For the last few year we have been huge advocates of ‘collecting memories not things’. We have had so many plastic toys that litter our living room floor, but I also realise that kids do love to open a present or two…or three. We have desperately been trying to search for toys that are made from sustainable and/or organic materials. I have chosen a selection of plastic free toys that are made from non-toxic materials where possible, and that are made to last. These are the toys that often last a life time. We all have wonderful wooden toys that have been handed down through the generations, and those plastic free toys that are of course kinder to the planet.
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Here are a few of our favourite plastic free toys
Melissa and Doug Primary Lacing beads 3+ years Amazon
Primary lacing beads are designed to encourage your little one to improve their fine motor skills by threading the beads onto the laces. There are 30 beads in 6 bright colours and 5 different shapes, all designed to keep your tot busy and engaged for hours.
Threading beads
Durable wooden toy
Bright colours
Suitable for age 3+
Melissa and Doug Take-Along tool kit wooden toy 3+ years – the Entertainer
This 24-piece set includes wooden nails, screws, nuts and bolts to ensure hours of construction fun. The set includes a lovely toolbox with a handle to store all the equipment after the hammering and building fun!
Construction fun
Durable wooden toy
Bright colours
Suitable for age 3+
Detective Dot – Personalised gift pack
We love the Detective Dot and will no doubt have a review here soon.
Detective Dot is a Bright Little Labs creation and is an ‘edutainment’ gift – providing an accessible route into coding. Suitable for children aged 7 years+, the Megapack invites kids to become secret spies and prepares young minds to think for themselves, protect their identity online and spot fake news. It uses diverse models and real-life role play experiences to help kids from all backgrounds access key STEM skills.
Detective Dot’s Megapack (£18.99) contains a coding adventure that teaches core computer science concepts, (mapped against the UK curriculum). The kit comes sealed in a top secret envelope, addressed to your agent and contains a personalised letter from the CIA, a membership card, A Detective Dot book, six missions, and a sticker sheet. There is also a free app on iPhone and Android.
Educational toys
secret agent and detective skills
Suitable for age 7+
Rainbow mini scratch art notecards
Thick quality matt black card to jot notes, etch doodles and make gorgeous designs with mini scratch art notecards. Bright rainbow colours hide beneath the matt black coating. Just use the stylus to scratch.
Art and crafts
Bright rainbow colours
Suitable for all ages
Hape E6019 Castle Escape Marble Run Game, Multi-Colour
When we spent the weekend at Timber Festival we spent a good hour or more with the marble run. So when we spied this castle escape marble run by Hape I knew it would be a hit with the family. Each of the Different Colour Blocks has a different function for logical and engineering thinking.
Another Hape product made with a commitment to sustainability, compliant with international safety and quality standards.
Marble fun for all the family
Hape toys
Bright colours
Suitable for age 4+
Hape E3762 Solar Power Circuit Train Set, Multi-Colour
We love this little train set. You don’t need to buy batteries as the engine has its own solar panel to generate enough electricity to power its lights.
We have been huge fans of Hape for years. Hape Toys is one of the world’s largest producers of toys made from sustainable materials. Their toys are both creatively designed and eco-friendly.
solar power train fun
Bright colours
Suitable for age 3+
Hape Classic campervan walker
I could not put together this post without mentioning this lovely campervan toy. The classic VW campervan walker is designed to help develop balance and early walking. Suitable from 10 months and made with a commitment to sustainability and compliant with international safety and quality standards.
Walker
Durable wooden toy
campervan VW toy
Suitable for 10 months +
Read our full Hape campervan walker review here
Nature fun flower press
I remember spending hours with a flower press when I was a child. The Hape flower press enables children to create their own art collection and turn dried plants and flowers into works of art using the paints, brush and stickers included.
Kids mud kitchen
We purchased this mud kitchen for my little boy’s first birthday and it really is a child’s dream! All three of my kids spend hours making potions and lotions and mud soup in our garden.
I know it’s messy, but I also love kids to have mud on their clothes, sand in their hair and smiles on their faces. Mud kitchens are available from a number of retailers. This beautiful mud kitchen has been made for our little boy by the dad of one of my best friends. He absolutely loves it.
Personalised gift pack (£18.99) teaches children 21 st century digital skills
Build Your Own Microscope Kit
This awesome kit encourages children to discover and explore. It is easy to assemble by using slot together techniques. Even better there is no glue, no mess and simple pre-cut parts!
Made using sustainable cardboards and minimal plastics, we love that the Build Your Own Microscope Kit is not only fun and engaging to use, but also environmentally responsible.Designed in the UK
Fun, educational and supports STEAM
Age 8+
For more information and to purchase visit build your own kits online
Pin for later: plastic free toys and gift ideas
Disclosure: Some items in this post have been sent for review – All thoughts are my own