9 Eco-Friendly Toys Your Child Will Love

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Want to engage in gift-giving while also protecting our planet? Consider gifting your children eco-friendly toys!

Until I became a mom, I never thought much about whether I was giving or receiving eco-friendly gifts. But now I think about how climate change will only become worse and dramatically impact my kids’ future. Climate change has impacted so much of our lives already and will continue to for the foreseeable future.

Unfortunately, almost all of the toys we purchase these days for kids are made of plastic, which are not biodegradable and can take many years to decompose. They may also contain dangerous metals like lead. I think about all of the plastic toys my children chewed on as babies and cringe thinking about the potential harmful chemicals they absorbed in their bodies!

Thankfully, there are an increasing number of brands and small businesses that are focused on creating unique and fun sustainable toys for young children. Read on to learn more about the best eco-friendly toys, that are good for the health of your toddler and the planet.

What are environmentally friendly toys?

Eco-friendly toys usually have one or more of the following elements:

• Recyclable
• Biodegradable
• Made of sustainable materials, such as renewable wood
• Non-toxic
• Manufactured in countries with strong labor practices and protections
• Support environmental causes and organizations

Eco-friendly toys are also made of higher quality materials (ie. wooden toys) that are more durable and will last longer than cheaply made plastic toys.

For these reasons, eco-friendly toys are better for the environment and your childrens’ health than conventional toys.

Why should toys be environmentally friendly?

According to The World Counts, the toy industry is the most plastic-intensive industry in the world, using 40 tons of plastic for every $1 million in revenues! Approximately, 90% of toys on the market are made of plastic. 

As mentioned above, plastic takes years to decompose, long after we’ve thrown them in the trash. Eventually, they can end up in landfills and in our oceans and do further damage to our ecosystems.

Unfortunately, many conventional toys are also made of chemicals that are known to be hormone-disruptors to humans, such as phthalates. Phthalates have been linked to a number of problems, including damage to the reproductive system.

Something else that is not talked about as often, but just as important, is that the manufacturing of toys in the past has been linked to child labor and sweatshops. The US Department of Labor DOL reports that hundreds of children, ages 13-16, are forced to work long hours to produce toys in China and withheld wages for months to prevent them from leaving.

Buying eco-friendly toys won’t fix all of these problems. But it is a great way to reduce the demand for plastic or unsustainable toys, and do our part to protect the environment and the next generation.

9 Eco-Friendly Toys

*This post contain affiliate links.

I did the research for you and compiled a list of eco-friendly toys that meet the criteria to be environmentally friendly. They also make great gifts for toddlers because they focus on enhancing fine motor skills and brain development of young children and promote imaginative play.

1: Hape Pound & Tap Bench with Slide Out Xylophone

• Hape is one of the largest producers of sustainable children toys and prides itself on environmental responsibility.
• Although Hape toys are made in China, both the company and the factory is German-owned. Hape uses 3rd party testing to ensure they are meeting international safety and quality standards.
• This Hape musical instruments toy is made of water based paint, non-toxic finishes, and durable wood material.
• More than one way of playing for increased imagination and open ended play. It includes balls that your kids can roll onto the xylephone keys, or they can slide out the xylophone and pound using the mallet.
• This toy promotes the development of fine motor skills including grasping, hand-eye coordination, arm movement, and cause and effect.
• It also fosters interest in playing music and recognizing sounds.

2: PlanToys Wooden Beehives Sorting Game

• Both little girls and boys will love this educational toy, which allows them to use a wooden pincer to grasp and place a bee in the hive of the matching color.
• Made from chemical-free natural rubber wood trees, formaldehyde-free glues, and organic pigments like water-based non-toxic paints.
• Great educational toys in bright colors. Supports early childhood development of fine motor skills, color recognition, and counting.
• Plan Toys has an amazing mission to create a better world through sustainable play.
• Their production process creates zero to no waste because they save rubberwood trees that no longer produce latex and are normally scheduled to be burn.
• All Plan Toys are made in Thailand and exceed international safety and quality standards.

3: Green Toys Car Carrier

• Every car loving toddler will have so much fun playing with this bright double decker car carrier that comes with 3 mini cars!
• Made in the USA from locally sourced materials- 100% recycled plastic milk jugs with no BPA, phthalates, or PVC, and painted with soy inks.
• No small parts, making it safe for toddlers.
• These natural toys make a great gift for toddlers because they encourage unstructured and open-ended creative play.
• Green Toys is an excellent American company who uses locally sourced materials, has a stringent quality control process, and meets or exceeds safety standards.

4: Luke’s Toy Factory Classic 4-Pack: Fire Truck, Dump Truck, Cargo Truck, Tipper Truck

• Luke’s Toy Factory toys are made in the United States and meets all USA safety standards.
• Made from 30% sawdust reclaimed from U.S. furniture manufacturers. The remainder of the 70% is polypropylene, which is considered one of the safest plastics because it’s recyclable and durable. Contains no BPA or phthalates.
• The trucks are designed as a 3D puzzle that is simple enough for young toddlers to put together.
• Helps kids develop fine motor skills, creative play, and problem-solving skills.
• The parts of the 4 trucks are interchangeable and can be mixed and matched.

5: Wishbone Flip Rock and Roll Ride

• Wishbone Design Studio is a New Zealand family business with a mission to reduce waste by using natural materials and creating high-quality products that are easily repairable and last a long time.
• While the products are made in China, their factory is regularly audited for social and ethical accountability.
• The Wishbone Flip Rock and Roll Ride is made from sustainably grown birchwood.
• It has an innovative flipping mechanism that allows it to convert in 3 different ways: rocker, push toy, and ride-on.
• It also supports developmental milestones including gross motor skills, maintaining balance, and steering.

6: Tegu Magnetic Wooden Block Set

• Tegu toys are made in Honduras.
• Tegu’s founders are dedicated to helping the Honduran community with reforestation, education, and social outreach initiatives.
• Durable and non-toxic classic toy made of Honduran and Central American hardwoods and water-based color finishes. Conforms to USA and European safety standards.
• Innovative building blocks set contains 14 pieces that click together with hidden embedded magnets to form different shapes.
• Supports healthy development through open-ended play, including balance, fine motor skills, and pattern recognition.
• Each toy comes with fun factoids about the the blocks and their origin.

7: Wild Republic EcoKins Animals

• Wild Republic is a company committed to nature and conservation and strives to be environmentally friendly and ethically responsible.
• The toys are designed in the US and India and manufactured in factories in India and China.
• The entire EcoKins line of Wild Republic are sustainable plush toys made of entirely recyclable materials.
• The EcoKins line contains a number of different animals including penguins, koalas, red pandas, and snow leopards.
• Handcrafted using 16 plastic water bottles.
• Exceeds safety requirements set by USA and EU.
• Eyes and nose are bead-free and embroidered, making it safe for toddlers.
• Helps foster curiosity about different animals and wildlife.

8: BeginAgain – Safari Bowling Game

• This eco-friendly toy makes a great first bowling set for your two-year old. It combines animal targets and an elephant launcher into a bowling game.
• Made of sustainable rubberwood trees grown in Southeast Asia and Brazil and finished with child-safe water-based stains. The company also makes great bath toys using natural rubber from the sap of rubber trees.
• BeginAgain toys are made in China, near the native sources of their plant-based materials to reduce their shipping footprint.
• Non-toxic and free of BPA and phthalates.
• Helps develop hand eye coordination and gross motor skills.

9:  Tender Leaf Toys Animals Puzzle

• These wooden puzzles include “Touchy Feely” animals that each have a different texture to help your child discover tactile senses.
• Chemical free and made from sustainable wood and non-toxic materials, including water-based stains.
• Designed in Great Britain and made in a family run factory in Indonesia.
• Each puzzle piece is large to help develop dexterity and gripping skills.
• The company has pledged that for every tree that becomes a toy, they replant another.
• Meets US, European, and New Zealand safety standards.

Conclusion

So there you have it- a list of educational and fun toys that are eco-friendly and safe for your two year old! Ultimately, the goal is to reduce waste by buying durable high-quality toys made of sustainable materials while supporting ethically responsible businesses. By doing so, we are teaching our kids to respect nature and be mindful of our impact to the environment.

Do you have an eco-friendly toy that you’ve loved and want to recommend? Comment below!

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