A twinkling light that sparkles throughout the entire month of December, Christmastime is a wondrous occasion. Despite the enveloping winter darkness, we busy ourselves with a myriad of festive tasks – from decorating mantlepieces while drinking hot chocolate topped with marshmallows to stringing dried oranges together to create beautiful garlands.
Whether spent with family or friends, we often engage in old nostalgic traditions involving tasks and habits from our childhood. Some households, for instance, continue to take the game of Elf on the Shelf extremely seriously. Others retrieve vintage stockings from their very first Christmas, and vintage baubles handed down by earlier generations, to hang on Christmas trees and staircases.
As magical as Christmas can be, it’s also important to remember that the holiday is more often than not an extended period of pure consumption. From decadent meals to towering piles of presents, the amount of waste we produce during the festival of ‘Ole Saint Nick rises tenfold – especially within larger families.
Aside from reusing old decorations and various ancient Christmas accoutrements, there are a variety of other ways we can be more mindful of our practices this year. One of the most important means of creating a more sustainable festive season is by purchasing presents in an eco-conscious manner.
That means no single-use plastic, no large playhouses made of unrecyclable materials, and cutting down on or reusing old wrapping paper.
To help you along your environmentally friendly Christmas journey, we’ve rounded up a selection of the best sustainable toys to buy for kids. Keep scrolling to stay green.
Waitrose Supermarket
Rather than mindlessly strolling the aisles of your local Waitrose buying food that you don’t really need, live vicariously through your kiddo with this fantastic wooden Waitrose playset.
Buy now £65.00, John Lewis
Kid’s Concept Wooden Garbage Truck Toy
Whether utilised as a tool to teach your youngling the wonders of proper waste disposal and recycling or simply as a vehicle for the imagination – this wooden garbage truck toy from Kid’s Concept is a delight.
Buy now £43.95, Cuckooland
Personalised Fully Floral Flower Press
Though you might have to wait a few months to start preserving some summer blooms, a flower press is a brilliant present for the curious outdoorsy child or get your screen-obsessed kiddo into the great outdoors.
This flower press from This Is Nessie is customisable - the shop will hand-illustrate the name of your choosing with a unique floral font atop this delightful handmade piece.
Buy now £24.00, NOTHS
Making Potions: Enchanted Garden Kids Activity Kit
We’ve yet to come across a child who doesn’t adore mixing random substances together in the bath before presenting the strange concoction proudly, stating that it is a ‘potion’. Rather than wasting precious soaps and shampoos, add this gift to your basket this Christmas for safe and sustainable potion-making fun. Hogwarts will be calling in no time.
Buy now £30.00, Ordnance Survey
Green Creativity Recycled Paper Beads
Have you got an old collection of magazines that need sorting through or a series of unread newspapers sitting in the corner of your study? Teach your children how to recycle while getting creative with this handy paper bead-making contraption.
Buy now £11.95, Ethical Superstore
Micro Scooters Sprite Foldable LED Scooter, Blue Stripe
Since their invention in the early 20th century, scooters have captured the hearts and minds of kids across the globe. Treat your kid to a brand-new two-wheeled wonder this Christmas from Swiss brand Micro – just be sure to get imaginative with how you wrap it, so that you don’t ruin the surprise. They’ll be gliding to school in style by 2024.
Buy now £124.95, John Lewis
Spool Knitting Set
Teach your child the art of knitting from a young age with this brilliant miniature spool knitting set. Easy to operate by simply winding yarn around the conical structure, your youngster will be able to create everything from miniature animals to their very own custom yarns for when they’re able to take the next step into more complex projects.
Buy now £10.18, KiwiCo
Save The Bees - Sow & Co Eco Grow Kit
A brilliant bonding gift for the eco-conscious child, help them grow gorgeous pollinator-friendly wildflowers in biodegradable planters and watch as fluffy bumblebees flock to your homemade garden.
Buy now £10.00, PrezzyBox
The Bottled Baking Co. Smart Cookies
Bake a delectable batch of chewy, oaty and crunchie Smartie cookies with the help of The Bottled Baking Co. this Christmas and replace those sweet treats that Santa munched on during his magical visit.
Buy now £12.00, John Lewis
Kitchen Scrap Planter
A fantastic gift for the budding horticulturist, this shared activity between kids and parents allows little ones to watch plants grow right before their eyes while teaching them the power of reusing and recycling.
This set has purposely been designed with clear bowls, so that kiddos can watch how roots reach downwards to drink water, while the stems grow upwards towards the light. Regrow leftover spring onion bottoms, garlic, potatoes and more without any mess or fuss.
Buy now £14.90, KiwiCo
