It is so tempting to buy children all of the shiny plastic bits you see in the stores, but I get so frustrated by the excess packaging this time of year. I will never forget seeing a box of crayons that would ordinarily be in a small A4 size box, being spaced out on a plastic tray to be almost as tall as me! I think that box may have been a real starting point for my sustainable journey.
I'm going to kick todays list off with a gift I bought for my daughter last year, which are these fab games from Time Flies for Kids, along with recycled felt tips, these are great, they're magnetic, so great for the car, and the activity book is great to keep their minds occupied and screen free.
Space Magnetic Pack — Time Flies for Kids
If you want to invest in something that is big to open on the big day, there are so many fab cardboard playhouses out there, and I especially love these from Kid-Eco, the variety is fab and there is so much play value in them.
Kid-Eco Spaceship – Kideco (kidecocrafts.co.uk)
One thing you could definitely do with these fabulous play houses, is to colour them in, and what better than with these amazing natural twig colouring crayons from PUSH Designs, presented in a super cute bag, these would make a gorgeous stocking filler.
Natural Twig Pencils in Cotton Drawstring Bag | Etsy
If you've creative kids, that love to colour, then these plantable colouring packs from Bee Eco Friendly are great, what a fantastic alternative to colouring books, it would be really exciting to see your pictures bloom in Spring.
Plantable Christmas Colouring Kit. Eco Friendly Colouring. Eco | Etsy
Watching seed grow is a really fun project but also really educational, and these super cute postable pots by Shroot, are a great option to send to kids you wont be seeing in person before the big day, and helping harness an awareness of nature in their little minds.
Another easy to post gift are these great animal scenes I found at The Friendly Turtle, the packaging creates a backdrop to bring the scenes to life and the whole product is 100% plastic free, and can even be composted at the end of its life.
Not to forget the smaller kids, I recently discovered Smough, made in the Wales, these smelly pots of playdough, and I think the cinnamon one would be perfect for a full sensory Christmas play time.
Continuing with the smelly theme, Dr Zigs bubbles are fun for adults and children alike, and their Christmas packs smell like Christmas Pudding and Christmas Tree. Especially fun on a frosty day, see who can make the biggest bubbles and freeze it in a moment in time.
A great way to raise awareness of endangered species in kids is through cuddly toys, once they get attached, its only natural to learn more about them. This cuddly orangutan found on Happy Cat Kids is made using 100% recycled plastic.
It wouldn't be Christmas without something sweet in my stocking, so instead of the usual selection boxes, why not check out another orangutan, this time made using delicious chocolate. Tuan the Orangutan is the gift that keeps on giving too, as £3.50 from each sold is used to plant cocoa tree seedlings in Sumatra, and I think he looks pretty tasty!
I really could have kept shopping for kids, there really is so much good stuff out there, but I'm going to finish on an educational gift, that can have a great impact on a kids habits, and could make a pretty cool challenge! Helpful Kids has devised these cards to be memorable and develop a healthy understanding of climate change, potentially helping to reduce eco-anxiety.
I really hope you found some of these suggestions helpful, I'm certainly feeling slightly more relaxed about my gifting this year now.
You can shop the whole guide over on
Pinterest now.
I'll have another guide ready for you tomorrow, tackling one of the hardest groups to buy for... Teenagers!
Until then... Thank you for stopping by,
