# would you let your child play with these? UPDATE! I tested them for lead...



## jackson'smama (May 14, 2005)

I have 2 boxes of matchbox cars that were mine as a child (i was born in 1976). before me, they belonged to my uncle who was born sometime in the fifties. I played with them daily as a child and then they went into storage. My son is in LOVE with matchboxes and I know he'd love these b/c they are much more interesting than today's models. I am hesitant to let him play with them due to the lead paint issues. I've washed them all and wouold make sure he washes his hands frequently and especially well after playing. There's no snacking while playing and no putting hands on the face/in the mouth/nose, etc...
What is the lead risk? Should I be concerned? Would you let your child play with these?


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## jennlyn (Jul 15, 2007)

If the paint is flaking, I'd say no, but I am not sure if there is a danger from older toys. Plenty of kids grew up playing with them and I know my kids played with some hand me down toys like that when they were smaller, but I don't think the lead paint issue ever crossed my mind ( nor grandma's , who had saved the toys for the kids) . If you feel like you have to watch your child every second he plays with the toys so he doesn't touch his mouth, etc, I'd say forget it. You don't want to police every minute of play. Would the risk on new cars be greater than on the old ones? Very good question- hope someone can give an answer.


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## Lil'M (Oct 27, 2002)

Maybe get a lead kit and test them so that you know if they are an issue or not.


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## jackson'smama (May 14, 2005)

oops!


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## jackson'smama (May 14, 2005)

ok, "flaking" paint - what does that mean? i mean, i have cars that the paint has worn off of on part or all of the vehicle. it is not literally flaking, as in you couldn't scrape up a piece with your fingernail.

and i'd also like a comparison on old vs. new - everything today is made in china pretty much, so i guess a brand new matchbox could be recalled any day...

where can you get lead testing kits?

oh, and some are plastic - would they be inherently "safer" than the metal ones?


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## nonnymoose (Mar 12, 2004)

My parents have a delapidated old travel bag full of the matchbox cars my brother had in the sixties. The wheels are gone, the paint is worn off, and my son loves them anyway. He's been lead-tested without issue (we live in an older house) and I really don't think, after thirty-odd years of being played with, that there's anything left on those cars to cause a problem.
My kids also play with our old Little People house, houseboat, barn, garage, the FP record player, My brother's old Tonka horse truck/trailer and car carrier, and my sister's old Tuff Stuff shopping cart. My parents' attic was a treasure trove for the grandkids!


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## StephandOwen (Jun 22, 2004)

You could go on www.cpsc.gov and check to see if they've been recalled over the years. If not, I'd say let him play







DP's mom saved tons of DP's childhood toys and she's slowly bringing them out for ds to play with. He has a blast with them!


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## StrawberryFields (Apr 6, 2005)

We let ds play with hand-me-down matchbox cars from dh. He loves them! I am not concerned.


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## EviesMom (Nov 30, 2004)

Flaking means that actual flakes or bits of paint are coming off that the child could ingest. You can lead test swabs at places like Home Depot. That will tell you if any or all of the cars are an issue. I would be surprised if they were all painted with lead paint. Oftentimes it's just one or two colors, so even if one or two cars are an issue, the rest may not be. Unless the metal base is potentially mixed with lead (possible, but it seems unlikely to me), the issue is the same for metal or plastic cars--the paint used to decorate them.

It also would depend to me on the age of the child and how much they'd play with them. Dd I'm more careful with because she already had elevated lead levels as a baby. But without that, I'd figure something she plays with once a month at grandmas house is very different from a daily at home toy. And an 18 month old who puts everything in his/her mouth is very different from a 4 year old who rarely mouths toys.

In the situation you've described, I'd buy the test swabs and check each car.


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## jackson'smama (May 14, 2005)

well, since this is something he'd play with daily, I bought lead testing swabs last night. Nothing tested positive for lead! I'm happy and he is overjoyed!
Thanks for the help!


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