Non-Toxic Holiday Shopping Guide: The Good, The Bad and Our Favorite Toys For Kids!

November 24, 2017 Aida Garcia-Toledo

(Scroll down for the full guide!)

For their age, my kids know a lot about avoiding potentially harmful chemicals. We talk about it openly and organically (pun intended!) and I love the fact that they will grow up understanding what to avoid (soft plastics, strong artificial smells etc) and what to seek out (glass, stainless steel, wood etc). A topic that has been a bit tricky to navigate, however, are holiday gifts. They are under the impression that anything Santa would bring - regardless of what it is- would never be toxic to them because, as my then 5 year old said to me once, "Santa wouldn't put lead in my toys mommy, so don't worry"

Their logic makes sense; of course Santa Clause would never put lead or any other potentially harmful chemical in a toy he was making in the North Pole.

But, the sad reality is that sometimes toys that are left under the tree or gifted through other traditions during the holidays too often do contain harmful chemicals. And let's be honest, many of these toys end up in our children's mouths- thus directly exposing our munchkins to these toxins.

Let's take a closer look.

THE MOST COMMON CHEMICALS IN TOYS ARE....

What else would 'Santa never put in a toy', but somehow end up in many popular toys?

Lead: According to the EPA (even low levels of) “Lead can cause decreases IQ, cause nervous system damage and behavioral changes...” Academic achievement and the ability to pay attention are also affected - and the effects of lead exposure cannot be reversed or corrected. Can be found in paint and metal toys
Phthalates: These endocrine disrupting chemicals have been linked to reproductive abnormalities in baby boys, reduced testosterone and sperm quality in men and early puberty in girls. Found in toys that smell artificially and soft plastics
PVC: a known human carcinogen which can also exposure you to lead. Found in soft plastic toys made of vinyl
Cadmium: a carcinogen. Exposure can also damage the lungs and kidneys and weaken bones. Can be found in inexpensive metal toys
Formaldehyde: a known carcinogen is commonly found in adhesives used in toys made of plywood or MDF

As parents, we need to do our homework before purchasing toys for our children; because no one else will. Here is your cheat sheet (feel free to print and add to your munchkin’s Santa’s letter!) in order to avoid the most common toxic chemicals in toys :

INSTEAD OF:

plastic toys, especially cheap plastic toys (birthday loot, Dollar Store etc)

TRY THIS:

sturdy, heirloom quality natural wood. Bamboo is another great alternative to plastic.

INSTEAD OF

: metal trinkets, like children’s play jewelry, which often contain cadmium a known human carcinogen that has also been linked to learning disabilities. Metal toys can also contain lead and lead based paint.

TRY THIS:

soft cloth toys (ideally organic) or natural wood, especially for play jewelry. Make sure your wooden toys use water-based paints.

INSTEAD OF

: products that are made of polyurethane foam (kiddie soft seating, baby changers, possibly anything with padding). These materials almost can contain flame retardant chemicals, which have been linked to learning disorders, cancer, hormone disruption, infertility and other serious health problems.

Try This:

Wool; it is a natural flame retardant (no added chemicals necessary). Also, always read the label. The law now requires all foam products to have a label that will specify if chemical flame retardants were used in that product. Look for products that specify no chemical retardants were used.

INSTEAD OF

: Smelly toys; if it smells like plastic it probably is made of PVC/vinyl which is a known human carcinogen. If it smells ‘fruity’ the toy probably contains phthalates, known endocrine disruptor's.

TRY THIS:

Toys shouldn't smell, let your nose be your guide when picking a safe toy! That means avoiding fruity and plastic smelling toys!

INSTEAD OF

: Purchasing something that has a ‘BPA free’ label, because it should be safe.....

TRY THIS:

Choose an alternative to plastic. It can be cloth, silicon, wood, stainless steel. Even 'BPA free" plastic an still contain chemicals very similar to BPA and just as bad since they too mimic your hormones.

Safest materials: When you are buying for little kids, especially kids who like to place toys in their mouths try to buy toys made out of:

natural solid wood
Silicone
cloths (especially organic)
Bamboo
Books (except water-proof plastic ones) are always a safe and great choice

Shop at reputable non-toxic toy outlets and brands. Our Amazon links below are a great start, but there are many small brick and mortal shops that carry great toys and online. I work closely with The Tot.com and highly recommend it as it is a curated, one stop shop for non-toxic, adorable and stylish toys. Peuro Baby in San Francisco, Caro Bambino in Santa Monica and Cou Cou in Boston are alsoreliable outlets: online and in person.

Non-Toxic Munchkin Approved Gifts for the little one in your life: