Eco friendly products and ways to green up our lives and our kids by being kinder to our planet is one of the hot topics at the beginning of 2010. I read a very interesting post on Inhabitots about the Green Parenting Predictions for 2010 with the views of 8 established green bloggers who all seem to foresee a higher demand of natural products and locally produced goods, a more frugal approach to spending and a call for quality rather than quantity. Recycle more, waste less and the general acceptance for buying used items on eBay, not because it’s cheaper but because it’s greener, are some of the predictions together with the increase of DIY. With a growing concern for harmful substances in baby food a lot of parents opt to make their own instead of buying ready-made, which is the only way to be certain the food is totally safe.

More and more parents buy organic and natural products as well as alternative toys. Here are some tips from the Eco Toy Alliance to green up the toy box:

1. Go organic: check for Certified Organic or Certified Non-Toxic on tags to make sure the products are totally natural and safe. Opt for organic cotton and natural fibre filling in stuffed animals and other fabric toys as the polyester plush is made from plastic fibres with toxic dyes which release harmful chemicals into the environment.

2. Reduce, reuse and recycle: choose toys made out of recycled materials milk cartons, water bottles and cardboard. Teach children about recycling having fun. Recycled crafts are a good start to make toys and other useful objects out of materials that would be otherwise discarded.

3. Save our forests: When it comes to wooden toys we must remember that not all wood products are eco-friendly so it’s important to look for objects made from a plantation-grown wood that does not deplete forests. Rubber wood is a good one as at the end of their latex-producing years, rubber trees are harvested and new ones planted. Also that type of hardwood is splinter-free, which is perfect for making safe, earth-friendly toys. Finally we must make sure the wood is finished with safe water based paints and varnishes rather than the harmful toxic dyes that are often used in a lot of commercial products.

4. Look for battery free toys: not only they are cheaper to run, but most importantly they are safer for children and kinder to the planet. Most electronic toys encourage a sedentary lifestyle and do very little to spark kid’s imagination. On the other hand battery-free toys and those that create their own power through active play inspire kids to be more active and resourceful.

5. Make your own toys out of recycled materials you have at home is of great value under many aspects not least the development of kids’ creativity.