WHEN YOU DON’T HAVE TIME TO CREATE

When you don’t have the time to make toys out of everyday items and need to buy a toy or game for your child, follow these tips:

BUY LOCALLY

Products that are manufactured locally don’t have as far to travel to reach the shops as a product made in China, for example. By buying a locally made product, you’re saving on the energy needed to transport it.

BUY NATURAL

Products made from sustainable, recycled and natural sources are always a good buy. Wooden toys are fantastic, and they last longer than plastic toys. Avoid anything that is made with PVC. This material releases toxins into the environment from the second it is made.

BATTERY FREE

It’s almost become second nature for a toy to be battery operated; the kids seem happy, but all that batterypowered noise just isn’t worth it. Batteries that are thrown away release terribly harmful chemicals. If you do have toys that run on batteries, consider investing in rechargeable ones to eliminate waste.

BUY FAIRTRADE PRODUCTS

Your child shouldn’t be playing with a toy that was made by someone else’s child in terrible conditions. When buying a toy, look for Fairtrade certification to be sure that no child labour was used and that certain basic conditions were adhered to during the manufacturing process. ●