20 Eco Christmas Gifts Your Child Will Actually Love
It's no secret sustainability is often synonymous with boring, bland and beige. As parents, we are constantly searching for the WOW in our child's eyes, not least of all on Christmas morning.
When it comes to kids toys we naturally feel pulled towards the shiny aisle in the store covered in glitter, clothed in polyester and coated in polyurethane. You'd be forgiven for falling for the glitz; I am completely guilty of it too and, parenting aside, purchasing plastic paraphernalia is something that is completely at odds with my general way of life.
So, how to spark a child-sized squeal without compromising Mother Nature and your own eco values? To follow, I've compiled 20 Eco Christmas Gifts Your Child Will Actually Love {All Posie-approved!}
Soft dolls with inspirational careers for the women of tomorrow. Ok Dolls was borne from a desire to fill a blaring gap - dolls that were empowering, fun, inspiring and female were decidedly missing from the market. Enter Ok Dolls, which also happen to be sustainably filled with squishy eco filling made from 100% recycled plastic bottles.
This book is absolutely beautiful. It is brimming with nature play and craft ideas to get our children outside and enjoying their surrounds. Encouraging children to work with what they have, notice the beauty of nature and expand their creativity, your child (and the Earth!) will love it.
When Posie turned two, I gifted her this 2-in-1 vehicle on her birthday. It was - and still is - a favourite for burning around the house, and she's now almost five. Handmade from birch plywood and featuring a wicker basket, your kid will holler with joy on Christmas morning at the sight of this baby.
Kmart stocks an array of wooden toys that are too cute to resist. While wooden toys lack the buttons, lights and glam of electronics, they foster imagination, creativity, fine motor skills, role play and endless fun.
5. The Little Vege Patch Co Seed Kit
I've never met a kid who didn't love gardening. Foster their inner botanist with this gorgeous seed kit including beans, carrots, sunflowers and strawberries. Additionally, you'll receive the cutest little plant labels. Teaching patience, food origins, creativity, responsibility and nutrition to little ones, what's not to love?
Ever thrown a bed sheet over your dining table to create a tent for your bambino? Well, Petite Maison took this idea to the next level and created beautiful mini homes offering endless fun and free play! If this tent doesn't ignite a squeal of excitement, I'm not sure what will. This Gold-Coast-based business pays ethical wages, avoids any plastic in their packaging, delivers in compostable satchels and encourages a circular economy; an eco-friendly addition to your home that will last for generations to come.
7. No Nasties Pretty Play Makeup
Inevitably, little girls love to play with makeup. No Nasties is exactly that - 100% natural ingredients, no chemicals, no animal testing, handmade in Australia and finished with recyclable packaging. You'll make(up) her day with this cute little play kit.
Preserve flowers and leaves, with this Flower Press Kit, including one wooden press, 10 sheets of paper, and 6 pieces of corrugated cardboard. Any little person will love their divine creations from nature, which double as totally framable artworks.
This amazing paint kit is free from toxins and comes in eight vibrant colours all derived from nature - think plants, roots, spices and flowers. The kit also includes stirrers and spoons made from FSC certified sustainable timber and a vegan bristled birch paint brush. Also comes with compostable stirring pots!
10. TinyMe Personalised Name Puzzle
Perfect for learning the alphabet and improving fine motor skills, these personalised puzzles come in an array of colours and designs for your mini. It's hard to resist such a sweet keepsake, when it's eco-friendly and fosters learning.
11. Green Toys Recycling Truck
Made from 100% recycled plastic milk bottles, your little one will have a blast with their truck, learning how to sort cans from paper. Perfect for eco-conscious families who love to play!
12. Young Ones Wooden Clock Puzzle
Teaching your toddler cause and effect, hand eye coordination, numbers, time concepts and fine motor skills, this clock puzzle will provide hours of fun and learning.
13. Lego
Feels counterintuitive, doesn't it? After all, Lego is made from plastic. So why have I added it to an eco-friendly list of gifts for children? Because Lego boasts longevity, making it one of the most sustainable items in your toy box. Passed down through generations, it's a toy that outlasts and outplays. It doesn't fade, taint, scratch, pill or deteriorate and every kid absolutely loves Lego. Importantly, Lego aims to create all products from recycled materials by 2030.
14. Djeco Bracelet Weaving Set
Cotton yarns make these beautiful bracelets that every little girl (or boy!) will love.
All products and packaging from Lush are made sustainably and ethically, so you can be sure that once the moment you walk into that nostalgically-scented store, you'll be walking away with something that is good for people and planet. If you're not vibing this hot pink fairy gift, they have something delicious for every baby bath time!
16. Experience Gifts
Red Balloon offers an array of experiences in your surrounds that your child will LOVE. Think petting zoos, animal experiences, go karting, theme parks, bowling, mini golf, indoor play centres, movies, high ropes and more.
17. Craft Sessions
Check out your local craft workshopping shed. On the Gold Coast, The Craft Parlour holds holiday craft activities for kids. Your minis will have a beautiful fun-filled day AND come away with a wall-worthy memento.
Made from 90% Sugarcane makes me all the more in love with this sand play set. Take to the beach, pool, garden or lake without the weight of an eco-footprint. So many hours/years of fun will be had with this kit.
What little girl doesn't love electro unicorns and giant donut sprinkles? Better yet, this brand is ticking ALL the ethical and sustainable boxes. The garments are ethically made in Australia, right here on the Gold Coast, the fabrics are ethically sourced from Australia and Italy, no water is used in their print processes AND minimal waste is incurred in their cutting methods. Happy Mum, happy child, happy planet, happy workers. And me? HAPPY CUSTOMER!
What girl or boy wouldn't love a train set on Christmas? Made from beechwood, hours of play will be enjoyed by your tiny engineer with this tiny town.
