Most parents like the idea of having earth-friendly playthings for their kids, but many don't know what to look for in a “green” toy. The Eco-Toy Alliance recommends that parents consider the following tips when shopping for toys that are both safe for kids and good for our planet.

Look for organic cotton, natural fiber filling and plant and mineral dyes in stuffed animals and other fabric toys. Organic cotton is grown without pesticides or herbicides. Polyester plush is made from plastic fibers with toxic, synthetic dyes that release harmful chemicals into the environment. Check tags and packaging of fabric toys for the words “certified organic” or “certified non-toxic” to be sure the products are safe and natural.

Fairytale Frog
Price: $19.99, Ages: Birth and up
MiYim
MiYim’s Fairytale Collection characters are soft with embroidered details, naturally colored, and filled with natural unprocessed, untreated, and unbleached cotton.

Kids today know how to recycle, but many don’t realize what happens once they toss something in the recycling bin. Demonstrate how your child’s recycling efforts can result in something tangible and meaningful by choosing toys made from recycled materials such as milk jugs, water bottles or cardboard. Re-using materials keeps items out of landfills, saves energy and helps reduce greenhouse gas emissions. 

Green Toys™ Recycling Truck
Price: $24.99, Ages: 3+
Green Toys Inc.
Your eco-conscious little one will learn recycling basics while playing with this recycling truck that has a movable recycling bed, open/shut rear door and no metal axles. Made in the U.S.A. from 100 percent recycled plastic milk containers. Safe, non-toxic, and BPA-free. Packaged using only recycled and recyclable materials.

Not all wood products are eco-friendly. Look for toys made from a plantation-grown wood that does not deplete forests, such as rubberwood. At the end of their latex-producing years, rubber trees are harvested and new ones planted. Their splinter-free hardwood is perfect for making safe, earth-friendly toys. If wood is forested, make sure it is from a certified managed forest. Finishes and paints should be water-based, as they are safer for your child and her planet.

ImagiPLAY Rolling Snail Sorter
Price: $29.99, Ages: 18 mos+
ImagiPLAY
When the Snail is pulled, the drum spins, tumbling the colorful blocks inside. As the child's natural curiosity develops, he discovers that the blocks fit inside the holes and a new challenge is undertaken. Made of plantation-grown rubberwood and decorated with water-based paints

Let your kids provide the power for their play by selecting toys that do not require batteries. Most electronic toys offer little play value and encourage a sedentary lifestyle. Battery-free toys and those that create their own power through active play inspire imagination and get kids off the couch. More than 14 billion toxic batteries enter our landfills each year—enough to reach the moon and back.

Sprig Toys Dolphin Explorer Boat
Price: $29.99, Ages: 3 +
Sprig Toys
Perfect for bath time, this multi-piece playset let kids swim with the dolphins or go on a secret mission in the ocean with the waterproof, floating adventure boat. Made from Sprigwood™, a child-safe bio-composite of recycled wood and reclaimed plastic that has visible wood “flecks” and gives the toys a fresh, wood-shop scent.