Natural Toys

Aside from the dangers of toxic fumes from many plastic toys, there is something special about a child playing with toys made from natural materials. Natural toys can be a first introduction to a lifelong preference for the beauty of natural materials and their playthings contribute to benefiting the environment.

Taraluna

Organic and fairtrade toys, including stuffed dolls and animals, hand puppets, whimsical felted-wool hats, and more.

EcoChoices EcoToyTown

Wooden toys for ages 19 months and up. Made from cultivated replenishable para rubberwoods that have ceased to yield latex and natural rubber. "Traditionally, para rubberwood that no longer yeilds latex is burned for charcoal, but now, it is being used to make optimum use of it while helping to maintain an ecological balance at the same time....No child labor is being used in any stage of production. All workers are paid a fair wage with good working conditions. The manufacture received ISO9001 quality management certification and has been certified for the ISO14001 environmental management certification." Also cooperative board games.

Planet Happy Toys

A wondrous selection of toys chosen to "connect people and plant through play." created by a mother dedicated to fair trade and organic and sustainable materials. Toys, books and crafts by global artisans celebrate education, global awareness, and non-violence. For every purchase, a tree is planted.

Home Environment

Adorable cuddly organic cotton stuffed animals.

Organic Gift Shop

A large selection of toys and games for both babies and kids. The organic stuffed animal and doll designs are unique and adorable. Many high-quality Europen wooden toys, such as natural wood building blocks and educational toys and games. Even a hemp jumprope with carrot handles!

Organic Selections

Colorful wooden toys, 100% organic cotton stuffed toys in many darling designs, silk dress-up clothing, silk canopies and "playscapes."

OrganicWearUSA

Soft and cuddley animals and "zmooz dolls" made from 100% natural-color organic cotton. My favorite is the Amazing Organic Sheep Music Box. Made with 100% organic cotton and filled with pure wool, this adorable, washable, sheep plays soft music that soothes baby to sleep. The German manufacturer is certified by international organic organizations and controls the manufacturing process from the weaving and dyeing to production by home mothers.

Our Green House

A nice selection of toys made from wood or organically grown cotton, including traditional toys, charming and cuddly organically grown cotton stuffed dolls, puzzles, wooden blocks, a wooden dollhouse, and more. Look in the "baby store" section for addition organically grown cotton stuffed animals. Chosen by parents who care about health and the environment.

Toy Spectrum

A large selection of educational and traditional wooden toys, wooden puzzles, waldorf toys, dolls, gifts and some delightful candle holders for children's birthday partys and seasonal festivities with beautiful forms and colours. This is a German website, but I included it because it carries a wider selection of toys than are found on the US sites that import German toys. Their prices are in Euros and US dollars, it's written in English, and they are accustomed to shipping to the US, so there is no difficulty ordering. "Most of our articles are made here in Germany. The educational aspects & the natural ecological composition, as well as quality, is most important in the making of these toys. All articles are hand finished and stained with water based dyes or linseed oil, which have been certified and tested by TÜV (technical monitoring association). Only European wood is used in the production. Mainly alder, cherry and maple."

The Wooden Wagon

A good selection of wooden toys and figurines, games and puzzles, dolls, and imaginative playthings. I love what they say about why they sell wooden toys and will not sell plastic. "Wooden toys have a wonderful power to awaken the child's imagination. They may not beep or speak or flash lights, but watch them in use, and you will see a child's imagination flourishing. With these toys, life is given by the child, not by a battery or computer chip. The simplicity of their design frees rather than restricts the imagination. Aesthetically wood is the perfect material for toymaking. Just as each piece of wood has its individual grain, so each wooden toy has its individual character. The child's senses are awoken to the natural world and stimulated by the variations in grain, texture, and smell of different woods. And wood has its own temperature, making it pleasurable to the touch. Finally, there are environmental reasons to choose a wooden toy: Wood is a renewable resource, whereas petroleum-based products are not. Our manufacturers use local woods where possible, frequently from the annual fell from European forests, and promote regrowth. The by-products of production can be recycled. Vegetable dyes and natural varnishes ensure that the toys are not only non-toxic, but natural as well. And a wooden toy can be easily repaired if necessary, or as a last resort recycled."

B. Coole Designs

100% cotton hand puppets of various sorts, plus capes, tutus, pointed jester hats (with bells!), magic bags, and silk and cotton scarves for imaginative dress-up.

Blueberry Forest Toys

A large selection of natural toys, including games, magical home decor, musical instruments, dolls, play silks and silk costumes, kitchen and grocery store play, wooden toys, puzzles, Waldorf dolls, and a lot more.

Chinaberry

This is one of those magical, creative websites that exemplifies the best in what it means to experience childhood. They primarily carry books that encourage environmental and multicultural awareness, expanded abilities, and cooperation. They also have many playthings including many wooden toys, magical things like fairy mobiles, toys and games that teach skills, and much more. You could spend hours exploring this wonder-full site."We are committed to making this world a kinder, gentler place, both with the products we offer and in the way we do business."

Hearthsong

One of the original natural toy catalogs, founded in 1983 by a mother on the premise that "kids need to be kids". Many items are made from natural materials. Selections include crafts and games in addition to toys--many teaching skills, nature awareness, and development of imagination.

Magic Cabin

"We believe in good-old-fashioned make believe and in children's innate need to interact with simple, natural toys and crafts...we conscientiously select products that are beautiful and enchanting, sturdy and safe, and best of all, FUN." Choose from toys, games, puzzles, dolls, silks, and household items.

Noisy Cottage Toys and Crafts

"We design and create Waldorf dolls and natural fiber dragons called Calico Dragons as well as felted folk and other creations. We also carry lovely handmade wooden puzzles with magical creatures and fairy tale themes, as well some art supplies" including beeswax crayons and colored pencils. The puzzles "are handmade by a group of special needs adults living in a life sharing community. As part of their weekly rhythm they gather round a table to craft and paint these truly wonderful puzzles. They are beautiful to look at and truly unique. No two puzzles are alike since the pictures, though similar are painted by different people who infuse their art with a bit of themselves and their joy of painting. Each puzzle is even cut slightly differently which makes them so much fun."

Nova Natural Toys and Crafts

Aimed to families and teachers, this website carries "a wide variety of natural products, which are conducive to creative and wholesome living. We offer finely crafted toys that inspire imaginative play, beautifully illustrated children's books, a wide range of parenting and craft books, non-competitive games which successfully combine action and challenge with co-operation and compassion and natural craft and art supplies to create your own works of beauty...Each toy should be age-appropriate in form and in function. Toys should further the child's inner development allowing children to express moods and feelings freely and have an 'open-ended' quality...A simple toy allows the child's imagination, full play." All the toys are made from natural materials.

Ostheimer Toys

"Beautiful, quality wooden figures ... dedication to the gentle, open ended, natural and creative play encouraged by Waldorf schools." These toys are long-time favorites and can be found on most websites that sell natural playthings. This is the website of the manufacturer, who will ship direct. They have "a vast selection of animals, birds, trees, people and even snails and turtles. Every figure is created by hand and with the utmost care. They use natural paints to create the soft colours on each hand painted figure and are careful about what paints they use to ensure safe and truly natural wooden toys. The paints used are non-toxic and water-based, and they are applied in thin layers in order to allow the natural appearance of the wood to remain visible...Every figure is submerged in a bath of walnut oil, to protect and intensify the colours."

Seasons Natural Toys

"I have designed and made magical playthings that could enter a child's world and gently enhance and inspire an exploration of self, family, and nature, free of outside worries or walls. My playthings are inspired by the belief that children need to have a connection with nature and freedom to imagine, and the opportunities to do so. Almost all my little designs are made by a group of stay at home moms and weekend workers." This philosophy positively glows through these charming playthings, which are original and exclusive to this website. In addition to figurines and "whatever we find magical", they sell play environments based in nature-- treehouses fairy and wizard houses, caves for trolls... "Enchantment, Inspiration and Imagination are Free!"

Three Sisters Toys

"A work at home mom business specializing in natural toys and Waldorf wooden toys." Lots of great articles on natural play, plus Waldorf toys and dollw, games, play sets and figures, puzzles, playsilks, and children's books and music.

Toymobile

A full selection of natural German toys, including some "amazingly beautiful" handmade painted wooden puzzles, baby toys, art supplies and beeswax crayons, stuffed animals, and much much more.

Willow Tree Toys

A full selection of natural toys, including play kitchen and play store sets, costumes, puzzles, Waldorf dolls and toys, natural arts and crafts, games, musical instruments, fair trade toys, and much much more. "We import many of our products directly from Germany and they are not available anywhere else in the United States."

We don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing. -- George Bernard Shaw

For more quotes like this, sign up for daily delivery of my free Words of Wisdom newsletter.