Sun is out, temperature is climbing and it feels - almost- like summer. 

The days are growing longer and we are all home anyway- so most kids are spending more times outdoors and in their backyards.

Which begs the question : what makes a great (non-toxic) outdoor toy?

First and foremost, a great outdoor toy is one that encourages open ended play, stimulates your child’s imagination, connect them with nature and - hopefully- bring a dash of adventure and lots of fun.

There are things we want to avoid in outdoor toys, though….

WHAT TO AVOID 

Plastic:  This is hard, and keep in mind that not all plastics are created equal: some are more resistant to leaching harmful chemicals. Plastics, however, in general don’t do well when exposed to hours of hot sun, chlorine and/or salt.  New plastics can off gas VOCs (that plastic smell that overcomes you when you open a new soft outdoor plastic toy) and then the elements can continue to break down the plastic through time , increasing the deterioration of the plastic and leaching chemicals into the air, or if you have little kids who place toys in their mouth, into their mouths. 

Depending on the type of plastic, these toys can give off :  lead, phthalates, Bisphenols and other endocrine disrupting chemicals.    Additionally  plastic toys do not biodegrade and contribute to plastic micro pollution which is now in the air we breath, water we drink and food we eat (and ocean we swim in). 

Paints, solvents and VOC in Wood:  Lead can still be found in painted wooden toys.  To avoid, choose toys that are made in the US, Canada or EU or companies that can provide proof of their toys being lead free. Additionally some outdoor wooden toys and structures might be sealed with coatings that contain toluene and xylene, fungicide and more - read below for safer options

BETTER MATERIALS: 

Wood, stainless steel, bio plastics  and polyethylene are better options for outdoor play.

Note on wood: most outdoor wood toys will be sealed to protect the wood. One exception are items made of Northern White Cedar wood which does not splinter not does it need to be treated with chemicals

If you need to seal wood for outdoor use look for a water based sealer (instead of solvent based) ideally from: Milk Paint Company ( their  Outdoor Defense Oil) , ECOS or AFM Safecoat ( Natural Clear Penetrating Oil,)

MY FAVORITE OUTDOOR TOYS

@wiwiurka_toys :  This company makes the funnest and coolest indoor and outdoor toys for kids.  Their toys are open ended and stimulate imagination, problem-solving skills and physical skills too.   They recently sent me their Rope ladder triangle and it has been an ABSOLUTE hit.  Climbing allows children to build their physical strength and gross motor skills, and in my kids at least,  awakens a sense of adventure; WIN WIN WIN! Other products meant for outdoor use are their trapeze and swings.

Swurfer:   sit on it (with a wide seat it is ideal for younger kids)  or ride ride on it- they have a stand up version as well 

@cedarworksplay: Their outdoor play structures (some are pretty awesome) and smaller fun items (see saws, big rocking boat etc) are made of Northern White Cedar  which, as I mentioned, is naturally splinter-free and naturally long lasting without paints, stains or other chemical treatments

MUD KITCHENS

I always wanted a mud kitchen and never had one, and kind of forgot about it until I saw (an amazing one!) at my son’s preschool!

Mud kitchens are magical and kids can spend hours playing in them 

This mud kitchen from @magiccabin comes with stainless steel pans and a removable sink

@bugandbellplay hand makes spectacular mud kitchens in Oregon 

and if you are in Australia @castleandcubby  make the best play houses and mud kitchens using untreated and sustainable locally sourced materials so we tread lightly on Earth. 

 You can also make your own mud kitchen with a stainless steel cart or wooden potting bench (I have these and some accessories in my Amazon store) or some some wooden boards and cinder blocks 

INDOOR ACTIVITY TOYS
Lily & River Bamboo CLIMBER: a fun Piklar triangle for little ones- this climber comes with an optional rock climbing wall and ladder. It is the perfect height for the youngest kids and can fold flat for easy storage too. Made of solid bamboo

Lily & RiverLITTLE GYMNAST : this solid wood balance beam is low in height and perfect to build confidence, build core and balance and just for fun.

PlanToysWALKING ELEPHANT: I love Plan Toys: all their toys are made with sustainable FSC certified rubberwood and organic pigments and non-toxic water-based dye. This elephant ride on actually simulates the movement of real elephants and part of the sales is donated to an elephant foundation in Thailand as well.

Kinderfeets, Kinderboard: Waldorf INSPIRED wooden balance board  and so much more- my kids use it as a bridge for cars , desk, mountain for dinosaurs etc

BIKES

What is summer without bike/ scooter/tricycle riding?

Wishbone’s 3 in1 wooden bike will last a couple of years and transitions from a tricycle style (no pedals) to a full balance bike

Kinderfeet wooden balance bike is very similar to one both my boys used….. it has been in our family for 7 years and my youngest still rides it even though he can ride a ‘normal’ bike !
tokyobike PADDLE BALANCE BIKE Made by a small Japanese company, these bikes are plastic free (so no BPA, no pvc, no phthalates) and ehavy metal free too… and they come in really fun colors!

WATER PLAY

 I know- kids love them.  It seems that almost all toys that are made to be fun and wet are made from PVC. Also known as vinyl, this popular plastic is a known human carcinogen that can  expose you to lead, a known neurotoxin, and endocrine disrupting phthalates. Vinyl chloride, a building block of PVC, is a known human carcinogen. These items are easily identifiable by a very strong ‘plastic smell’ which is actually the plastic chemicals off gassing into the air.  Even once that smell is gone, however,  the item can still be harmful since the sun and chlorine can accelerate the leaching of toxic chemicals.

For kiddie pools your best bet would be a hard plastic like polyethylene (high density polyethylene has a  #2 in the recycling triangle. Still, try to keep out of the sun .

Pool noodles which are usually made from polyethylene foam, are PVC-free and considered safer.

Other safer alternatives include items made of non-toxic EVA or polyethylene foam like some non-PVC kickboards and other pool accessories.

Sun and Water is a new product that recently launched: pool floats made on the inside with butyl rubber and on the outside with… Sunbrella fabric and a marine-grade Big Duck Canvas polyester for added durability.. NO PVC!

HEVEA SWIM FINS:  are made from 100% natural rubber and up-cycled rubber.