Toys"R"Us, Inc. Launches National Program to Spotlight Potentially Unsafe Baby Products Still in the Marketplace

/PRNewswire/ -- Toys"R"Us, Inc. today unveiled a national program that provides customers the opportunity to trade-in used cribs, car seats and other baby products in exchange for savings on a new item. The "Great Trade-In" event is designed to call attention to the fact that, due to safety concerns, certain used baby products, such as car seats and cribs, are not the best candidates to be handed down or resold.

Safety experts have recently reported that sales of used products are on the rise and are warning consumers to be cautious about purchasing second-hand children's items. The "Great Trade-In" event places an emphasis on specific old or second-hand baby products that may be potentially unsafe, but are still in circulation. According to consumer advocacy organization Kids In Danger (KID), in general, less than 30% of affected items are returned when a baby product is recalled. Beyond recalls, certain older and used baby products can raise other concerns. This could include products that have been damaged or others where advances in product safety have rendered older models non-compliant with the latest standards.

During the "Great Trade-In" event, which begins Friday, August 28 and continues through Sunday, September 20, all Babies"R"Us and Toys"R"Us locations nationwide will accept returns of any used cribs, car seats, bassinets, strollers, travel systems, play yards and high chairs in exchange for a 20% savings on the purchase of any new baby item, in any of these product categories, from select manufacturers.

"In today's economy, we are all looking for ways to stretch our dollars, but in doing so, children's safety should not be compromised," said Jerry Storch, Chairman and CEO, Toys"R"Us, Inc. "We hope this program will help raise awareness of the importance of being vigilant about potentially unsafe children's items that may still be in the marketplace, while encouraging customers to use the 'Great Trade-In' event as an opportunity to remove used baby products, such as cribs and car seats, from their garages and attics."

Safety agencies, such as the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), have noted that it continues to be challenging to get dangerous products out of the home following a product recall. The CPSC advises parents to check its website, www.cpsc.gov, to make sure a product has not been recalled before using or purchasing it second-hand. In addition, parents should be aware that used baby products can raise other safety concerns. For example:

-- Federal and voluntary standards and regulations for safety testing,
particularly for cribs, have changed significantly over the past few
years, and older products may not have been produced to meet these
stringent requirements;
-- Car seats can sustain damage in an accident that may not be visible to
the naked eye, but could prevent the seat from functioning properly;
-- Car seats have expiration dates, as the materials can deteriorate over
time, potentially making the car seat less effective in a crash.
Parents can check with the car seat manufacturer to determine the
recommended period of use for a particular car seat;
-- Certain baby products, particularly car seats, are regularly
introduced with new innovations in technology that can improve the
products' safety efficacy;
-- Products made of or that contain certain materials, like wood and
plastic, for example, can deteriorate when exposed to extreme weather
conditions, like heat, potentially compromising safety integrity; and
-- Parts or instruction books for proper assembly, installation or use
may be missing.

It can be difficult for consumers to determine whether used baby products are safe, and with so many ways to purchase used products, it's important for parents to be informed and vigilant when making purchasing decisions. And, because consumers often do not know the history of a second-hand baby product, leading safety organizations such as Safe Kids USA recommend not purchasing used car seats, for example. Additionally, the CPSC advocates not purchasing used items that have a history of safety problems, including cribs, play yards and bassinets.

Manufacturers participating in the "Great Trade-In" event include Baby Cache, Babi Italia, Baby Trend, Bertini, Britax, Chicco, Contours by Kolcraft, Cosco, Delta, Eddie Bauer, Evenflo, Graco, Jeep, Nature's Purest by Summer Infant, Safety 1st and Sorelle. Customers can save 20% on a new purchase, from any of the specified product categories and from any of the aforementioned manufacturers, in Babies"R"Us and Toys"R"Us stores nationwide on the day they trade in their used item. Day care centers or other organizations who wish to exchange items in bulk are encouraged to contact their local Babies"R"Us or Toys"R"Us store prior to returning their used items to ensure adequate availability of new merchandise.

Customers can visit the company's Safety website, Toysrus.com/Safety, for the latest information on product safety and to sign up to receive product recall notifications by e-mail.

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Toys"R"Us Unveils Annual Toy Guide for Differently-Abled Kids

/PRNewswire/ -- Toys"R"Us, Inc. today announced the release of the 2009 Toys"R"Us Toy Guide for Differently-Abled Kids, an easy-to-use toy selection guide that matches specific skill sets with a wide range of everyday playthings. Released annually, this complimentary resource will be available in Toys"R"Us and Babies"R"Us stores nationwide and online, in English and Spanish, at Toysrus.com/DifferentlyAbled. Whoopi Goldberg, mother and grandmother, Oscar , Tony, GRAMMY and Emmy Award-Winner and child advocate, is featured on the cover along with Grace Kurowski, a five-year-old girl from Skillman, NJ.

New this year, the Guide features a special section dedicated to providing critical safety tips to help parents and caregivers avoid playtime injuries. While the 2009 edition includes updated features and an enhanced website, the fundamental elements that remain family favorites year after year, like the recognizable skill-building icons, still appear in this beloved resource.

"I am honored to appear on the cover of the 2009 Toys"R"Us Toy Guide for Differently-Abled Kids and advocate on behalf of children of all abilities who persevere in their efforts to reach new heights," said Whoopi Goldberg. "With the help of the Guide, caregivers can find appropriate toys for a child's individual abilities, providing an equal opportunity for all children to enjoy playtime."

"All children regardless of ability can imagine new worlds and share the joy of learning through the magic of play," said Jerry Storch, Chairman and CEO, Toys"R"Us, Inc. "We love kids and, as part of our ongoing mission to help keep them safe, we've included safety tips in the 2009 edition of the Toys"R"Us Toy Guide for Differently-Abled Kids, ensuring playtime is a positive, memorable experience."

Helping Kids with Special Needs Enjoy Safe Play

Research shows accidental injuries occur more frequently among children with special needs, and most significantly among children with cognitive, emotional or social limitations. To help those who care for a differently-abled child prevent accidental injuries during playtime, the 2009 edition of the Toys"R"Us Toy Guide for Differently-Abled Kids features safe play tips for children with special needs. Tips range from basic advice about supervision to suggestions for effective communication. These safe play tips include:

-- Never Leave a Child Unsupervised: It is especially critical that a
child with special needs is properly supervised by an adult or trusted
caregiver at all times.
-- Survey the Play Area: Designate a specific area of the home for
regular playtime - one void of hazards, such as electric wires across
the floor that a child could trip over, hanging cords that could cause
strangulation and pools or windows that may pose a threat.
-- Use Visual Warnings: Post notes with phrases, such as, "Don't Touch!"
and "Off Limits!" on toys for older children, as well as power tools,
the stove, the kitchen drawers or any other potential source of
injury.
-- Review and Repeat: After setting playtime rules, create visual
reminders to post somewhere in the house or play area to serve as a
constant reminder to the child.

National Lekotek Center Partnership and Toy Selection Process


Since 1994, Toys"R"Us, Inc. has partnered with the National Lekotek Center, a nonprofit organization dedicated to making the world accessible to children of all abilities, to assess the play value of hundreds of toys for children with special needs. Through therapeutic play sessions with some of the toughest toy critics - kids - the National Lekotek Center assigns at least two skill-building traits to each toy that appears in the Guide. Color-coded symbols signify the specific benefits of each item. Following are examples of the toys and corresponding skills featured in the Guide:

-- Auditory: Rock 'n Rollin' Piano from Sakar
-- Creativity: Fold & Go Barn from Melissa & Doug
-- Fine Motor: My First Duplo Set from LEGO
-- Gross Motor: Fold-2-Go Trike from Radio Flyer
-- Language: Laugh & Learn(TM) Say Please Tea Set from Fisher-Price
-- Self Esteem: Yo Gabba Gabba Muno's Groovin' Guitar from Spin
Master(TM)
-- Social Skills: Spongebugs Kids Fun Bowling Set from Gamenamics
-- Tactile: Color-Fillz(TM) from Crayola
-- Thinking: Disney Netpal(TM) Netbook from ASUS
-- Visual: Nerf(TM) Cosmic Catch from Hasbro

To further assist consumers, the Guide also includes a list of the "Top Ten Tips for Buying Toys" from the National Lekotek Center.

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Toys"R"Us, Inc. and Safe Kids Worldwide Partner to Offer Tips to Help Parents Keep Kids Safe While On-the-Go

/PRNewswire/ -- Whether it's a quick trip to the store, an extended vacation, a sleepover at Grandma's or a stay at a hotel, creating a safe environment for young travelers takes careful preparation. To help prevent childhood injuries while on-the-go and away from home, Toys"R"Us, Inc. has partnered with Safe Kids Worldwide, the world's leading childhood injury prevention organization, to offer parents and caregivers valuable travel safety tips.

"We love kids, and helping parents create fun, happy memories for their children is at the heart of what we do at Toys"R"Us. To that end, we remain committed to helping keep children safe at all times, including while traveling," said Jerry Storch, Chairman and CEO, Toys"R"Us, Inc. "We hope parents and caregivers will utilize the valuable safety information we have developed with Safe Kids Worldwide to help ensure family trips and vacations with little ones are enjoyable and injury-free."

From planning for the journey to making sure kids have everything they need to be safe and happy when they arrive at their final destination, preparation is required for every stage of the trip. Following are highlights of the tips available at www.Toysrus.com/Safety to help parents and caregivers create and maintain a safe environment for kids of all ages while away from home:

-- Preparing for the Journey and the Destination: Advice is available
about essentials to pack and information to have on hand, such as a
recent photo of the children traveling and the poison control hotline
number that connects travelers to local poison control centers
anywhere in the United States. In addition, if the traveler's
itinerary includes an extended stay at a friend or relative's home,
parents and caregivers will find recommendations for discussing
childproofing measures with the host.

-- Getting There: Whether traveling by plane or car, simple safety
measures will help ensure kids enjoy a fun and harmless ride.
Recommendations for safely securing children while on the road or in
the air are included, as are tips for traveling with proper gear that
is easy to carry and useful throughout the entire trip. Suggestions
are also available to keep children engaged and occupied along the
way.

-- On-the-Go Sleep: Ensuring babies have a safe sleeping environment
when they are away requires the same vigilance as it does at home. As
always, the safest place for a baby to sleep is in a crib certified by
the Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association (JPMA) with a firm
mattress and a well-fitting sheet. Parents are advised to bring their
own bed for the baby, such as a portable crib or playard. If a trip
requires relying on a hotel's crib, parents are urged to inspect it
carefully for broken or missing parts and look up the model on
www.Recalls.gov to make sure it isn't subject to any safety notices.

-- On-the-Go Meals: Mealtime on vacation or away from home can mean
relying on unfamiliar highchairs or utensils that aren't
baby-friendly. To minimize risk of spills and accidents, tips about
properly securing small children in highchairs and traveling with the
right utensils and food containers are provided.

-- In a Crowd: When in large crowds, active supervision is more
important than ever. Whenever possible, parents and caregivers should
take precautionary measures prior to being in a crowded environment
with their children, such as dressing them in brightly colored clothes
so they are easy to spot. Also included are rules to set with
children about their behavior in large crowds.

"When families are enjoying time away together, it can be easy to let important safety routines fall by the wayside. Safety requires constant vigilance, especially in unfamiliar places where children face unknown hazards," said Mitch Stoller, President and CEO, Safe Kids Worldwide. "Taking the simple precautionary steps outlined in the tips we've developed with Toys"R"Us will help ensure safe travels."

A broad assortment of safety items -- from car seats and first aid kits to baby monitors and sleepsacks -- are available at Toys"R"Us and Babies"R"Us stores nationwide and on www.Toysrus.com. In addition, trained and knowledgeable employees are always on hand to provide parents with the necessary information to help them find everything they need to keep children safe.

More information about product safety and preventing unintentional injuries during key times of the year is available on the company's dedicated Safety microsite, www.Toysrus.com/Safety.

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