November 28th, 2007

Eco-Toys & Games

Posted by Jenn Breckenridge

How does one define a toy or game as “eco-friendly?” The basic materials, the paints and dyes, and the manufacturing process all come into play. Ideally, every toy would be handmade by local artisans using recycled, organic, or renewable resources and plant-based dyes. Sound difficult? Compared to how it used to be, it’s a piece of cake to find green toys & games. 10 years ago all you could find were some pretty boring unpainted pieces from Europe. Now there are a bevy of entertaining, attractive, healthy green toys.  Here Low Impact Living will help you wade through the greenwashing and gift your little ones (and not so little ones) some really fun stuff this season.

For Babies 

Start training them early to eat their vegetables with this Veggie Crate from Under the Nile. Teething children can safely gnaw on a carrot, tomato, green bean and mushroom made of 100% organic Egyptian cotton. Veggies have never looked this cute! $26.00  (To see more great items from Under The Nile please go to our games and toys section.)

You can send your baby off to bed safe and sound with the Organic Sheep Music Box by Lana Organics.The outside of the sheep is 100% organic cotton and the filling is pure wool, which is a renewable resource. When you pull the cord, the sheep plays “Sleep Baby Sleep…” It’s just snuggly and adorable. Could be good for some adults out there as well!  $61.50

For Toddlers

Toymaker ImagiPLAY crafts gorgeous toys by hand using eco-friendly woods and non-toxic paints for ages 3+. We love ImagiPLAY’s stylish & sustainable “Toys with Integrity.” They are earth-friendly, socially responsible toys that highlight the natural world around us. Inspiring children’s imaginations with colorful puzzles, playsets and more, these toys are safe for children and their planet.

Children can learn their ABC’s while assembling Puff the Alphabet Dragon and their 123’s with the Number Iguana. (Iguana shown at right.) The Majestic Oak makes a fun puzzle or a beautiful decoration in any child’s room. Their puzzles range from $14.99-36.99

Hairy the Lemur by Xeko is made from Soysilk, an organic fiber made from the excess material from the manufacturing of tofu. Hairy is based on one of the cutest and most endangered lemurs on earth, the Hairy-eared Dwarf Lemur. In the wild, it is the smallest lemur in the world — the size of a walnut! By Xeko, Hairy is 5 inches long with an 8 inch tail. He is only $16.99.

For Kids 4-8 Marble Run is an exciting set of building blocks for children 4+ that encourages logical thinking, rudimentary engineering, and tons of giggles. All the blocks are made from Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified wood. $49.95

Taraluna brings us toys made by a fair trade co-op in India, using sustainably harvested wood and non-toxic vegetable dyes and coatings. Timeless classics can be handed down from generation to generation like this Tic Tac Toe set, Winding Top (shown at right), and Large Prism. These toys range between $5-20.00.

Mission: Costa Rica by Xeko teaches kids 8+ how to build a thriving ecosystem to support rare and exotic animals. Printed on recycled materials with soy-based inks, this brilliant game is the winner of Creative Child Magazine’s Top Toy of the Year 2006. Additionally, Xeko donates 4% of the net game sales to Conservation International. When has giving a board game ever felt this good? $32.50

Venture Arctic is an ecosystem simulation game for download (no wasteful packaging) on PC. Players control the forces of earth, wind, water & sun to change the seasons for polar bears, orca & more. Authentic Inuit sculpture and lore inspire the story and the artwork. $29.95

Bioviva teaches kids about topics ranging from the solar system to plant and animal behaviors to world geography. Bioviva is made of recycled materials and non-toxic vegetal inks; all post-production waste is recycled as well. Bioviva teaches a deeper lesson by really walking their talk. $20.25 

You can always increase the green factor of the toys you give to children by: 

•    +  Buying gently used gifts from Craigslist, yard sales, or enjoying hand-me-downs from friends or Freecycle 
•    +  Wrapping gifts in the Sunday comics or reusable gift bags
•    +  Teaching children to treat their toys with care so they can be passed on in the family as heirlooms or resold to amazing online consignment shops like The Conscious Child 

Bringing so much thought and care to a gift makes it more fun and meaningful to give. Happy hunting!