Question Is it safe to give them toys?

[mamamonkey]

Is it safe to let children hold toys and books in their hand while they're in their rear-facing car seat? My 15 month old son is rear-facing in a Diono RXT, and he loves to flip through a board book while I'm driving. Sometimes I'll give him a sippy cup with water as well.

I didn't think about it until today... Is this safe??

 

[jacqui276]

Anything that they are holding could become a potential projectile and injure them in an accident. I honestly let me kid have a sippy cup and stuff while driving as well, but ideally you shouldn't have anything loose in your car that you wouldn't be ok having thrown at your head.

This is a story about a kid getting injured by his sippy cup: http://thestir.cafemom.com/baby/120581/almost_deadly_sippy_cup_incident

You can get soft fabric books or the soft plastic ones (like bath books) that would be safer.

 

[mamamonkey]

That's a great suggestion! I'll have to look into getting some soft books.

 

[katymyers]

I give my kids stuffed animals to play with in the car. I usually don't allow any food or drinks in the car but if we're taking a long drive I make an exception for water. I use Take n Toss cups and I only fill them up about halfway, they're so cheap and lightweight they wouldn't cause much damage in a crash lol.

 

[jwilliams]

That's a great suggestion! I'll have to look into getting some soft books.

I love Indestructibles. They are books made out of Tyvek (like the waterproof mailing envelopes). They really are what they say they are.

 

[tesslouise]

I give my kids stuffed animals to play with in the car. I usually don't allow any food or drinks in the car but if we're taking a long drive I make an exception for water. I use Take n Toss cups and I only fill them up about halfway, they're so cheap and lightweight they wouldn't cause much damage in a crash lol.

Until your darling toddler (daring turkey? Really, autocorrect?) rips the lid off and pours the water everywhere. That was the end of take'n'toss cups in my car. Sigh.

 

[tesslouise]

I love Indestructibles. They are books made out of Tyvek (like the waterproof mailing envelopes). They really are what they say they are.

But they will rip at the stitched seam...ask me how I know! (Are my kids just extra destructive?)

 

[jwilliams]

But they will rip at the stitched seam...ask me how I know! (Are my kids just extra destructive?)

Ha! Mine are pretty destructive, so I'm surprised that hasn't happened. They can kill a board book in no time at all