As a parent who enjoys resales, garage sales and hand-me-downs, I am ever vigilant for easy ways to find out if something has been recalled. I get almost daily emails from the Consumer Product Safety Commission about various recalls but those cover all topics - from food to toys to power tools. While I appreciate all the information, it is difficult to sort through all the prior recalls to find out if any of the "new" toys I've purchased have been recalled.

Now, with the Parents magazine's Toy & Product Recall Finder, it is a simple search! You can be as specific or as broad as you'd like. Type in the name if you know it or seach the broader field of "strollers" or "Mattel" to find your item. Currently their database goes back to January of 2006. Hopefully they will continue to expand it. The CPSC database goes back to 1974 but is not as easily searchable, particularly if you are looking for a specific type of toy.

Go ahead, give it a try!