Safe toys  More than 152,000 children under the age of 15 were treated for toy-related injuries last year and 20 children died.  When selecting that special toy, make sure it is suited to the child’s age. For children younger than 6, avoid magnet building sets because if swallowed they can attach and cause intestinal blockage. Ride-on toys like skateboards and bikes should be accompanied with a helmet. Avoid toys that have sharp edges or projectile objects and children younger than 3 should not be given toys with small parts. Small parts on toys should be tightly secured and the use of batteries supervised.

1 Death, 19 Injuries Blamed on Magnets At least one U.S. child has died and 19 others have needed surgery since 2003 after swallowing magnets used in toys, the government reported. Most of those cases were believed to involve tiny but strong "rare earth" magnets that can link together in children's digestive tracts, squeezing and even perforating the intestines, the researchers said. The magnets, made from neodymium iron boron or other compounds, have become common in the U.S. toy market in the past five years because they have become cheaper to produce.

Mediafamily.org cites video games for violence, sex A chainsaw-wielding killer and blood-splattered shooting rampages are featured in some of the 10 video games that a media watchdog group says should be avoided by kids and teens. The group urged parents to take a stronger role in safeguarding their children from games that glamorize sex and violence, showing graphic scenes of sex and violence. Advocates said they wanted to make parents and kids aware of some of the games they should avoid on store shelves this holiday season. All of the games were M-rated, intended for those aged 17 and over. The group's list of "games to avoid" is on its Web site, http://www.mediafamily.org.