Child's play

One thing I've found difficult as I raise my boys is getting toys for them that are child safe and natural without costing an arm and a leg. Although one of my favorite sites to get toys from is Palumba, their toys tend to run on the expensive side, so I'm sometimes at a loss as to how to find good toys for less. I'd like to share some tips on finding sturdy, natural and most of all, fun toys for boys and girls.

Cloth: One way to avoid the dangers of lead or many other chemicals is to stick to cloth toys. A lot of major manufacturers make organic stuffed animals that cost more than standard stuffed animals but not as much as specialty ones. Stuffed animals from thrift stores are good from two perspectives: because they aren't new, the chemicals from processing the animal to make it look pretty have all been washed/worn out, and they don't use up new resources that contribute to consumerism and waste. Cloth is especially good for babies because it's soft and can be chewed on, grasped and carried without difficulty. My youngest loves his tag blanket in particular.

Wood: Make sure to get unfinished wood toys, especially if you're buying toys for a child young enough to chew on them. Natural wood blocks are easy to find online and are great for children of all ages. WalMart sells small wooden trucks and cars in its craft area, which are great for older toddlers. If you get painted toys, get them from a trusted manufacturer who does not use lead paint in their toys. Melissa and Doug have a commitment to offer toys free of lead and other harmful chemicals in their paint.

Handmade: If you're on the crafty side, you can make your own toys out of unfinished wood pieces, scraps of cloth, yarn, or other items. The great thing about handmade is that 9 times out of 10, the item is cheaper than it would be to buy, and you know exactly what you made it out of. Items from the recycling can be handy toys too. My older son loves to play with old paper towel rolls or wrapping paper rolls, and I found that the plastic tops from yogurt containers and plastic water bottles (both made with BPA free plastic) make great chew and chase toys for my youngest.

Nature: Of course the best natural toys are toys that nature makes herself! Rocks, sticks, leaves, grass, all of them make wonderful playthings for children of all ages. Just make sure to keep an eye on babies who are putting things in their mouth, and keep anything dangerous out of their reach.

Tip of the day: Desperate for a little bit of color indoors during a long winter? Christmas cactuses make great indoor houseplants that require little water and care to produce gorgeous pink blossoms two or three times a year. I have one still in the same pot it's been in for almost 20 years, which has survived being almost completely eaten by cats and travelling cross country in a van twice.