NEWS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 13, 2009

Marianne Szymanski Provides Toy TIps for Holiday Shopping

Sheboygan, Wis. —Anyone who has a child on their Christmas shopping list knows how hard it can be to pick the best toy and one that is also safe and age appropriate.

St. Nicholas Hospital sponsored a free workshop, Toy Tips: How to Make Smart Toy Choices, on November 12 to anyone who wanted to learn more about choosing safe and appropriate toys for children.

Marianne Szymanski, a nationally acclaimed Toy Tips expert who has been on national television shows such as the Oprah Winfrey show, CNN, The Today Show, The Discovery Channel, Lifetime, HGTV, and Fox 6 News Television, provided workshop attendees with information on the Best Toys of 2009 and tips on choosing safe toys.

Szymanski stressed the importance of three simple guidelines to keep in mind when choosing toys on holiday shopping lists:

• Be sure the toy is age appropriate
• Make sure the child has the skills necessary to play with the toy
• Be certain the child would have interest in the toy

Szymanski also discussed toy warning signs that people should watch for when purchasing a toy for a certain age category.

Infants/Toddlers

• Toys with strings or cords that are longer than 12 inches
• Balloons
• Mobiles that an infant can pull down
• Products made out of PVC
• Toys with small pieces such as magnets where a child can easily swallow
• Stuffed animals with loosely sewn-on parts that can be easily removed
• Sharp-edged toys
• Toys with warning labels

Preschooler

• Electrical toys that need to be plugged into an outlet
• Sharp-edged objects such as standard scissors or craft kids that include sharp scissors
• Toys made with lead-based paint
• Riding toys that move fast
• Toys with warning labels

Visit www.toytips.com for more information about toy tips.

About St. Nicholas Hospital
St. Nicholas Hospital is the recipient of the 2009/2010 HealthGrades Outstanding Patient Experience Award™. St. Nicholas Hospital is rated among the Nation's top 5% of hospitals for patient experience and one of only 211 facilities in the country to achieve this distinction two years in a row.

St. Nicholas Hospital is a non-profit hospital sponsored by the Hospital Sisters of St. Francis located at 3100 Superior Avenue, Sheboygan, Wisconsin. Their mission and vision is to provide family-centered, compassionate care without regard for race, creed, or ability to pay. This is achieved through the core values of respect, care, competence, and joy.

To learn more, visit www.stnicholashospital.org .

CONTACT: Xue Yang
Marketing Assistant
St. Nicholas Hospital
3100 Superior Avenue
Sheboygan, WI 53081
920-459-4739
xyang@sns.hshs.org

 

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