Colored clay, also known as modeling clay or rubber clay, can be molded into various shapes and can be used with molds to create various creative items. It is a handmade toy that many children love. Many parents also encourage children to play more because it helps them learn, explore, and cultivate creative thinking abilities. But there are various types of colored clay on the market, but the quality of the products varies. For this reason, relevant personnel remind parents to recognize the label and carefully choose when purchasing colored clay products. So how do we choose colored clay?
1. Do not choose “three no” products
When making a purchase, first look at the packaging and select products with complete labeling. Check if the label includes the following information: the name and address of the legitimate manufacturer, the implementation standards, production date, shelf life, and applicable age. In addition, if there are warning messages indicating that they are not suitable for children under 3 years old, strict adherence to the applicable age should be followed for purchasing. According to the material composition indicated on the product label, there may be a risk of excessive migration of boron elements in products containing borax. Therefore, caution should be exercised when selecting products.
2. Check materials: ensure edibility
Parents should avoid choosing materials containing industrial pigments and chemicals when choosing rubber putty. They should choose approved materials such as flour and food coloring to ensure that the color is pure, non-toxic, and fully complies with international safety standards. Good quality dough also contains salt, which helps maintain the quality of the product and prevents children from swallowing it.
3. Smell the odor
Baby’s sense of smell is still relatively fragile. In order to avoid irritating the baby, the scent of the rubber putty played with by the baby must be light and elegant, with no fragrance or odor being the best. When purchasing, open the colored clay and clay products and smell them. If there is a particularly strong pungent odor and fragrance, do not purchase.
4. Touch texture
A safe and high-quality eraser with excellent adhesion, which won’t stick to babies’ hands during play and can be reused. Parents can use their fingers to press hard when choosing colored clay to see if it sticks to their hands, if there are obvious fingerprints on the surface of the clay, and if their fingers feel oil? If none of them are available, it proves that the material is good.
5. Do not choose colored clay products with a long shelf life
Due to the fact that colored clay is made from flour, some toy manufacturers add a large amount of preservatives during the manufacturing process to extend its shelf life. Parents should compare and avoid choosing clay products with a long shelf life when purchasing them.