Sustainable Toys for Babies and Toddlers

By Melanie Barbee, owner of Rolly’s Baby Boutique

Most young children have plenty of toys, so finding unique ones during the holiday season can be a challenge. There is way too much plastic, way too many things that make lots of noise, and most importantly way too many toys that don’t challenge and excite our children and that are hours and hours of just plain fun.

At Rolly’s, part of our mission is to provide safe and nurturing items that help children get off to a good start in life. We researched several new classic and sustainable lines of toys that you can count on for being loads of fun, educational, and absolutely safe for your child.

Why does what your child plays with make a difference? At Rolly’s, we recommend buying toys that are PVC and BPA free – the fewer toxins in our children’s bodies leads to healthier growing. We also recommend toys that have low or no VOC (volatile organic compounds) in the paint. Some VOCs are carcinogens and cause air pollution and health issues in children that may have breathing issues. Why contribute to the air our children breathe with something potentially harmful when we have other choices?

The fact that many of our toys are made right here in America is yet another plus when thinking about safe and sustainable toys. Shipping toys from overseas uses far more energy than our newest line – Pure Play Toys – that are shipped from nearby Tennessee. And our GreenToys, all made from recycled milk cartons, are made in the toughest State around in terms of strict toy safety and environmental laws – California. Knowing where your toys come from, just like knowing where our food comes from, is a growing and healthy trend in children’s play things.

But most importantly, our toys are fun! Many of the makers of sustainable toys also design their toys to be classic, fun things that children want to play with weeks after they are unwrapped. We have several wooden collections that are fast becoming our most popular, like our Tennessee-made cash register with wooden coins and yes, a wooden debit card! That same line of toys has a wooden mail truck with sorting blocks and an adorable fishing rod with five magnetic fish to catch! These companies use classic, environmentally friendly materials, which are safe for children and made right here in the US, putting our country back to work. How can we argue with that?

From recycled materials made into tea sets, to magnetic bamboo blocks for hours of creative fun, and wooden puzzles that work the mind and the little fingers, Rolly’s has many alternative choices for families and their children.

Stop by to shop this holiday season!
Rolly’s Baby Boutique
Thruway Center
272 South Stratford Road
Winston-Salem, NC 27103
336.722.6713

*Sponsored by Rolly’s