As a parent, you quickly find out that not all ‘baby’ toys are that safe for your baby. Whether that is from a personal experience with a toy or a new recall on a product you just purchased, it happens to everyone! Something many of us do not think of, however, is the material these toys are made from. Doing your research and buying non-toxic baby toys is as important as ever!
Why buy non-toxic baby toys?
Toy Safety and Recalls
Before becoming a parent, you may have never heard of various recalls for baby products. Now, it might be the only thing you ever hear about! Products are recalled nearly every day because of serious safety concerns for those who use them.
For toys, the amount of recalls has slowly declined throughout the years. Thankfully!
Though, they still happen. In 2017, nearly 30 toys were recalled. While this is minuscule compared to previous numbers, no one wants it to happen to them!
Why have the numbers decreased?
Well, the toys produced and sold in the United States have to be regulated by the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) which gives companies certain rules they must follow to ensure the safety of their products. They take this so seriously that they require any toy sold for children under the age of 12 to be tested by a third-party laboratory prior to distribution.
What does this mean?
This means that the toys made and sold in the United States are (most likely) safe for your child. In other countries, however, regulations may not be as strict as they are in the United States. For example, China does not regulate substances like lead are harsh. This is of great concern since a majority of toys purchased are manufactured in China.
Therefore, doing your research on which brands are best is necessary. Finding non-toxic baby toys is easy to do!
The Best Brands for Non-Toxic Baby Toys
Grimm’s
Grimm’s is a brand creating non-toxic baby toys that we cannot recommend enough! Made in Germany, these non-toxic baby toys are crafted using alder, beech, lime, and maple trees. They promise safe and eco-friendly toys by using non-toxic paint and only Oeko-Tex certified fabrics!
These toys can be on the pricier side of non-toxic baby toys which can be a real bummer for some parents. This is especially true because of their association to its Waldorf-style stacking blocks and rainbows. Montessori parents everywhere are dying to add these to their collections!
Make sure to be on the hunt for these fabulous toys. Even when purchasing them new, you can bet they will last far longer than any other toy you have purchased making their price well worth it!
Related Post: 6 of Our Favorite Grimm’s Rainbow Toys
Under the Nile
Under the Nile is another one of our favorite baby brands! Made in Egypt, this brand makes organic toys, clothes, and more for your little ones. Under the Nile uses 100% organic Egyptian cotton with no BPA, lead, or other harmful chemicals often found in baby toys. Fabrics used by this company are also GOTS certified.
In fact, Under the Nile was the first baby clothing company in the United States to obtain this certification for its clothing!
PlanToys
Made in Thailand, PlanToys produces wooden toys to die for! These toys are made from trees no longer producing latex and placed in a kiln using a chemical-free drying process to avoid any unnecessary harmful ingredients.
These toys get their color from organic pigments and water-based dyes as well making them suitable for kiddos to chew on all they want!
Green Toys
If you are in the United States and are particular to toys being made close to home, Green Toys is your go-to for non-toxic baby toys! Made in the United States, these toys are made from 100% recycled material like milk jugs, yogurt containers, plastic grocery bags, and more.
Finn + Emma
While Finn + Emma are largely known for their beautiful line of 100% organic baby clothes, the non-toxic baby toys made by this company have to be mentioned!
This company uses 100% organic cotton, eco-friendly dyes, and real wood for their toys.
The most popular toy item from this company has to be their activity gyms. While they also provide a number of toys such as rattles and teethers, their activity gyms simply cannot be beaten. Instead of picking up Fisher-Price activity gyms at your nearest Walmart, look into and invest in one of these fantastic gyms!
TAG Toys
Another brand producing non-toxic baby toys in the United States is TAG toys! These toys come from a family-run business that focuses on toys for children ages 1-6. If you are shopping for toys children under the age of one, make sure to take note of this fantastic shop for later!
These wooden toys are created using non-toxic water-based paints and glues making them safe your children to explore however they wish.
Ready, set, play!
Now that you have done your research on only the best non-toxic baby toys, it is time to purchase them and get to business. Don’t waste your time buying toys that last a matter of weeks and are made with harmful chemicals and dyes your little one will be exposed to by putting them in their mouth.
Be at ease watching your kiddos play with their toys knowing they are made with love from each of these companies only wanting the best for all children out there!