Toy SSC: Non-Toxic Toys

Updated October 19, 2005

Let's face it, some Christmas toys are junk by January. And what's not junk may still be unhealthy. In July 2004, the Consumer Product Safety Commission recalled all metal toy jewelry sold in vending machines after it was found to contain lead. And then there's polyvinyl chloride (PVC) plastic, whose manufacturing produces dioxins and, though often labeled non-toxic, can include softeners like hormone-disrupting phthalates.

It may be impossible to keep all that junk out of the home, but every natural toy—one healthy for the environment and growing bodies—makes a difference. It decreases a child's overall exposure to pollutants, creates more demand for sustainable products and reduces the environmental damage caused by pesticides, plastics and toxic chemicals. What's more, when the natural alternatives happen to be both beautiful and fun, they're less likely to be tossed aside. Here are toys that can endure from one generation to the next in your family—instead of in the landfill.

Wood

Any solid wood is preferable to pressed woods, such as plywood and particleboard, which are formed with glues that give off toxic fumes like carcinogenic formaldehyde. You often can see the layers of pressed wood when looking at the edges of toys and puzzle pieces. Wood toys made with non-toxic paints and finishes also use and release fewer toxins. Finishes of natural oil, such as linseed and walnut oils, are safest, as is beeswax.

Certified Sustainable choices:

Bingo Bed, the time-tested pounding board, one of Holgate's most popular toys. Ages 18 mos.-6 yrs. 11-in. version includes 8 colorful pegs and hammer; 9-in. version includes 6 pegs ($23.95 or $19.95); wagon of blocks with 48 smooth, sanded blocks in a pull wagon ($99.95); most wood sourced from Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified vendors (www.holgatetoy.com, 800-499-1929).

For older kids:

Tumbleweed Woodworks makes FSC-certified wood puzzles with 8 to 264 pieces, for ages 3-8. Try "Building Houses," which highlights five different styles of architecture ($12.50 to $20 at www.tumbleweedwoodworks.com, 800-497-3116).

Unfinished or finished with non-toxic substances:

The pedella is a wooden duck that waddles when you push it and is finished with natural beeswax ($33 at www.organicgiftshop.com, 800-895-6045).

Beautiful alder cash register from The Playstore, for ages 3 and up. The buttons push down and you can turn the crank to see the number display change ($49.95 at www.playstoretoys.com, 877-876-1111).

Toy Camera, for ages 3 and up. This handmade camera has a viewfinder, shutter button and dials to turn. Hardwood with child-safe mineral-oil finish ($19.95 at www.rosiehippo.com, 800-385-2620).

Stilts! For ages 6 and up. Sturdy oak construction, yet light enough to be handled by a 7-year-old on the lower settings. Non-skid rubber feet ($32 at www.novanatural.com).

Cotton

Stuffed animals and dolls are perfect for the imaginative play children love. Toddlers and preschoolers enjoy watching relatives animate them, and babies like to explore the textures and shapes with their mouths. But stain- and moth-proofed cotton, synthetics and wool used in stuffed and soft-fabric toys can contain azo dyes, which can be carcinogenic. Not to mention that cotton accounts for a quarter of the world's use of insecticides. The solution is certified organic and/or untreated cotton and wool, colored with non-toxic color-fast dyes, as in these toys:

Froggy Friend. This pal's hands and feet can be moistened and frozen to soothe a teething baby's sore gums ($11 at www.organicgiftshop.com, 800-895-6045).

Teddy Bear and other stuffed animals ($18.95 at www.mamasearth.com, 800-620-7388).

Mermaid and other dolls ($28 and up at www.honeysuckledreams.com, 301-217-0546).

Board Games

To pry older children away from video games and bring the family together, consider:

Chess ($50), checkers ($50), dominoes ($17) or Nine Man's Morris ($50) made from recycled wood (www.wooden-games.com).

Scrabble (ages 8 and up) proves you can have fun building your vocabulary ($12 at www.etailgifts.com, 800-952-7028).

Blokus, a fascinating strategy game and 2003 Parent's Choice winner, probably because it's more interesting for parents than most kids' games ($24.95 at www.funagain.com, 541-482-1939).

Other Toys

You can't beat PVC- and phthalate-free LEGO for creative possibilities. LEGO promotes kits, but you can still order buckets of 500 bricks through the company. Ask for Item 4105, the "50th Anniversary Bucket." ($9.99 at www.lego.com, 800-835-4386).

Modeling beeswax (ages 5 and up). When you hold this sweet-smelling wax from The Playstore, it begins to soften. A natural modeling material, it won't dry out and can be made into any form or shape. Box of 15 colors ($19.95 at www.playstoretoys.com, 877-876-1111).

Books

Panda Bear, Panda Bear, What Do You See? (Henry Holt, 2003, $15.95), by Bill Martin, Jr. and Eric Carle (2-3 years). The text reads like a nursery rhyme about ten different animals. All ten are, or have been, endangered. Toddlers may miss the point, but they will enjoy looking at the lush colors and beautiful creatures.

Where Once There Was a Wood (Henry Holt, 1996, $16.95), by Denise Fleming (2 years and up). Perhaps the most gorgeous children's book around. Fleming's text and illustrations recall a wood, meadow, creek, plus their inhabitants—and the housing development that replaced them all.

Ancient Ones: The World of Old-Growth Douglas Fir (Sierra Club Books for Children, 1994, $6.95), by Barbara Bash (8-10 years). With gentle description and plentiful paint, Bash introduces children to the wonderful world of an old-growth forest.

Come Back, Salmon (Sierra Club Books for Children, 1992, $7.95), by Molly Cone and Sidnee Wheelwright (9-11 years). This engaging book tells the story of Jackson Elementary School, a thousand baby salmon and their habitat, and will make you want to adopt a stream of your own.

Resources

North Star Toys (www.northstartoys.com, 800-737-0112)

Organic Gift Shop (www.organicgiftshop.com, 800-895-6045)

Turner Toys (www.turnertoys.com, 802-888-3375)

EcoBaby Organics (www.ecobaby.com, 800-596-7450)

Natural Baby Catalog (www.kidsstuff.com, 800-722-5282)

www.Childsake.com includes 250 other children's books about nature and the environment.