As the festive season gets closer, the question of what to buy the grandchildren starts to loom large. Youngsters these days seem to have so much – and who wants to buy yet another toy that’s very loud, very plastic, and will take a gazillion years to decompose when they tire of it? But fear not – here’s a great selection of inexpensive ethical present ideas for grandchildren that’ll maximise magic and minimise guilt this Christmas.
Ages 0-4
Ethical babywear
Babies outgrow seven clothing sizes in their first two years, which means their clothes create a huge amount of waste. But that doesn’t mean you should stop gifting your grandchildren clothing altogether. This is where ethically made babywear comes into play. Check out brands Frugi or Little Green Radicals, which both have excellent, fun ranges that cost a splash more than supermarket own-brand stuff, but are made from sustainable sources, in fair conditions.
Cuddly toys
If you want to get the little one in your life a new cuddly friend, Best Years sells all manner of knitted toys, and specialises in dinosaurs of all shapes and sizes, from a diplodocus tree ornament to a Tyrannosaurus rex. Look out for its organic cotton ranges and Fairtrade products.
Plan Toys
There’s going to be a lot of wood on this list because, like plastic, it stands up well to child’s play but, unlike plastic, it doesn’t take forever to decompose. Plan Toys has an ever growing range of wooden toys, made in Thailand using rubberwood trees that no longer produce latex and would otherwise be burned. Take your pick from a colourful collection of doll’s houses furniture, cars, trains and more.
Organic modelling clay
Most children love the idea of playing with clay, not least because they can keep their finished creations. If you’re looking for a brand with organic credentials that’s allergy friendly too, the clays from the Danish company Ailefo should fit the bill. Coloured using natural pigments, the clays are soft and easy to mould, even for little hands.
Ages 4-11
A letter from Santa
The odds are your grandchildren won’t catch a glimpse of Santa on Christmas Eve. He’s famously fast. But via his good friends at the NSPCC, you can arrange for a special personalised letter from Father Christmas to be sent to them, ready to be opened on Christmas morning. It couldn’t be easier, with an online tool giving you eight different colourful templates – including a World Cup one for football fans – into which you can write a message to be posted to your grandchildren. There’s a suggested donation of £8, which will help keep Childline open 24 hours a day – the free service for children and young people whenever they need support or advice. (This Christmas, Childline is expecting a call from a child every 25 seconds.)
And because Santa is a proper polyglot, the letter can be written in both English and Welsh. To write your letter and to find out more, visit Letter From Santa.
Adopt an animal
Kids love animals. They also have enthusiastic imaginations. So an adoption of an endangered animal in their name will be extra special to them – most of the time, adopters get a certificate of adoption, an animal fact sheet and a photo of your adopted animal, depending on where you’re adopting from. And, of course, the money goes towards preserving some of the most iconic creatures on our planet.
Brio
Ah, Brio, seen by some as the king of wooden toys. Founded in 1884, the Swedish company is best known for its train sets. Its tracks, trains, bridges and tunnels have survived and thrived as the global toy landscape has shifted. You can spend a lot on this sturdy and versatile toy, but characterful small sets come in at about £40.
Mokulock
A great alternative to Lego for those who are trying to steer clear of plastic, Mokulock wooden building bricks are made in Japan from six species of tree, giving each brick its distinctive natural colour. Shaped just like Lego pieces, they are completely compatible with it.
Memberships
Children are big fans of museums, and museums are big fans of children: even the free-to-enter ones will have some sort of family membership that offers newsletters and priority access to special events. If you’re looking to spend a little more you could push the boat out with a zoo membership. It’s a chance for the family to make a year of happy memories of great days out.
Grow kits
Children love growing cress, or that thing they do with carrot tops. Growing things is so much fun! You could just wander down to your nearest garden centre and grab a £1 packet of seeds – but it is Christmas after all, and you don’t want to look like Scrooge. So why not try one of Pronto Seed’s range of growing kits, or get some purple carrots on the go with Plant Theatre’s funky veg kit.
Every donation that is given with a Letter from Santa helps the NSPCC’s Childline service answer more calls and be here for all children over the holidays. To donate and get yours, visit: letterfromsanta.nspcc.org.uk/letter-from-santa
Registered charity number 216401 (England, Wales and Northern Ireland), SC037717 (Scotland) and 384 (Jersey).
