Well, that was dumb! (Baby gift safety question)

[philote]

My bro & SIL recently gave birth to their 2nd daughter.  DH & I were on a trip to Australia, and we happened upon a Build-a-Bear . . . we got excited thinking about how it would be cute to get the sister pair a koala and a kangaroo, and put little Christmas outifts on them . . . yadda yadda yadda all well and good, it was a ton of fun making them and picking out outfits.

We get home from our trip, and I realize:

A) the little girls are both under 2
B) these toys have eyes you can pull off (hard eyes)
C) we bought a collar w/ jingle bells for the kangaroo - the bells are only attached by thread

DUMB DUMB DUMB.  What was I thinking?  Obviously I am a childless, ignorant female with no maternal instincts! lol. They are really cute toys, but not age appropriate - what do you all recommend?  Can I still gift these to my nieces, with the apology that they may not be age appropriate for *gulp* years?  I know my SIL understands these precautions as she is a kindergarten teacher. I'm just upset that DH & I put so much time and a fairly big chunk of change into these, and I was too stupid to realize the whole time that they may be dangerous.

My other excuses for gifting them now would be . . . we went to Australia this year, not 5 years from now. Christmas is just around the corner and now I've got more shopping to do! GAAAGGGH!! lol.  Also a small child I remember receiving toys that were "for later" and they went onto a shelf in my parent's closet for safekeeping.  While not necessarily fun at the time, I did get to play with them when I was older.

[MomOf2Boys]

I see no reason why you can't still give them the gifts. When my first niece was born I took barbie dolls to her the day she came home from the hospital because I wanted to be the first to get her one (okay, so I got a lot more than one and her mom still has them in the boxes 9 years later). My hubby and his brother each bought the others son a baseball glove the day they were born. We put the glove up until Brandon was ready for t-ball and then he had a special glove to use.

Really DUMB presents are....well my dad bought my oldest (the first grandchild) a Big Foot (one of those big battery operated trucks) his first Christmas and son was less than a month old. Long before he was old enough to use the thing had been recalled due to issues with the battery and nobody ever got around to having his exchanged because well to be honest I wasn't fond of him having it anyway.

[DottyG]

Absolutely give them now!  You went on a trip and thought of them.  The fact that they can't play with them for a few years is ok.  There's going to come a day (not as long in the future as you think) in which these are going to be very special reminders of someone who was thinking of them on their own vacation.

I don't see a problem with giving them now with the explanation that the girls won't be able to truly play with them right now but that they were something that you wanted them to have as a memento of your trip and your love for them.

[Cupcake Fiend]

Most BAB stuff is rated for kids 3 and up.  So it's not THAT long until they can play with them.  Until then mom can put them up on a shelf in their rooms.  In other words, give away!!

I was so excited when BAB opened in my local mall.  Thing 1 was not quite 2 years old at the time and I decided then and there to take him there for his third birthday.  When the time FINALLY came, I brought him to the mall and we walked by the store, I asked if he wanted to go make a toy and he said "No thanks, lets just get some ice cream".

He was totally uninterested...Wah!!!

[magicdomino]

Go ahead and give the toys to the kids, with a caution to the parents that they should be for display only for a while.   You might want to throw in a small extra gift that the kid can actually handle -- or pack the toys in really big cardboard boxes.   

When my oldest great nephew was 18 months, I found a wonderfully detailed X-Wing fighter (Star Wars) made from wood.  Beautifully made, and totally unsuitable for a toddler.  His father hung it from the ceiling, and I think it is still there seven years later.  I figure when children are that young, the parents are the ones who will appreciate the gift most.

[sthomas1971]

I think it is a very thoughtful gift. You could get the kids something more age-appropriate in addition to the bears, if you wish, but they'll probably have so many other toys to play with right then that it's not necessary to do so.

[pblair38]

I was so excited when BAB opened in my local mall.  Thing 1 was not quite 2 years old at the time and I decided then and there to take him there for his third birthday.  When the time FINALLY came, I brought him to the mall and we walked by the store, I asked if he wanted to go make a toy and he said "No thanks, lets just get some ice cream".

He was totally uninterested...Wah!!!

I've been told by BAB employees that the idea age for a first visit is four.  They don't quite "get it" until then.  Believe me, I've tried.  DS#1 is only 3.5 and he already has two BABs, neither of which he's very interested in. 

Penny

[philote]

Thank you everyone!  I will gift them this year and try to have more insight into the life of a child in the future  

[Slartibartfast]

The koala and kangaroo will probably go on a shelf in their bedroom, and will become part of the girls' earliest memories.  I think it's an excellent gift, and at that age, kids are just as happy playing with the wrapping paper and the boxes!

[baconsmom]

I'm a mom of a toddler, and I totally wouldn't have noticed that eyes come off or jingle bells aren't fastened with duct tape and epoxy. Go ahead and give them as gifts.

[Clara Bow]

My stepmother in law got my son a bear in England and it sits on his shelf because I do not want anything to happen to it....it's not something that I can replace! I think the girls will be fine with the toys, my son had a ton of toys that were not according to Hoyle age appropriate (he had Matchbox cars before he was one for heaven's sakes) and there was no problem. The parents might want to keep them on display since they're not something that you can replace anyway...
By the way, as the mother of a small child I appreciate very much that you are such a concerned and caring person when it comes to child safety!