I had such a great time evaluating and selecting the top eco-friendly toys for the Goddard Systems, Inc. and Eco Child’s Play holiday toy test!
The Toy Test Committee consisted of Eco Child`s Play representatives and Goddard educators. Entries were evaluated based on a number of criteria, including:
- Affordable price range ($30 and under)
- Appropriate for preschoolers and early elementary school-age children
- Creative, social or engaging
- Eco-friendly
- Interactive, child-initiated play focus
After a fun month of toy mania, it’s finally come down to this:
Aromatic Play Clay (Mama K, Ages 3 and up, Approximate Retail Price: $20 – $22.00)
Mama K’s Aromatic Play Clay is 100 % natural, bio-degradable, gluten free play clay. It combines aromatherapy with activity and fun. With seven scents to choose from including soothing lavender, relaxing chamomile and tension-easing bergamot, fun never smelled so good! Mama K’s Play Clay is also suitable for kids with Celiac and Autism Spectrum disorders.
Count Octopus (ImagiPLAY, Ages 3 and up, Approximate Retail Price: $17.99)
Learning to count is fun with this Octopus Number puzzle. Hand-crafted & hand painted with child-safe paints. Count Octopus is made from plantation-grown rubberwood, an environmentally-friendly hardwood.
Desert Hothouse (DuneCraft, Ages 3 and up, Approximate Retail Price: $14.99)
Create your own sandy, dusty desert scene with the DuneCraft Desert Hothouse. This kit comes complete with a variety of cacti and succulents including the Giant Saguaro, Joshua Tree and many more. Little ones will have a blast designing a desert landscape with included gravel, sand, boulders and desert friends. These easy-to-grow plants will start sprouting in a week and will last for years.
Green Toys Recycling Truck (Green Toys Inc., Ages 3 and up, Approximate Retail Price: $24.95)
Now little ones can learn all about the basics of recycling. Made in the USA from 100% recycled milk containers, the Green Toys Recycling Truck sorts bottles, cans and paper. It also has a movable recycling bed and open/shut rear door. It is safe, non-toxic, BPA-Free and packaged in recycled and recyclable materials.
Green Toys Tea Set (Green Toys, Inc., Ages 3 and up, Approximate Retail Price: $24.95)
Pull up a chair; it’s time to serve up some eco-friendly imagination! The 17-piece Green Toys Tea Set includes a tea pot with lid, a sugar bowl with lid, a creamer, four cups, four saucers and four teaspoons. It is made from curbside collected milk containers and also meets FDA specs for food contact.
Hugg-A-Planet (Hugg-A-Planet, All Ages, Approximate Retail Price: $24.95)
A soft, educational toy, Hugg-A-Planet helps children learn about caring for planet Earth. It features over 600 labeled places, showing oceans, continents, islands and more.
Joobles Collection (Fair Indigo, Ages 0 and up, Approximate Retail Price: $25)
Organically adorable, the Joobles Collection features a variety of eco-friendly, fair trade characters. Made out of 100% organic cotton, these soft and squishy characters are hand knit! Children of cooperative workers are helped by the Fair Indigo Foundation, which provides educational programs and supplies.
Ring a Thing (HABA, Ages 1-3, Approximate Retail Price: $24.00)
Ring a Thing transitions children from free play to first games with rules. It’s also a fun way for children to recognize colors and sizes. For 1-3 players, Ring a Thing is made of beech wood. HABA products have passed certification that guarantees a high quality environmental management system.
Veggie Cutting Set (ImagiPLAY, Ages 2 and up, Approximate Retail Price: $24.99)
Help kids learn about healthy eating with the Veggie Cutting Set from ImagiPLAY. This vegetable set helps children develop motor skills and coordination while encouraging them to learn about healthy food in a fun role play environment. Segmented and secured with Velcro, for cutting over and over again, segments can be combined to create entirely new vegetables! This 16-piece activity toy is made from all-natural, earth friendly rubberwood.
Tree Branch Blocks (Natural Pod, Ages 2-8, Approximate Retail Price: $29.00) Bring the outdoors in with this beautiful set of rustic tree branch blocks. Perfect for stacking and building, each set comes with many unique pieces, various diameters and lengths for the ultimate in creative building. Tree Branch Blocks are made with kiln dried, locally (Vancouver Island) sourced Alder with Harmonic unbleached beeswax finish.
