Sustainable Living: 6 Eco-friendly Toys You Can Choose For Your Preschoolers

Children, especially toddlers and preschoolers, love to explore new things with their hands and mouths. But most of the toys available in the market, especially plastic ones, contain toxins. Plastic toys that contain PVC and BPA are neither good for your child nor environmentally sustainable.

Harmful chemicals like Phthalates are added to plastic to soften it and make it pliable to make toys and bottles. There are other harmful hidden ingredients found in toys like lead (in paints), arsenic and mercury, to name a few.

It is important to choose toys that are safe and bio-degradable. So, eco-friendly toys are your best bet. Here are a few suggestions on what kind of eco-friendly toys to pick for your preschooler.

1. Wooden toys

Wooden toys are a better alternative to plastic ones. Make sure you use sustainable wooden toys that have been painted using lead-free colours. A good example of safe wooden toys would be Channapatna toys. These handmade toys from Karnataka are painted using natural vegetable dyes. And wooden toys offer a bonus - due to their longevity, they can be handed down to your grandchildren as well!

2. Recycled paper beads

For preschoolers, a good activity would be making recycled paper beads using old magazines or wrapping paper. There are many online video tutorials that teach this craft. These beads can be used to make various ornaments or wall hangings. There are bead-making kits available online as well. These are not only safe for the child but are also environmentally sustainable.

3. Eco-friendly modelling clay

Preschoolers love to create various things out of modelling clay. Check whether the clay is free of PVC and dyes that contain lead and reusable. You can make your own playdough using flour, salt, oil, water and non-toxic food colouring.

4. Soft blocks

Children love all things soft and squishy. Soft blocks made of organic cotton and stuffed with natural fibres are your best bet.

5. Ragdolls

Ragdolls are generally handmade using scraps of cloth. These are soft toys and are suitable for preschoolers.

6. DIY puppets

Have colorful socks, paper bags or scrap fabrics at home? Then it is time to make puppets! Making your puppets is safe and sustainable and helps your preschooler participate in pretend play.

The next time you buy toys for your preschooler or give them as gifts to other children, choose eco-friendly ones. They come with a whole lot of benefits - they are safe for the child to play with, last longer than regular toys and do not pollute the environment.