Eco-friendly
For the parents who are pained to know that every giant plastic toy they buy is destined to languish in a landfill for tens of thousands of years, we got you. We all know that the giant plastic toy
Educational
We know, we know — all toys are educational in their own way. Toy marketers make sure to tell you that no matter what they do, they probably develop hand-eye coordination and encourage the imagination.
Open-ended
There are many schools of thought that say open-ended toys are better for kids’ brains. The less the toy does for you, the more you have to imagine. Waldorf and Montessori style schools embrace this, which is why their classrooms feel so clean and uncluttered. Examples of open-ended toys would be things like silk-scarves. Think of a simple unpainted wooden truck instead of one that’s fully detailed and has a built-in siren.
Nature-based
It’s healthy and important for kids to get outside. More and more parents are interested in “wildschooling” these days, and making sure that their kids embrace the outdoors.
Design-conscious
Let’s be real: A lot of toys for little kids are pretty ugly. At least from a design-conscious adult’s perspective, the blaring primary colors and cheesy designs can ruin the look of a playroom. This category is reserved only for the toys that we think design-conscious parents will display proudly.