With the holiday season fast approaching, finding gifts for your little ones can be hard especially if you are as picky as me. I admit I have some pretty special requirements, maybe you’ll share some of my quirkiness. There are three major areas I look at:
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1. Where is it made – I support the local community as mush as possible. I’m Australian currently residing in the US, so most of my suggestions will be made in America.
2. I want my child’s gifts to evoke learning and creativity. I would be the most boring parent in the world if I followed this rule to a ‘T’, but it’s a good guide.
3. The last area is, does the gift give my child an appreciation of the ‘world around us’. Nature, science, or adventure based gifts allow my child to interact and under the complex world around us.
Sometimes these gifts can be hard to find, so I’ve compiled a brief list. Hopefully this list helps you with your holiday shopping.
AquaFarm
What is the AquaFarm – it is a self-cleaning fish tank that grows food! The natural waste produced by the fish is pumped up to the plants, and broken down into nutrients that plants need to grow. The clean water then cycles back down to the fish tank, creating a sustainable tabletop ecosystem.
Talk about understanding the world around us! This gift is also a great way for your child to have the responsibility of a pet at the same time growing herbs and leafy greens. Best of all its made in the USA!
Earth Easy Aquafarm
Safari Science Box
The Safari Science Box is a great way for your child to discover topics like Space, Animals, and Volcanoes. Made from eco-friendly materials. Within the Safari Box your child will learn about animal migration, tracks, and the dangers of quicksand. Let your child’s creativity blossom. Easy to follow step by step instructions so your child can learn, have fun, and explore the world. You can buy a box as a one-off gift or get a subscription, which organizes a new discovery box delivered every month.
Green Kids Crafts
Pretend Play boxes
The Jungle Animals Pretend Play Box is filled with 5 animal headbands and tails. All the items fit adults, meaning you get to join in the fun. They offer individual purchases or a subscription, with a new adventure box arriving every 3 months, along with other supporting items that arrive monthly. They have a large selection of themes including cowboy, astronaut, fairy, firefighter, ninja etc.
The website also has a great blog with craft and recipe ideas.
Jungle Animals Pretend Play box
Green Toys Tea Set
Here is my daughters personal favorite. As toddler she played with this for hours, in the bath too. Made in the USA with recycled milk jugs. It is FDA approved food grade recycled plastic, which means when your little ones does eat or drink from the set they are safe. It is non-toxic and dishwasher safe – with NO BPA, phthalates, or lead paint!
Green Toys Tea Set
Eco-Crayons
I love it when my daughter is coloring and drawing; the only drawback being I hate that conventional crayons are made with crazy ingredients, including petroleum (fossil fuels). So, I was so excited to find these Eco-Crayons, they are handmade using all natural wax and mineral pigments. Made in the USA.
Eco-Crayons
Movie Maker from Discovery Toys
Do you have a budding movie director at home? My daughter grabs my phone, wanders outside, ten minutes later she’s made a movie. That’s what it is like for this generation. Movie Maker offers expert guidance (and top tips from professionals) to help kids create short dramas, comedies, documentaries, and even animations. It guides them with story boarding, script-writing, camera angles and has a bunch of extras including their very own clapper. This gift will no doubt enhance your child’s creative mind.
Movie Maker from Discovery Toys