- 12/23/2022
Looking for the best eco-friendly gifts for kids guaranteed to last for years and years and make it into the hands of the next generation? To take the hassle out of the festive equation, we made a list of the most noteworthy sustainable gifts for kids of all ages.
Don’t forget to check our list of 20 Best Eco-Friendly Toys To Keep Children Safe and Healthy.
This post is about eco-friendly gifts for kids in 2023
It’s no secret that finding the most ah-mazing environmentally friendly gifts for toddlers and kids is by no means an easy task. Ensuring that the gift is as sustainable as it is useful and loved by your little one can seem nearly impossible – until this article!
Our team understands the importance of gifting eco-friendly gifts for kids that they actually want to use for years to come – and pass down to their younger siblings, cousins, or friends.
The truth is, the stats are pretty intense for holiday gift giving, and we want to avoid ending up as another doomed number.
As much as 80% of all toys end up in landfill, incinerators, or the ocean.
In the UK alone, an estimated 25 million Christmas toys are neglected by the end of January.
What’s more, 13% of these toys are never played with.
That’s the last thing we want given that the toy industry uses 40 tons of plastic for every $1 million in revenues and is the most plastic-intensive industry in the world. Unfortunately, most regular kids’ toys contain heavy metals such as lead or cadmium or other harmful chemicals such as dioxins.
The best natural and eco-friendly gifts for kids will help prevent the oh-so-familiar apathetic reaction, or, worse, more unwanted clutter for their parents to shove into the already overflowing storage bin.
Toddlers starting to shift to more imaginative play? No problem!
Environmentally friendly gifts for kids who need some extra help developing fine motor skills? You bet!
Our list of environmentally friendly gifts for toddlers and little kids includes the safest, most creative options able to satisfy even the most dismissive children.
What are the best eco-friendly gifts for kids?
If you are looking for sustainable gifts for kids, it would be best to stay away from plastic options. Approximately 90% of all toys are currently made from plastic which is laden with Lead, PVC and Phthalates, Bisphenols (BPA + BPS), Flame Retardant Chemicals, Formaldehyde, and more chemicals that may affect the health of our kids.
Environmentally friendly gifts for toddlers, on the other hand, are crafted from certified wood and treated with non-toxic finishes that pose no threat to our little ones’ health –or the environment.
What toys are best for the environment?
Some of the best places to shop for eco-friendly gifts for kids are All Circles, Hape, Tiny Land, Piccalio, Peeka, and Clixo. These shops offer toys that don’t harm the environment as they are made from certified wood, non-toxic dyes, and child-safe materials.
This post is about environmentally friendly gifts for toddlers
Best eco-friendly gifts for babies in 2023
When it comes to the best eco-friendly gifts for kids under the age of 2, not many things can beat the excitement of stimulating the senses with vibrant trickling beads and soothing raindrop sounds.
This toy was designed to help your little one develop motor skills in the safest and most entertaining way possible. Let’s just say that it will leave kids in awe as the beads trickle up and down. Of course, it features a child-safe paint finish and sturdy wood construction.
For Ages: Newborns – 2 yrs
Material: Wood & Child-Safe Paint
Price: $13.99
Location: Worldwide locations and shipping!
This utterly soft organic cotton activity cube was specifically designed to stimulate baby’s senses and thus, it features many different textures, a mirror, a rattle as well as a squeaker that make sound with every movement.
Oh, and there is also a small turtle that likes to play by pulling his tail. This may very well be the most adorable-looking eco-friendly kids’ toy on our list.
This multi-stage sensory set is ideal for newborns! The pack includes one fish rattle, a beads teether, one stay-put rattle, a rolling rattle, and one dog on wheels to reach developmental milestones, relieve teething pain while chewing, and develop fine motor skills.
Plus look at the downright adorable animal shapes! It’s also important to mention that set is also made from child-safe paint finishes and durable wooden materials.
For Ages: Newborn – 12m
Material: Child-Safe Paint, Durable Wooden Materials
Price: $29.99
Location: Worldwide locations and shipping!
This multi-stage sensory set is ideal for newborns! The pack includes one fish rattle, a beads teether, one stay-put rattle, a rolling rattle, and one dog on wheels to reach developmental milestones, relieve teething pain while chewing, and develop fine motor skills.
Plus look at the downright adorable animal shapes! It’s also important to mention that set is also made from child-safe paint finishes and durable wooden materials.
For Ages: Newborn – 12m
Material: Sustainable Wood
Price: $21.99
Location: Worldwide locations and shipping!
Eco-friendly gifts for Toddlers
We certainly have an affinity for super creative, wooden baby toys, like this PlayBox Toddler Climber.
With a max height of 9in (23cm), this beauty is a challenging yet safe structure made from FSC Certified birch wood and stainless steel fasteners.
It is recommended for children ages 6 months to 4 years who just starting to take their first steps or still love crawling.
For Ages: 6m – 4yrs
Material: FSC Certified Birch Wood, Stainless steel
Price: $200+
Location: Canada, ships worldwide
Perfect for 2 to 10 years, this wooden wobble board is an exciting and challenging activity that will certainly help children with balance all while encouraging unstructured free play.
Plus, it’s one of the best eco-friendly gifts for kids due to the incredibly sage and non-toxic materials – FSC Certified birch wood and stainless steel fasteners.
“The quality is top notch AND and there are no places for little ones to catch their fingers or toes on sharp edges” one reviewer mentioned.
For Ages: 2-10yrs
Material: FSC Certified Birch Wood, Stainless steel
Price: $100+
Location: Canada, ships worldwide
If you are on a mission to dazzle the mum in your life with eco-friendly gifts for 3-year-olds that are non-toxic, child safe, and of the highest quality, this set is the best option!
It comes with two flower pots, one watering can, one umbrella/patio table, two patio chairs, two shish kebabs, and a BBQ grill.
Yes, it basically includes everything a doll family needs for a comfortable evening outside. What’s more, the eye-catching colors and shapes will keep them occupied for hours upon hours –and it’s so darn cute!
For Ages: 3yrs +
Material: Wood
Price: $13.99
Location: Worldwide locations and shipping!
Are you looking for sustainable gifts for kids that actively encourage the development of fine motor abilities (including grasping and handling), hand-eye coordination, stacking, sequencing, and problem-solving?
These circle wooden stacking blocks will help kids sharpen their size perception while also using their imagination and being creative in play.
Plus, the easy-to-handle FSC Certified Birch Wood construction is perfect for new babies to 5 years.
For Ages: Newborn – 5yrs
Material: FSC Certified Birch Wood
Price: $27.95
Location: Canada, ships worldwide
Perfect for 2yrs and above, this adventure dome is great for fine motor skills and storytelling abilities.
The purpose of this non-toxic, child-safe, and downright fun game is to help Lily the bird wake up Sunny Valley!
Kids will have to Use the magnet in their beaks to drop beads into the slides and other features under the dome.
No worries, Lily is not alone, she has Pepe the puppy, Dante the cat, Lily the bird, and Tito the turtle to keep her company.
For Ages: 2yrs+
Material: Wood
Price: $39.99
Location: Worldwide locations and shipping!
Eco-friendly gifts for kids under 5
Wooden train sets are fantastic traditional toys that children have loved playing with for generations. Putting pieces of a wooden train track together requires hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills.
That’s exactly why we love this premium wood set that has successfully passed EU’s safety, health, and environmental protection requirements. Look at all the colors and cutesy animals!
For Ages: 24+ months
Material: Wood
Price: $24.95
Location: Worldwide locations and shipping
Your quest to find It’s a screen-free, learning, eco-friendly gift for kids aged 3+ is officially over.
The deluxe wooden standing toddler easel is an excellent gift to stimulate children’s creativity, and the height-adjustable legs are designed for your growing artists.
The pine wood easel comes with a safe, magnetic dry-erase board, chalkboard, locking paper-roll holder,child-safe paper cutter, wooden trays, three painting cups, and a paper roll. Plus, it’s extremely easy to assemble, and even folds flat for storage.
For Ages: 3years +
Material: Wood
Price: $102.95
Location: Worldwide locations and shipping
The round stepping stones were specifically designed to inspire imaginative play without any limits and thus, they can become anything. , color sorting, stacking, don’t step on lava –you name it!
Aside from supporting creativity and balance, this non-toxic set can help kids between the ages of 18 months to 8 years develop paths and obstacle courses on their own.
The materials? Premium birch hardwood with a non-toxic finish (0-VOC).
For Ages: 18m-8yrs
Material: Birch Hardwood
Price: $79
Location: USA, worldwide shipping
If you want to help encourage cognitive skills while having fun, memory games definitely belong on your “eco-friendly gifts for kids” checklist.
The sturdy leaf-shaped cards were designed specifically to entertain with animal and plant illustrations while also encouraging conversation and imagination.
Each card is Made of sturdy FSC-certified board, so it’s safe and sustainable!
This beautifully illustrated children’s book by Patricia Hegarty aims to help little ones Learn the importance of thankfulness as easily as 1-2-3 with this sweet board book.
It’s a great opportunity for parents to inspire kids to discover the value of sharing gratitude, and appreciate what they have, and what others do for them.
This non-toxic electronic Ukulele is here to help kids begin their musical journey and learn to play their favorite tunes from a very young age.
All they have to do is simply follow the flashing lights to guide them to the correct chords. The second mode will speed things up a bit so that kids can play along with the accompaniments.
What preschooler isn’t thrilled to learn melodies and beats?
For Ages: 3yrs+
Material: Wood & Plastic
Price: $43.99
Location: Worldwide locations and shipping!
A private house for the little one?
Yes, please! Whether kids are exploring in the backyard or the playroom, this beautiful ten will encourage countless hours of solo and group play.
They can chill, read books, play with their favorite toys or even do homework. Plus, it comes with a roll-up door flap and a cut-out window to help parents keep an eye on them at all times.
For Ages: 3yrs+
Material: Cotton & Poly
Price: $84.95
Location: Worldwide locations and shipping
DIY clay kits are the best environmentally friendly gifts for toddlers who want to explore their creative side and develop manual skills in the process.
This soft and non-sticky set of 24 clay jars and 3 modeling tools will not fade, is super malleable, and is easy to mold.
Additionally, it comes with a variety of bright colors to keep children engaged and spark their imagination even more.
For Ages: 3yrs+
Material: Non-Toxic, Light Clay
Price: $20.90
Location: UK, ships to US
Eco-friendly gifts for 6-year-old kids
Joanna Ho is passionate about equity in books and education, and thus, she created this beautifully validating book about a young boy who comes to recognize his own power and ability to change the future.
This extraordinary picture book redefines what it means to be truly you which is something all kids should learn from a very young age.
When it comes to eco-friendly gifts for kids at the age of 6+, puzzles are a great way to encourage a lifelong love for natural history and the living world.
This 200-piece glow-in-the-dark puzzle, in particular, is even more fun and educational! With the flick of a switch, the lifelike dinos suddenly look like the fossils kids see in museums.
On top of that, it includes 10 fact cards filled with facts about different dinosaurs in 11 languages. No wonder why it’s the Winner of the 2022 PAL Award!
For Ages: 6 yrs+
Material: Paperboard
Price: $20.99
Location: Worldwide locations and shipping!
This science you set which includes 95 unique experiments will offer hands-on science experience that covers life, physical, and earth science.
It aims to help children sharpen their observation, classification, and measuring skills all while filling their brains with new and exciting concepts.
In fact, they’ll have so much fun they won’t even notice they are learning science. How cool is that?
This post was all about natural & eco-friendly gifts for kids
With our guaranteed-to-please list of sustainably gifts for kids of all ages, you’ll not only delight the mom in your life but also prevent ant exposure to toxic chemicals that can affect the health and wellbeing of our little ones.
The eco-friendly gifts for children above are equal parts safe and fun, but most importantly, ideal for kids who are working on advancing their fine motor skills.
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