Lead. Chromium. Arsenic. Cadmium. Phthalates. Bromine. Mercury. That's just the short list of chemicals that can be found in many of the children's toys being sold to parents all over the country this holiday season. This may not come as a shock to those of us who are already suspicious about the chemical composition of products intended for our children, especially considering the consumer warnings earlier this year about BPA in baby bottles or melamine-contaminated chocolates from China.

It is our responsibility as parents to ensure we're not wrapping up bundles of toxic chemicals to bring smiles to our children's faces.

You certainly won't find any warning labels on your children's toys, but websites like HealthyToys.org can help you choose gifts that are safe. For this particular website, researchers used an X-ray Florescence device to inspect 1,500 different toys for levels of lead, chlorine, arsenic, mercury, tin and other harmful chemicals. Many of the most popular toys and children's products were selected for inspection, and were purchased from popular retailers such as Wal-Mart, Target, and Toys R Us, at locations across the country.

When you visit the website, you can search for a specific toy or manufacturer, or you can just browse the HealthyToys.org list of the products that received their best ratings for the lowest amounts of harmful toxins to get some safe gift ideas. They also offer an astounding list of the most harmful children's products they've tested, which includes Disney products containing lead and bromine, and Little Tikes products containing mercury. Arm yourself with knowledge and protect your family from the harmful effects of toxic chemicals.