Odd Pretty Duck

Cool ducks for bath time. Boon makes them in hip versions with bold colors and fun graphics! Odd Ducks are completely PVC and phthalate-free, and no BpA either.
You can buy a single one for under US$6, or the entire collections. heck them out!

By Boon

Magnet Puzzle Farm

This is a fun magnet puzzle. Children can apply any of the 78 wooden pieces to the wooden magnetic board, or use one of the 4 plastic templates as a starting point.  Hand made of solid wood and hand-painted with non-toxic, food grade paints and finishes. Sevi, the toy designer and maker, is based in Tarcento, Italy

By Sevi

Super Tips For Choosing Non-Toxic Toys

It is that time of the year when we are overwhelmed by manufacturers' toy advertising. Knowing how to spot non-toxic products is a must, as well as having access to a governmental list of recalled toys. Playing safe is the best strategy when buying toys.
Here are few things to keep in mind:

1) Checking recycling code labels on plastic toys can tell you what chemicals the plastic contains, and therefore which toys to avoid. And some plastics are more readily recyclable than others.

To locate these codes, look for a single number surrounded by three chasing arrows that form a triangle, usually on the bottom of a plastic product. Here are the seven codes, as provided by the American Chemistry Council:

• Resin code 1: PET: Polyethylene Terephthalate, nicknamed polyester
• Resin code 2: HDPE: High Density Polyethylene
• Resin code 3: PVC: Polyvinyl Chloride, also called vinyl
• Resin code 4: LDPE: Low Density Polyethylene
• Resin code 5: PP: Polypropylene
• Resin code 6: PS: Polystryene
• Resin code 7: OTHER: This code is used to label products made with a resin not already categorized, or a combination of the resins listed above.

Those marked with a #7 may contain polycarbonate plastic, which is made with dangerous Bisphenol A (BPA). You can also check toy packaging for the label "ASTM", which indicates that the American Society for Testing and Materials has found that the toy meets national safety standards. Resin code #3 identifies plastic toys that are made from PVC, or polyvinyl chloride, also known as vinyl PVC is one of the most toxic of all materials used to make children’s toys, yet it is used commonly to make teethers, squeeze toys, beach balls, bath toys, and dolls.
The World Health Organization and The National Toxicology Program have stated that vinyl chloride is a carcinogen, and studies have shown that they may cause reproductive problems. Phthalates in PVC can damage the liver, kidneys, lungs, and reproductive system, particularly the developing testes, according to animal studies. In fact, Europe banned phthalates in plastic toys in 2005, citing the toxic chemicals’ carcinogenic, mutagenic, and reprotoxic effects. Lead, which is added to PVC, causes nerve damage.
Bisphenol A (BPA), used in polycarbonate plastic, has been linked to hormone disruption in rats, to increased certain types of cancer. Other studies have found that bisphenol A can lead to attention disorders, behavior alterations, disrupted insulin regulation, among other problems.
Also, avoid buying brightly colored plastic toys. They likely contain toxic paint, and infants tend to put them in their mouth.

2) Wooden toys are usually safer. Any solid wood is preferable to pressed woods, such as plywood and particleboard, which are formed with glues that give off toxins including formaldehyde, a known carcinogen. You can often see layers of pressed wood if you look at the edges of toys and puzzle pieces. Solid wood doesn't require the use of toxic chemicals that pressed woods and PVC do. And solid wood doesn't consume petroleum—a non-renewable resource—the way that plastics do. Wooden toys made with nontoxic paints and finishes also use and release fewer toxins. Beeswax and natural oil finishes, such as linseed and walnut oils, are safest. Since certified sustainable wood is rare right now, consider solid wood toys that are either unfinished or those that are finished with non-toxic substances. You can also look for toys made from recycled wood.

3) Organic cotton is a great option! Stain- and moth-proofed cotton, synthetics, and wool used in stuffed and soft fabric toys can contain azo dyes, which can be carcinogenic. And cotton crops account for one quarter of the insecticide use worldwide. Be sure that the cotton toys you buy are made from certified organic and/or untreated cotton and wool colored with nontoxic colorfast dyes. 

4) Avoid buying costume jewelry. It has been subject of several recalls lately because of the highly toxic cadmium. 

5) Make sure you check the list provided by the US Consumer Product Safety Commission for recalled toys
Toy Hazard Recall List 



Sources: babyzone , greenyour, CPSC

Dr. Seuss Adventure

Check out these Dr Seuss and The Grinch eco-friendly and non-toxic collections from MiYim. The Cat in the Hat Blankie is made from non-toxic cotton that is untreated, unprocessed, and unbleached and also colored with the all-natural PureWaterWash^TM process. And The Grinch is as green as it can be: his fur is made from completely natural, unbleached cotton and colored using low impact dyes that means no toxic substances and less heat, energy, and water in the manufacturing process.

From miYim

Animal Train

This seems to be the "adorable toys" day! The 9 piece animal train set is made from pine and has fully functioning wheels. The animals featured in this set include an elephant, a lion, a camel, a seal, a hippo, a horse and a giraffe. Request it unvarnished, and it is non-toxic and natural.


By Animal Train, an Etsy store

Adorable Pop Up

This eco-friendly Pop-Up-Lion is so adorable!

A fun surprise in a beautiful wood box featuring a super cute organic lion.
The lion is made with 100% certified organic cotton fabric, and the box is made of naturally sustainable rubberwood

By Wild Dill

Clever puzzle to Teach Letters and Numbers

This crocodile puzzle is brilliant!
Letters and numbers in white are on opposite sides of the puzzle pieces, and help kids learn letters and numbers, start-to-finish is head-to-tail. Artisan group Golden Palm International uses medium-density fiber board made from fast-growing plantation pine.


By Ten Thousand Villages

Sleek Design, Piece of Art!

Check out this amazing car collection from Automoblox. Beautifully designed toys, made of German beech wood finished with 3 coats of non-toxic lacquer wheel rims, roof and connectors. They come complete with a stylish wooden body. Kids add wheels, windows, and unique customizing details.

By Automoblox

Button Batteries: Danger!!

Ingestion of “button” batteries, those flat silver discs used to power remote controls, toys, musical greeting cards, and other electronics, can be lethal!
About 3,500 cases of button cell battery ingestion are reported annually to poison control centers. But while swallowing batteries has occurred for years, the development of larger, stronger lithium cell batteries has increased the risk of severe complications. The chemical reaction triggered by the batteries can damage vocal cords, leaving children with a lifelong whisper. Damage to the gastrointestinal tract means some children require feeding tubes and multiple surgeries. Studies show the battery begins to cause severe damage within just two hours of ingestion.

The batteries that pose the greatest risk are those that begin with the number 20, which stands for 20 millimeters. They are newer and stronger than older models. Batteries numbered 2032, 2025 and 2016 are responsible for more than 90 percent of serious injuries. When children ingest batteries, it’s usually not because they found one loose in the home. In 60 percent of the cases involving children under age 6, the child has removed the battery from the electronic device.

Source: NYTimes

Classic French

Vilac is a French toy manufacturer that has created high quality toys since 1911. Their toys are pieces of art! Check out these pull toys made of wood and leather. All finishing materials are non toxic and safe for young children. Cleaning is simple, wipe with a damp cloth and dry with a towel.
Classics that last for generations.

By Vilac