Many of us leave holiday shopping for the kiddos until the last minute.  Why?  Well, because we know that Amazon Prime, every parent’s best friend, will get them to us in the nick of time.  Here, I’ve rounded up a few of our favorite eco-friendly, nontoxic toys from this year as well as years passed.  You can feel good knowing that these toys aren’t harming the Earth we will leave to our children, that they won’t posion our children (yes, we really have to worry about that these days) and that they are durable and will stand the test of time.

1. Tool Set (it comes in pink/purple, too!)
2. Recycling Truck
3. Fire Station Play Set
4. Eco-Dough
5. Chalet Doll House with Furniture
6. Golf Set
7. Easel
8. Kitchen & Fridge
9. Drum
10. Makeup Kit
11. Sushi Set

Hape makes excellent wooden toys for young children.  This company is dedicated to sustainability, quality and nontoxic finishes.  Last year, we bought Annabel the Gourmet Kitchen and Refrigerator, and she hasn’t stopped cooking or baking since.  Perfect gift for ages two and up, play kitchens are NOT just for girls; I love that this one is gender-neutral-looking.  They also make adorable kitchen accessory toys, like pots and pans (get the wooden ones if you want to preserve your hearing), toasters, sushi sets, waffle irons, etc.  Other favorites from Hape include their Walk-a-Long Puppy, the Wooden Cosmetic Kit (she is my daughter), and the Wooden Shopping Cart.

For more than 30 years, Plan Toys has dedicated themselves to quality, sustainable toys, and they are another favorite for wooden toys that kids actually want to play with.  This year for Christmas, Annabel’s big gift will be the ultra-mod Chalet Dollhouse with Furniture; that and the Golf Set are great for both boys and girls.  When she was little, one of her favorites was this Wooden Toy Drum, and she’s been playing with her shape sorter for what seems like forever.

Green Toys makes their products in the USA from recycled plastic and they are BPA, PVC and Phthalate-free.  Our favorites include the Farm Set, Tool Set and Recycling Truck (it’s never too early to start teaching them, right?).  I also like the looks of their cupcake set and tea set; porcelain tea sets are pretty, but most of ours is in a million pieces at this point!

Eco-Kids is a small, family-run company in the US that makes great nontoxic art supplies for little ones.  We have loved their nontoxic finger paints, eco-dough, and natural crayons.  They are all perfect for little ones who don’t understand how to keep things out of their mouths!

And, this Vilac Automobile actually looks cool while laying around the house, unlike most kids’ vehicles….

What are you getting the little ones in your life this year?

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