All products that Carus Publishing and the Cricket catalog offer have passed a thorough product review for both safety and developmental value. Our Catalog Quality and Safety and Merchandising team works together to ensure that all items comply with government safety standards.

Cricket receives copies of testing procedures and practices from all of its toy vendors, making sure they comply with the new CPSIA rules and regulations. Safety and hazard labels are listed on all of the products pages of our website.

We actively engage our suppliers on product safety matters by:

• Instructing our suppliers that all product shipped to us is required to meet or exceed all applicable standards.
• Providing information and training related to safety requirements.
• Regularly reviewing suppliers' compliance.

Samples of every children's product are tested. We do not authorize shipment of products unless the test results meet both our requirements and federal safety requirements. Products are tested according to standards established by the CPSC, American Society for Testing and Materials, and other state and federal agencies, as applicable.

A proper certificate of conformity accompanies the shipment of products we purchase.

If a potential hazard is identified at any time during our product review process, we work with our toy vendor to correct the situation, or we remove the product from consideration. If, in spite of our rigorous testing process, we were to find a potential hazard after the product has been offered on either our website or in the Cricket catalog, we would either fix the problem or initiate a recall of the product. And, of course, we would notify our customers immediately if a manufacturer recalled a product in the catalog.

We can provide copies of test reports for products from the third-party testing agencies as supplied by our vendors and laboratories under contract to us. We would hope you understand however, that certain proprietary information may be blacked out, though all testing information is certified accurate and unaltered.

To request a copy of an individual product testing, please write to:

Toy Regulations
Mandy Sano
30 Grove Street, Suite C
Peterborough, NH 03458

Please enclose a letter requesting the testing document with the name of the product and item number, if possible, that you’d like sent. With the letter, please include a self-addressed, stamped envelope. Please allow 6-8 weeks for arrival.

Several factors are considered when setting the age grade for a product.

• The CPSC "Guidelines for Relating Children's Ages to Toy Characteristics"
• Whether or not the item contains small parts in the "as received state"
• Size and weight of the of the item: small, lightweight to grasp and carry
• The theme: represents common objects easily identified by the child
• Degree of realism
• Type and level of skill required
• The manufacturers stated intent: such as a label if it is a reasonable one
• The article is generally recognized as being intended for children under 3 years
• Advertising, promotion, and marketing
• Our own evaluation of the product to children's physical and developmental stages

• Buy high quality toys with a long play life.
• Buy age-appropriate toys guided by the age recommendations printed on the box, or on our catalog and website.
• Remove toys when they break, check frequently for sharp edges and cracks.
• Keep up to date on recalls.
• Check www.CPSC.gov (Consumer Products Safety Commission) for comprehensive information on recalls. Remove any recalled item from your child's play.