I'm just starting to try to build home-made toys and things, and I'm wondering how y'all know whether or not materials are safe or not, especially if you're picking up supplies at places like dollar stores, craft stores, hardware stores etc.?
For example, tonight I stopped at a few places:
Lowe's Home Improvement to check out PVC prices for possible toys and a playstand. The guy told me in order to put a PVC playstand together, I would have to glue the PVC parts together. I thought glues were very bad for birds. Even though the glue would be inside the PVC parts, isn't it possible a bird could get through to the glue?
AC Moore Craft Store to look for toy making stuff, especially if it was on sale. I saw blocks of wood, but it didn't say what kind it was. I saw raffia, but there was nothing on it about whether it was treated with anything. I saw "natural" on some hemp string and rope, but I didn't know if "natural" means as little on craft supplies as it does on food. There were also little straw hats and little straw cowboy hats, but I couldn't tell whether they were okay to use, or whether they had been treated with anything. Same thing with the tanned leather ( I assume tanning uses chemicals).
Do the countries they are made in tell me anything about their safety for birds? I'm sure I"ll run into the same thing at the dollar store. Please give me your suggestions. I want to make my baby fun toys and equipment especially suited to his/her likes, but I don't want to hurt him/her accidentally.
Thanks so much,
Nancy
Edit by Nikki - I made this thread a sticky because it has a lot of useful information... Also, to be on the safe side always make sure what is listed here is in fact safe to use. Happy toy making!
For example, tonight I stopped at a few places:
Lowe's Home Improvement to check out PVC prices for possible toys and a playstand. The guy told me in order to put a PVC playstand together, I would have to glue the PVC parts together. I thought glues were very bad for birds. Even though the glue would be inside the PVC parts, isn't it possible a bird could get through to the glue?
AC Moore Craft Store to look for toy making stuff, especially if it was on sale. I saw blocks of wood, but it didn't say what kind it was. I saw raffia, but there was nothing on it about whether it was treated with anything. I saw "natural" on some hemp string and rope, but I didn't know if "natural" means as little on craft supplies as it does on food. There were also little straw hats and little straw cowboy hats, but I couldn't tell whether they were okay to use, or whether they had been treated with anything. Same thing with the tanned leather ( I assume tanning uses chemicals).
Do the countries they are made in tell me anything about their safety for birds? I'm sure I"ll run into the same thing at the dollar store. Please give me your suggestions. I want to make my baby fun toys and equipment especially suited to his/her likes, but I don't want to hurt him/her accidentally.
Thanks so much,
Nancy
Edit by Nikki - I made this thread a sticky because it has a lot of useful information... Also, to be on the safe side always make sure what is listed here is in fact safe to use. Happy toy making!
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