Top 5 Lead-Free Toy Ideas

Top 5 Lead-Free Toy Ideas
Posted by jessica on December 14, 2007

Are you tired of looking through all the recall lists? What about all those toys with Chinese-made parts, that aren’t yet listed, but have the potential to end up in a recall?

It occured to me this morning that the best gifts are always creative ones, and that the most creative gifts are often the most healthy for children. The following list of ideas includes toys found in major outlets like the Discovery Store, Michael’s, Toys R Us, but are choices that do not contain much, if any paint at all, are not made in China, or, depending on the age-range of the toy, do not significantly pose the risk of being found in the mouth of your child.

Thanks to my own googling, and Neil Cavuto’s blog article, here are some easy-shopping websites

www.scholastic.com, www.americanplastictoys.com, www.zebulonusa.com, http://toysmadeinamerica.com, www.gaiam.com, www.ecotoytown.com, http://gizmodo.com


TOP FIVE LEAD-FREE IDEAS:

1.TOYS FOR OUTSIDE PLAY

play-houses or outdoor forts/treehouses
tents (indoor or outdoor; “princess canopy” or “camoflage canopy” over bed)
fishing poles
stick horses
sports! (t-ball, softball, baseball, basketball, tennis, hockey, soccer, volleyball, golf, martial arts, gymnastics, cheer) equipment, balls, uniforms, lessons
hula-hoops
mini-trampolines
jump-ropes
*sneakers*
red wagons
bikes, tricycles, big wheels

2. CRAFT/ EDUCATIONAL TOYS

finger paint, puzzles, stickers, paint-it-yourself wooden models, artist-starter sets (brushes, easel, paints), create-your-own with glitter (flip-flops, clothes, hair barrettes, jewelry)
crayons, markers, clay, sponge-paints, foam toys, sidewalk chalk
oragami, art paper, journals and diaries
slinky, microscopes, telescopes, LEGOs
books, coloring books, paper dolls, comic books, anime books, magazine subscription
marbles, dice, wooden dominoes, cards, wooden chess/checkers sets

3. VIDEO GAMES, DVDs, MUSIC

ipod (shuffles, music gift cards)
gamer gear (tee shirts, cheat books, journals, magazines)
xbox
wii
movies, TV series, cartoons
musical instruments (recorders, pianos, guitars, ukuleles, violins, horns, drums)
robots, virtual reality, indoor planetariums

4. INFLATABLE TOYS

inflatable swimming pool
pool floaties/bathtub floaties
foam bathtub toys
mini moonwalk
slip-’n-slide

5. PLUSH TOYS

organic and cotton dolls, stuffed animals
sock puppets
It only takes a little bit of imagination to give gifts that will inspire life-long memories to a child. Parents who are willing to supervise and play with their children will find these gift ideas engaging and healthy. Who knows, they might even have some fun themselves!