Sustainable toys for babies and toddlers
A children's room without toys – hardly imaginable! Playing is fun and, quite incidentally, your little explorer learns an incredible amount about themselves and their environment. It is all the more important that the toys are safe, free from harmful substances, and ideally environmentally friendly as well. Let this article inspire you on how to make sustainable children's toys yourself and learn what to look for when buying wooden toys and more.
Toys: Things to consider
It can be quite difficult to resist the sparkling children's eyes in front of the toy shelf and to fulfill every wish. But no matter if it's for the baby or toddler – less is often more . An overfilled toy box can overwhelm your little explorer, possibly causing them to lose interest in playing. Our tip: Roast the toys. So always keep some games, stuffed animals, and the like out of reach to bring them out again when the desire for variety arises. This way, your child won't be overwhelmed by too many options and will rediscover their toys time and again. Of course, the toys should naturally corresponds to the age and developmental stage , to neither under- nor overburden your child.
Which toy is suitable for which age?
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0 to 6 months : The toy should have something to Look, listen, and grasp offer, like a mobile, a rattle, a small stuffed animal, or a stroller chain.
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From 6 months : Now it can Kriechen und Schleichen , for example with a fabric ball, a crawling roller, and standing-up figures, to stimulate. In addition, toys are suitable for the Motor Skills like an initial stacking toy, stacking cubes or bathtub toy .
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From 1 to 2 years: A pull-along and push toy and later a tricycle can do that. Learn to run support. To Promotion of motor skills are popular: wooden building blocks, wooden train sets, and puzzles. Additionally, many children love to make noise now, so simple Instruments made of wood, like a xylophone or drums, are ideal. To stimulate the Fantasy are suitable for larger figurines and finger paints. Picture books help with the Language Development .
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From 3 to 4 years : To the Fine motor skills and creativity to further promote, building toys as well as materials for painting and crafting such as modeling clay, threading beads, wax crayons, scissors, and stamps are great toys. Many children now enjoy imagining own stories playing with dolls, a mini kitchen, and costumes. children's books support language development and learning about their own environment.
Did you find the perfect toy? To decide whether it is suitable for your child, check it with all your senses Does it smell funny? Do you see anything that isn't well processed? Do you feel anything sharp-edged? Is the toy too loud? This is a good way to check if your little explorer can play with it without worries. Here is an overview for you of what to look out for in both new and used toys:
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Warning notices Manufacturers are required to specify age recommendations and potential hazards such as long cords that could wrap around the neck on the packaging. If such information is missing, you should better stay away.
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Swallowable small parts : If your little explorer is under three years old, the toy must not contain any small parts that can detach. Also, make sure that batteries and button cells cannot be removed by your child.
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Volume: Before you buy talking dolls or cars with engine sounds, hold them up to your own ear. If you find the volume uncomfortable, then it is definitely too loud for children's ears.
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Fragrances: Sollte nicht eingeschlossen werden, da sie Allergien auslösen können.
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Seal of approval: Certain labels provide information about the safety of the toy, among other things. These include, for example, the GS Seal (guarantees that the legal requirements regarding safety and pollutants are met), that CE mark (Toys comply with European laws and standards, but inspections are only carried out on a sampling basis) VDE (electronic security when used properly) and Play well (
is the primary focus, evaluated according to pedagogical criteria). -
Washable : Such a toy has to withstand a lot. It is put in the mouth, on the table with Baby porridge gespritzt oder fällt auf den schmutzigen Boden. Damit Ihr Kind weiterhin ein hygienisches Spielzeug hat, sollte es waschbar oder leicht zu reinigen sein.
Sustainable toy ideas
It doesn't always have to be something new : If you want to fill the toy box a bit more sustainably, it's often worth visiting a second-hand store or a flea market. A nice idea is also to organize a swap and gift party within friends and family. This way, you can declutter at the same time and find a new favorite toy.
Many great things to play with can also be easily made from natural materials or everyday objects. Isn't the kitchen pot a great drum?! :) Your child probably sees many things in the house differently, and with a little imagination, even the boring shoebox can become an exciting treasure chest for the next pirate adventure.
We have a few ideas for you for sustainable children's and baby toys compiled by:
Wooden toys
Wooden toys are stable , durable and usually comes without chemicals and pollutants It relies on simplicity and clean shapes. This way, the toy can grow with your child, as it can be rediscovered at any age and viewed with new imagination.
There are now many manufacturers offering wooden toys made from sustainable forestry and fair production facilities. When purchasing, ensure that the toy is made from untreated solid or massive wood exists. If it has been treated with paints or varnishes, these should comply with the toy standards DIN EN 71-3 and DIN EN 71-9.
Alternatively, you can craft yourself with saw, hammer, and plane. Online, you'll find numerous instructions on how to make everything from a dollhouse to a puzzle game. During the final finishing touches, make sure that the toy has no sharp edges, does not splinter, and use food-safe paints.
stuffed animal
The favorite cuddly toy – a loyal companion and important friend with whom endless cuddling takes place. For younger children, stuffed animals that embroidered faces have, the perfect cuddly friend: Here, there is no risk of small parts like buttons or beads coming loose – otherwise, the choking hazard would be too high. For this reason, the stuffed animal may only be taken along with the Baby bed sleep as soon as your little explorer can sit upright independently and roll over.
And since the stuffed animal is close to your child's skin, it should be made of skin-friendly materials are made of organic cotton or terry cloth. For example, the OEKO-TEX label provides guidance here. It identifies textiles that have been tested for harmful substances and originate from environmentally friendly production. By the way: All our baby care products, such as our Diapers and Wrapping pads are certified according to MADE IN GREEN by OEKO-TEX.
You can quickly sew a stuffed animal from a few old cotton T-shirts or other skin-friendly fabric scraps. You can find pattern templates and instructions online. Here is a tutorial for a cute owl:
DIY toy from the LILLYDOO box
Toys are especially sustainable when you repurpose existing items. This reduces waste and conserves resources. Our cardboard is ideally suited for creating wonderful toys. LILLYDOO Monthly Box , made from 100% recycled paper fibers. Did you think that you could easily create an exciting Knight's Castle Can you do crafts? We'll show you exactly how in our video:
Crafting a baby rattle
Fill an empty small bottle (for example, an old ) with lentils, rice, pasta, wooden beads, or something that makes a nice rattling sound. If you have fabric scraps at home, you can sew a cover, and your child can eagerly reach for it and watch how the rattle makes sounds through its movements.
There are many ways to delight your little explorer with homemade toys. Most children are also happy with simple things, and it doesn't always have to be the newest, brightest, and most colorful toy. :)