Parents, watch out! 10 things that don't belong in the children's room

Parents, watch out! Many toys are very popular with children, but can quickly become a danger. These things have no place in the children's room.

If we're honest, our children's rooms are way too full. A study by the University of Toledo in 2018 even suggested that fewer toys in the children's room are even better for the development of the little ones. So it's high time to take a close look at what really deserves a place in the playroom - and what has no place there.

We have therefore collected 10 objects and bad habits that do not belong in the children's room. For the sake of our children, their health and the environment.

1. Cheap plastic ramsch

There are so many great toys, it doesn't have to be inferior plastic toys, which are often made in Asia. Caution is especially advised if the toy is made of soft plastic. These products often contain hormone-damaging phthalates (plasticizers).

Better: Toys from well-known manufacturers from Germany (or Europe), because higher manufacturing standards apply here.

Two examples of superfluous and toxic cheap toys are play slime and so-called squishies, play figures made of foam that can be squeezed together similar to an anti-stress ball. The figures smell of fruit, caramel or coconut.

But they can be unhealthy: A test by the Danish Environmental Protection Agency has shown that all the figures tested contain harmful chemicals. Among others, dimethylformamide (DMF), which is on the European Union's Candidate List of Substances of Very High Concern because of its reprotoxic properties.

If toys smell unpleasant or strong, the rule is: hands off! The fragrances can trigger allergies. And under the supposedly pleasant smell, harmful vapours are often hidden.

Slime is often heavily contaminated with boric acid, as tests by Stiftung Warentest and Öko-Test showed. Various product recalls also suggest that play slime does not belong in children's hands. If you like to play with slime, you can make a harmless play slime variant yourself.

2. Soft and portable toy (PVC!)

Toys are made of very different plastics. Some varieties have repeatedly attracted attention from Stiftung Warentest and Öko-Test due to excessive pollutants, others are harmless.

The consumer advice center advises: "If possible, only buy toys made of soft plastic if you can see that they are not the plastic polyvinyl chloride (PVC)." Unfortunately, PVC is not always shown.

Tip: Look for labels such as "phthalate-free", "PVC-free" or the "Spiel gut" seal of approval.

The plasticizers contained in PVC ensure that products become more elastic. Their harmful effects on health (promoting cancer, damage to organs and effects on fertility) have been proven by numerous studies and are much discussed.

Better: Toys made of hard plastic. If they come from well-known manufacturers, they contain the harmless plastic ABD. PE (polyethylene) and PP (polypropylene) also do not contain plasticizers.

3. Plastic waste at children's birthday parties

At children's birthday parties, plastic seems to be part of it. In a survey for n-tv, only 32 percent of parents said that they could imagine not using plastic at the children's birthday party. The majority of parents do not seem to want to do without plastic dishes, balloons and drinking straws.

An equally big environmental sin: the gifts, without which no children's birthday party can do without. The small toys almost all fall into the category of plastic scrap. Whether it's a bouncy ball, rubber spider, propeller or spinning top - no child needs these things. In some drawer there are already five times the odds and ends.

Better: Either you simply use the normal family tableware or - if that's too tricky for you - you invest in a set of high-quality children's plates, for example made of bamboo. There are environmentally friendly alternatives to plastic drinking straws.

As sustainable gifts, we recommend seed packets, mini books or funny wooden stamps. Paper garlands are an environmentally friendly alternative to balloons.

By the way, balloons are not only bad for the environment, but also dangerous for small children. When playing, they burst easily, the child is startled and breathes in reflexively. It can happen that the child inhales small parts of the burst balloon. This can lead to suffocation.

4. Smart toys – spy in the children's room

Digitally networked playmates are increasingly living in children's rooms: cuddly toys and small robots that contain a lot of technology and that can be connected to the Internet (via smartphone).

Stiftung Warentest has examined the so-called smart toy and uncovered dangerous security gaps. "Some of these toys are extremely dangerous because they have an unsecured radio connection. This means that any smartphone owner can connect to them to eavesdrop, question or threaten the child," says test editor Martin Gobbin.

Stiftung Warentest warns in particular against the robot i-Que, the Teddy Toy-Fi and the robot dog Wowwee Chip. The testers also found problematic spying behavior in the Hello Barbie from Mattel and the robot dinosaur from Cognitoys.

Not only the toys, but also the furniture for the children's room should be chosen carefully. Read more: Sustainable children's furniture - these classics grow with you

5. Mountains of children's clothes

The more expensive the brand, the better? My ass. "Expensive clothes are not produced more cleanly than cheap ones," explains Manfred Santen, chemistry expert at Greenpeace. In 2014, Greenpeace tested children's clothing for hazardous chemicals – the testers found what they were looking for in a number of garments. Cheap brands such as Tchibo and several discounter brands (Aldi, Lidl, Rewe) have now made improvements and banned harmful chemicals from production.

Important to know: Children are more harmed by chemicals than we adults, their bodies and organs are still growing. Pollutants can have more serious consequences.

Better: When buying new clothing, look for the textile seals of the International Association of the Natural Textile Industry (IVN) or the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS). Read our article Children's clothing without poison: 5 recommended brands.

It is even better if clothing does not have to be produced in the first place. Keyword second-hand: Used clothing for children is easy and cheap to buy!

6. Baby monitor: Questionable – or exaggerated scaremongering?

Many parents are concerned about the electromagnetic radiation of baby monitors. Öko-Test explains: Many baby monitors with a power supply generate electrically and magnetically strong low-frequency fields, stronger than most PCs. Even more problematic are wireless baby monitors with DECT technology, which send non-stop pulsed microwaves – and not only when the baby makes a sound. They don't belong in the children's room.

Our article Baby Monitor Test: Tips for Low-Radiation Monitoring gives tips and tells you which devices are recommended.

Better: Buy only devices without or with range control that can be switched off. This way you avoid additional electromagnetic radio radiation. Since the radiation reduces with distance, you should place the baby monitor at least one meter away from the baby bed.

7. Avoid electrosmog in the children's room

Here you should keep the following in mind:

• Always switch off electrical appliances and lamps that are not needed.
• There should be no extension cords near the cot.
• Transformers of halogen lamps and toys such as trains or racetracks are particularly problematic.
• Do not use dimmable night lights that run over the socket, or pay attention to the recommended safety distance from the cot (= one metre).

8. Renovating the baby and children's room

The ironing room becomes the baby room. Two years later, the baby room becomes a children's room, and again a few years later it turns into a teenager's room. With each redesign, parents paint diligently, lay carpets and buy new furniture.

Indoor toxins can lead to symptoms such as lack of concentration, fatigue and irritation of the respiratory tract. They are suspected of promoting cancer, impairing fertility and triggering allergies. Even low concentrations of pollutants can be dangerous for children.

Also read: Healthy living: 5 sources of toxins in the home and how to avoid them

Better: Poisons are particularly dangerous for babies: Therefore, do not renovate the room before your child's first birthday (or only sparingly). When buying paints and painting accessories, look for products with test marks. Wall paints should contain as little solvent as possible. A good alternative is uncoated paper wallpaper. A PVC floor is an absolute no-go in the children's room.

The German Environmental Aid advises to look out for the Blue Angel when buying carpeting and adhesive. The Federal Association of Consumer Centers also recommends letting new furniture and mattresses evaporate for a few days before they come into the children's room.

9. Smoking ...

There is one habit you should get out of the habit for the sake of your child (and yourself, of course): smoking. Especially in the apartment, in the car and on the balcony. Smoke is deposited in carpets, curtains and wallpaper. The nicotine remains there for months. The reaction with nitrogen compounds from the air can form numerous carcinogenic substances. Ventilation is of little help here.

By the way: Balcony smokers also harm their babies and children!

10. Less is more

Well-intentioned, but a problem: There are more toys in children's rooms than children need. After Christmas comes Easter, then the birthday. When grandma comes to visit, she brings something with her. And the good report card is also often rewarded with gifts. Enough of that!

The most important tool for children is imagination. In addition, a few useful toys with which they can play for as long as possible, some books and board games - that's all they need. Interestingly, many kindergartens are already experimenting with toy-free time and have had good experiences.