Every day you make choices for your children that will affect their growth and wellbeing. You might not think their toy choices have anything to do with this, but it does! Before you hand over a screen to your kids, you’ll want traditional toys for your growing children that help develop fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination. But you also want toys that are safe and environmentally friendly. Did you know that plastic toy alternatives are now available for children of all ages?
Probably your parent groups are talking about how you and your children can be good stewards of the planet. Eco-friendly is a buzzword you read all across the internet, and the toy industry is no exception. With the holidays right around the corner, you might be asking yourself, what are other options besides plastic toys? Today we share why it’s important to consider plastic-alternatives for your children.
Why Make Toys from Plastic Alternatives?
In the 1960s, plastic toys hit the shelves and became the cheapest toys for your children. Many of these toys were made in China and other countries that didn’t have safety regulations in place. Not only did they contain harmful chemicals, but the pollution from the manufacturing process was causing harm to the planet. It’s not until recent years that we started considering the impact of the toy industry on Mother Earth.
Over the last decade, many clever toy companies have started making toys from recycled materials. Even though plastic toys are not considered “single-use”, most of them can’t be recycled, so they sit in landfills and end up in our oceans. Many companies are creating “sustainable” plastics that don’t have the harmful chemicals that studies have shown regular plastic toys contain.
There is mounting concern about PVC, phthalates, lead, BPAs and other toxic chemicals in toys, which could cause harm to your children. Studies show that long-term exposure to these chemicals can be detrimental to your kid’s health. The United States and the EU stepped up and put regulations in place, but when you buy toys made in other countries, you may take a risk.
Types of Plastic Toy Alternatives
Many excellent toys are plastic-free or use alternatives to plastic to consider for your family. Most of these options are comparative in price to their plastic counterparts and will be healthier for your kids and the planet.
Toys Made from Recycled Materials
Companies like Green Toys are finding innovative ways to make toys from 100% post-consumer recycled materials. They make their toys from recycled plastic milk bottles that are BPA-free and long-lasting. Green Toys goes a step further to make their packaging all recyclable. Toys create a lot of waste with all the packaging surrounding them. So if you can choose toys that have recyclable or less packaging, you are doing the planet a great service.
This fun build-a-bouquet will spark hours of creativity while helping your child develop hand-eye coordination.
Wooden Toys are Timeless
The classic, timeless plastic-free toy is a wooden one. Many companies are using sustainably-farmed wood from FSC certified forests, so seek out those companies to go the extra mile. As we know, babies will stick anything in their mouth. Be sure to choose an unpainted wooden toy that isn’t painted with non-toxic paint. Or you can buy plain wood toys you can paint with your kids.
If you’re looking for a fun wooden toy that brings everyday activities to life, check out this grocery store by Melissa and Doug.
Books Never Go out of Style
We guess most kids wouldn’t consider books to be toys, but they are a wonderful plastic-free alternative that is educational too. Books are a wonderful gift that can be passed on from child to child throughout the generations, making them very environmentally sound and long-lasting.
This adorable early-learning book introduces numerous animals to your child, along with search-and-find and lift-the-flap, to discover where the eggs are hiding.
Organic Cotton Options Are Available
If you want to take your kid’s dolls, rattles, and plushies to the next level, consider buying toys made from organic cotton and untreated fabrics. Conventional cotton is one of the crops most heavily sprayed with pesticides so if that is a concern for you, seek out alternatives.
These are just a few reasons to consider plastic toy alternatives for your children and the wide array of choices available that also help the planet. Consider some of these eco-friendly options this Christmas.
BrightMinds has a world-class range of educational toys, games, gifts & wooden toys that inspire and entertain your children. Our extraordinary customer service backs each purchase. Check out our selection of environmentally-friendly toys today.
