Have you been searching for sustainable children’s toys for your playroom? Me too! It’s hard to find a toy that is as beautiful as it is purposeful. Especially for toddlers. Peruse any toy shelf at Target or Walmart and you’ll see plastic toys aplenty. Unfortunately, plastic toys are quickly filling landfills and are often bright and distracting. I prefer earth-friendly toys with natural tones. Enter in wooden toys. Wooden toys offer an environmentally friendly option that are biodegradable in nature and can be recycled. Instead of filling our landfills with man-made products, I love buying toys for our son that will give back to the environment and these 7 sustainable toys for your playroom do just that.
Our favorite sustainable children’s toys
A pikler triangle with the ramp and slide
Is a pikler triangle pricey? Yes. But is it worth it? ABSOLUTELY. We got our pikler triangle and ramp when our son was about 6-months-old and he began showing interest in crawling and climbing. Since we didn’t have any other children at home to model how to use it, he explored it at his own pace and with hesitant curiosity. It was the absolute best support for him and allowed him to build confidence pulling up, crawling up an angled surface, and eventually, climbing. It wasn’t until he was 14-months-old that he tried to climb over the top, and even when he did, it went smoothly because he was so comfortable with this toy. If I had to choose any addition to a playroom, it would absolutely be this one, hands down. I love everything from Kiddo Climbers and highly recommend their foldable pikler triangle.
A Montessori screw board
When your child reaches 16-months-old, they’re ready to develop their wrist strength. This prepares their arms for holding a pencil (and writing!!), playing sports, building, and so much more. This bolt board is ideal for supporting a child in their current interests of figuring out how pieces work and go together, as well as providing them with necessary developmental support.
Pikler climbing arch and rocker
We absolutely adore this gorgeous climbing arch and rocker. It’s a gentle variation of the Pikler Triangle and is awesome for little ones. It has been a superb addition to our playroom and our son loves climbing it, rolling his cars along with it, and using it for a hiding spot when it’s on its side. We received this gorgeous sustainable children’s toy in return for an honest review. Spoiler: I would have purchased it if I didn’t collaborate with Kiddo Climbers because I knew our son would love it THAT much!
Wooden toolset, wooden kitchen utensils, or a wooden tea set
Whatever your child’s interests are, I bet you can find a wooden set of toys. I’m also a huge fan of supporting a child’s imagination. They don’t need fake coins or fake cucumber slices when small wooden discs can be imagined as both! Providing children with a wide range of materials (that don’t exactly have one specific purpose) is an amazing way to support their imagination. We purchased this toolset for our son to use alongside his father and so loves having his own set! And I’m stalking Odin Parker’s website anxiously waiting for their tea set to return in stock!
Wooden puzzle
One of my favorite sustainable children’s toys is a simple, wooden puzzle. They are all over Etsy and can even be made custom to say your child’s name. I also love these sustainable two-piece puzzles for our toddler. They come from Orchard Toys. All of their games and puzzles are made from 100% recycled board and sustainable cardboard, with sturdy, wipe-clean cards and pieces. Lachlan is SO into farm animals right now so these little puzzle pieces are perfect.
Wooden blocks
Is there anything better than a bunch of wooden blocks? Nope. I remember playing with wooden blocks as a kid and absolutely loving them. It doesn’t matter what shape or size they are – they’re FUN and perfect for supporting a child’s imagination!
Monti Kids Subscription
I honestly cannot recommend Monti Kids enough. My mother-in-law purchased a subscription for us and it has been amazing watching our son receive his wooden toys every quarter. They have everything laid out for you (when to introduce it, how to introduce it, and how to best support your child) and it’s really cool watching him learn and do something with a toy that is extremely developmentally appropriate. Watch him practice dropping the small wooden ball, below. It didn’t take long for him to improve his wrist strength! If you want to give Monti Kids a try, use THIS LINK to receive $60 off your purchase!
So what are you waiting for? Go make the switch to a more sustainable children’s toy and keep your playroom the best space for your child!
Want to learn how to engage your children?
My Activities for Infant’s downloadable packet is a great start for supporting your child developmentally. Learn how to keep your little one engaged and excited about learning with monthly lists and photos of age-appropriate activities.
Activities for Infants | 0-12 Months Old
This digital download is great for parents of children under one-year-old.
Included in this download:
- Monthly lists of activities to try with your infant
- Images showing infants completing these activities, at each age
- Simple and fun ideas for your little one – just like having a lesson plan for your child
More details included below.
