and need to be protected from toys that create loud noises. If a toy seems too loud for your ears, then it is probably too loud for a child. If the loud toy has already been purchased, you can remove the batteries or cover the speakers with tape.

Strangulation hazards are present in both children's toys and clothing. Mobiles both entertain and soothe a child when they are in their crib. They need to be kept out of their reach and removed before the baby is 5 months old or can push themselves up. The removal of knobs or beads from toys and clothing and the shortening of cords and tie strings longer than one foot will prevent them from being swallowed or becoming tangled in a dangerous loop.

Toys with toxic chemicals and unacceptable levels of lead are the ones that are dominating recent news reports of dangerous and recalled toys. Some children's toys and cosmetics may contain toxic chemicals. Consumers need to avoid toys that are made of PVC plastic, instead choose unpainted wooden or cloth toys. Always read the labels of play cosmetics and avoid products with xylene, toluene, or dibutyl phthalate.

The CPSC, PIRG and children's health groups have found high levels of lead paint on toys, as well as high levels of lead in vinyl lunchboxes and bibs, and in children's or costume jewelry.

Please note, children exposed to lead can suffer lower IQ, developmental delays or even death. All lead should be removed from a child's environment, especially lead jewelry and other toys that can be swallowed. To test a piece of jewelry for lead, use a home lead tester that is available at your local hardware store. Or simply throw cheap, heavy metal jewelry away.

"I urge all parents, grandparents and anyone shopping for a child this holiday season to be informed about the toys and clothing they will be purchasing. You can visit the www.recalls.gov website for an archive of toy recalls and sign up to receive email alerts of new recalls. In addition, visit the U.S. Public Interest Research Groups website, www.uspirg.org/issues/toy-safety, for more information about keeping your children safe from dangerous toys," said Walker.