Green Toys for Your Kids

Every parent starts groaning when they think about birthdays, or the holiday season, and all the money that they’re going to be shelling out for toys. Children love toys, and, in reality, toys are much more than just a way to keep children entertained. The right toys provide children with a variety of things, from social values to educational enlightenment. They can teach them how to appreciate music and how to be a good person. One of the biggest problems with all of the toys available today is that so many of them are made from non-sustainable materials. This means that every time you buy one of these toys, you’re slowly but surely harming the environment. Is there such a thing as an eco-friendly toy for children?

Going Eco-Friendly

There absolutely are eco-friendly toys for children, and now that awareness about the environment has grown, there are far more environmentally safe toys available. These toys are much easier to find now and you may be shocked to learn that you might even have some eco-friendly toy stores near you! So how do you start building your child’s eco-friendly toy collection? First, it’s a good idea to know what you’re child likes. It’s not a good idea to buy something that they simply won’t play with, even if it is eco-friendly. Spend time with your children and play with them; you need to see what they enjoy doing. Do they like music or pretend play? Or are they more into art or reading? Do they like sports? Once you know what your child truly likes, you’re ready to go shopping.

First, you need to find a store or two that carry eco-friendly toys. As stated above, you may be shocked to find that there is a “green” toy store near you. Many of the smaller toy stores in your area, the ones that aren’t run by huge corporations but are actually independently owned, tend to be much more concerned about making sure that they purchase items that are eco-friendly. When you buy from these stores, you’re also supporting your local businesses, which is great for the economy.

You can also go online. There are tons of online stores that sell eco-friendly toy items. Many times you can get great shipping deals at these stores if you purchase a specific amount, so double-check their deals before you buy anything. If the company has a store near you, take a fieldtrip. That way, you and your children, if you bring them, will be able to see and play with the toys that are actually there.

Once you’ve found a store with toys that you like, it’s time to buy! But which toys are actually considered “green” toys? First of all, anything that is wooden is green. These are made out of sustainable materials, and they break down over time, which means that they won’t be stuck in a landfill rotting for eternity. Instead, they can be recycled or reused or, if they do happen to go into a landfill, they will break down and go into the ground over time, just as a decaying tree does. So any toys that you find that are made out of wood are great, eco-friendly toys. But not all green toys are made out of wood. You can find lots of dolls that are made out of cloth, and many of these come from fair trade companies. These toys are absolutely beautiful, and are designed to last for a long time…sometimes even long enough to become heirlooms.

The Cost

One thing to remember is that there are some green toys which cost more than the traditional non-green toys do. This is because the materials that are used to make them, while being eco-friendly, are often more expensive, and it takes more work to create toys with them. A wooden rocking horse is often put together by only a handful of craftspeople, whereas a plastic one can be made quickly in a factory. This doesn’t mean that the price of the toys has to be prohibitive. In fact, one of the most well-known names in eco-friendly toys, Melissa & Doug, make very affordable toys. Some of their larger pieces, such as their wooden doll houses, are a bit more expensive than some parents may want to pay for, but their smaller pieces are very affordable. And best of all you can find Melissa & Doug items in your retail stores as well. Since they have become extremely popular, they’re now very easy to find. There are plenty of eco-friendly toy options out there for your child, so if you want to buy eco-friendly, don’t feel as though you have to sacrifice your values for your child’s enjoyment.