The Consumer Product Safety Commission says this year that holiday shoppers can shop for toys with much more confidence in the safety of the products.

More protections are put in place than ever before by the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act which was passed in 2008.

Protections include lower limits on the amount of lead which is used in the production of toys and even third-party testing is required for certain products.

The new law implements stricter standards and permits the government and agencies to perform more of a watch dog role when it comes to products for children.

More resources are being used by the government to enforce these safety laws than in the past. The CPSC got $105 million this year and it hopes to fetch $118 million next year.

CPSC chairman, Inez Tenenbaum says, “We are much more vigilant than ever before and the consumer product safety improvement act requires that toy makers and importers test to make sure the toys don't exceed the lead limit.”

The CPSC recommends that shoppers follow the age ranges which are supplied by the manufacturers for toys.

There have been very few toy recalls this year, so far.