Most likely, not all the toys your kids get this year are going to be perfectly green. First of all, for holidays, you should do the following:

• Encourage family and friends to purchase green toys for you child. Of course, you need to do the same.
• Make sure that handmade, safe, green toys continue to be an option for your child.
• Buy less or give the gift of time over simply giving products to kids.

Not all the tips above work all the time though. Some family members can be a hard sell, and will continue to give your child toys that aren’t so green, and that may not be safe. To protect your kiddos do the following:

• Sign up to receive information about toy recalls.
• Always fill out and return the registration cards that come with toys – many have online registration options. If there is a recall, you’ll be notified.
• Read the label to make sure the toy is age appropriate and check for out of the box broken pieces.
• Thrift store are a good green choice, but one investigation reveals that 63% of thrift stores sell hazardous or recalled items. Be careful, and always check with cpsc or the manufacturer to make sure a thrift store toy hasn’t been recalled.

Stay up to date with current toy news at:

• Leadsafe
• W.A.T.C.H
• Toy Industry Association
• Consumers Union

For more tips read this excellent article; 250+ Lead-Free Toys Made in USA 4 Tips for Finding American Toys This Holiday.

[image via stock.xchng]

Post from: Tree Hugging Family

It’s that time of year again. A couple of days ago W.A.T.C.H released their annual round up of the worst of the worst toys. There are some pretty dangerous toys this year, so I’d check the list out; make sure none of these on are your kid’s wish list. Also, I’m gonna add that from a design perspective the 10 worst toys this year also seem to be the worst looking. You’d likely avoid them anyhow, but still, just in case, you can view the list here.

November current events at Tree Hugging Family – themes, reviews, news, and more…

[images via, stock.xchng & Buy Nothing Day]

Post from: Tree Hugging Family