The minimum requirement for any of your two-year-old's toys is that they be safe. These days most toys are tested and must pass federal safety guidelines. Under the Child Safety Protection Act (CSPA) and Consumer Product Safety Commission guidelines, toys for children under three should have soft, rounded edges, simple construction, and bright primary colors. Toys that contain small parts or that can break into small pieces are banned for this age group. Furthermore, be especially careful with any small ball or toy that contains a small ball; these must meet a size safety test and include an explicit choke-hazard warning.

Product recalls are issued for many toys, but even if a product is not recalled, it's possible that children are able to break it in a way that renders it unsafe. Always help your two-year-old clean up so you can check his toys to be sure they're still safe to play with.

Toy Size

When your child in a store is begging you for a toy car or a doll with removable clothes, you might be faced with the under three issue. You've probably noticed that a lot of toys are labeled not safe for children under three. You, of course, have a child who is approaching age three, which means either you can follow this rule to the letter or abide by it more loosely as the year goes on. The decision depends on your child. Some children learn very early on not to put things in their mouths while others are compelled to taste everything, even when they are past the age of three. If your child fits the latter profile, you should follow the not safe for children under three rule strictly, even extending it past your child's third birthday, if necessary.

If your child does put toys in her mouth, you also need to make sure that the toys you buy, if at all possible, aren't painted or made with other chemicals. Since wood toys can splinter, be sure these have been properly sanded and made with nontoxic chemicals.

Durability

Large plastic tricycles, plastic playground toys, and plastic play kitchens — sometimes it seems as if plastic toys will never die. They last forever, and you hate to think of them rotting in landfills. Despite the fact that plastic doesn't disintegrate, you'll notice that it does rip and parts break off.

There are ways, though, to make sure the toys you buy last and remain safe for your two-year-old. First, teach your child how to take care of his toys. Every play session, however many children are present, should end with clean-up time. Your two-year-old is capable of picking up toys and putting them away where they belong.

Washing and dusting toys makes them last longer and stay in safe condition. You can use all-natural orange cleaner (which is nontoxic) on most toys and apply water with a little dish soap on plastic toys.