Green Options

How does a small company compete against the big guys in the toy industry? In particular as pointed out by Wendy Johnson, with Birchtree designs writing on the contest Facebook page:

The search is on for the Top 10 Eco Friendly Toys of 2009, and we need your help!

Goddard Child Development Centers and EcoChildsPlay are proud to sponsor the Second Annual Eco-Friendly Toy Test, which will evaluate the best green toys for preschool and early elementary-aged children based on the creative, child-engaging qualities, the interactive qualities, the price, and the eco friendliness of the product.

Sand dough is a great choice for recycling the pretty clean sandbox sand that remains in your sandbox at the end of the season, which is when we usually make it, but I can imagine that it would also make a super-fun beachside project, perhaps even your own sandcastle souvenir, complete with seashells and a moat ready to be filled with salt water.

Even for play dough aficionados, sand dough has a terrifically gritty texture that provides an entirely new sensory experience to the act of working with the dough, and it can be an excellent component to a sensory table for a special needs child or as a teaching tool for a tactile learner—use it in conjunction with the sawdust dough for two very neat and unusual experiences.

We are honored to be featured on ZapRoot for discussing the Consumer Product Saftey Information Act (CPSIA); however, we have new information to share.  Today, members of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce submitted a letter to chair Henry Waxman requesting a hearing to explore how CPSIA will affect small business, according to Z Recommends.

The United Nations Educational, Scientific & Cultural Organization (UNESCO) teamed up with designers, teachers, and technicians from more than 15 nations to develop Bamboo Collection toys, smart toys made from natural bamboo.

Bamboo-indigenous to many countries-is an extremely fast growing giant grass that is easily renewable when harvested. This new use of bamboo will provide stimulus for economic growth & support for many people across the globe.

Let’s face it, I like toys. Sometimes the toys I buy for my children are more for me, like their four foot tall wooden doll house. I always wanted a doll house like that, I grew up in extreme poverty so good, quality, safe toys weren’t an option. My kids love it, but I might love it just a wee bit more. They certainly don’t appreciate it like I do as they have always had everything they need and plenty extra. This makes our toy choices even more important because I want my children to learn something about the world we live in. I want them to grow up and make conscious decisions about what they buy and how it affects other people and our planet. I want them to understand the value of the dollar and learn to use it wisely.

That said, we believe in buying earth friendly toys. Educational toys are always high on our list as are toys that will last a long time, more bang for the buck so to speak. Here are some of my favorites.

Planet Pixies- these adorable dolls are made from organic cotton. Each Pixie comes with a message about helping save our world. Anyu the Ice Pixie is from the North Pole and teaches little ones about how pollution is destroying the polar ice cap. She also gives tips on how we can help. Then there is Kayla the Marsh Pixie from the Florida Everglades and Maia the Tree Pixie from the Amazon Rain Forest. I can just picture my adorable (and precocious) three year old toting around one of these soft, lovey dolls and telling how she is helping to save the polar bears and their home.

Now that the word is out, Toys R Us is going green, it’s time perhaps to look a little harder at exactly what is being offered to parents looking for more safer, healthier toys for their children. After last year’s, lead paint/ phthalate/magnet scares, it’s no wonder Toys R Us is announcing a whole new line of eco friendly toys available in stores in time for Earth Day, April 22, 2008

But…they’re still made in China.

With the explosion of toy recalls lately and information regarding the dangers of plastic toys, families are searching out safe, green toy alternatives. Previously, I wrote about Plan Toys rubber wood toys, which provide children with sustainably harvested toys; however, children need soft, cuddly play items, too. Silk scarves and dress-up clothes provide children with safe, natural toys that expand their imagination.

Preschool teachers and parents often complain

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Dangerous toy recalls have predominated the news lately. From magnets that can cause severe intestinal damage or death if swallowed to lead-based paints, mass marketed children’s toys made in China are not fit for our youngest population or the workers who make them. The most recent massive recalls have come from major toy companies, such as Mattel (maker of Barbie, Batman, Dora, etc.) and

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Children today are bombarded with plastic, limiting toys that do not expand their imagination or aid their development. Not only can plastic toys be harmful to children's health, but the production of plastic toys further increases our dependence upon petroleum and leaves a greater carbon footprint than natural, wooden toys. There are many companies that produce wooden toys; however, not all of these companies provide information about the kind of wood

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