Hours of eco entertainment with this make your own recycled cow puppet kit!
There are literally thousands of soulless, ready-made plastic toys in the shops these days, so why not do something different and encourage your kids’ creativity this Christmas with this delightful Crafty Kids recycled cow puppet kit? Charmingly retro in its design, this fun eco kit (made of recycled cardboard, you’ll be glad to hear, not recycled cow!) contains all you need to make one cow puppet – giving children the creative challenge of making the puppet, then hours of fun playing with it. All of the cardboard contained in the puppet kit is made from post-consumer waste paper, so not only is the cow puppet eco-friendly, it can of course be recycled when it finally comes to be disposed of, so will not contribute to landfill. The recycled cow puppet kit contains the cardboard tub, tubes and cone, as well as glue, threading tags and dowels, eyes and three kinds of non-toxic paint – everything you need to make this cute recycled puppet and decorate it the way you want to! Like all Crafty Kids kits, this recycled cow puppet kit has passed all of the relevant safety standards and is suitable for children over the age of four. It’s a great way to encourage your kids to be both creative and environmentally friendly – and teaching them that being green can be lots of fun at the same time!
Solar powered helicopter a soar away success
A solar powered helicopter kit is the perfect gift for the mini-mechanic in your life. Techie toys are always a treat but they are usually plastic or PVC, and run on batteries or electricity, so harmful for the environment, as well as often being expensive to run. These solar powered helicopter kits from Solar Technology are part of a range of solar powered toys aimed at educating and entertaining children by teaching them about solar power as well as providing endless hours of fun. These eco-friendly toys are great for any children interested in gadgets or science and are laser cut to fit together, so they are easy to assemble without tools or glue. As well as the solar powered helicopter kit, you can buy a range of other solar powered toys including a solar powered biplane and a solar powered windmill – so lots to keep the kids entertained and there’s no concern about not having any batteries on Christmas Day! And because Solar Technology recognises that we don’t get as much sun here in the UK as many other countries, their products use crystalline silicon technology which is more suitable to the lower lighting conditions here in Britain. So why not buy your child a solar powered helicopter for Christmas, and make your festive season a soar away success?
Idbids helping get the green message to kids
Getting the environmental message to young children can be tough: you want them to understand green issues, but you don’t want to worry or scare them. This is where the Idbids come in. The Idbids are three cute little nine inch plush toys – Lola, Scout and Waverly – designed to help parents teach their children about the environment in a easy and understandable way. Each Idbid comes with a book that uses simple language and entertaining stories to explain issues about the planet. Once they have read the book, children can then check the included Field Guide, which contains easy, helpful tips on how they can help save the planet. These are small steps that any child can make – such as turning off the tap when they brush their teeth, switching off lights, using both sides of the paper when drawing or colouring in – but which make a real difference. Each Idbid is dedicated to a particular environmental element – Scout is a cloud who teaches about air pollution, Lola the flower who knows all about trees and plants, and Waverly, as his name suggests, is an expert on all things water-related. As well as being cute to look at and fun to play with, each toy is made using organic, recycled and eco-friendly materials – making them the ideal green gift for kids. So why not get your child into eco-habits early with the help of an Idbid?
Eco-friendly toys help parents have a green Christmas
Now that it is starting to feel like winter, many of us are looking forward to Christmas and starting to think about buying gifts. But for parents, keeping their children happy at this time of year and still trying to be green is a difficult balancing act. Luckily, there are now a whole range of beautiful, ingenious toys available that are both child- and eco-friendly. Take, for instance, the Recycled Aircraft Tyre swing from Fallen Fruit. This stylish swing is designed to look like a horse – complete with swishy mane! – and can hang in or outdoors, and is, as the name suggests, crafted from a recycled aeroplane tyre. Or how about My First Eco Radio from Ecotronic? This eco-friendly toy will keep young children entertained without the need for expensive and wasteful batteries. Also from Ecotronic is Mr Robot Head, a fun and challenging toy that helps develop hand/eye co-ordination, as the child tries to move the wand along the antenna without touching the sides and making Mr Robot Head buzz. And as this, like My First Eco Radio, works without batteries, you avoid the usual stress of having to panic buy batteries on Christmas Eve! Finally, as most parents will be familiar with having bought a child a present only for them to show more interest in the box it came in – why not actually buy them a box? A Paperpod recycled cardboard dolls’ house is an eco-friendly gift that encourages creativity, as your child can paint or decorate it however they like. For outdoor fun, try the Paperpod recycled cardboard teepee – which can be quickly folded away and stored, if it should start to rain! With all of these options, it’s easier for parents to ensure that, whatever the weather, they have a green Christmas.
Bambinex Bamboo nappies are a greener option for parents
Many parents now choose the more environmentally friendly option of reusable nappies, but nappies made from bamboo may sound like an eco-solution too far. In fact, nothing could be further from the truth. Bamboo is actually an eco-friendly alternative to cotton which is fast gaining favour among clothing manufacturers. Fabric made from bamboo fibres has a soft texture, high absorbency and natural anti-bacterial qualities and it also dries faster than cotton – making it an ideal choice for reusable nappies. Bamboo is also an eco-conscious choice because it is easy to cultivate, thriving naturally without chemical pesticides or fertilizers. The Bambinex range of reusable nappies are made from natural bamboo fibres and come in a range of options. The starter pack comes in a range of sizes (including newborn). At around £150 it is quite pricey but contains everything new parents need to get them started, including 15 nappies – and, given the price of disposable nappies works out far cheaper in the long-term. For those who aren’t sure the reusable route is for them, the company also sells test kits, retailing at around £40. If you do decide that reusable nappies aren’t the option for you, there are still more environmentally friendly options than the big name brands on the high street. Nature Babycare disposable nappies and pull on nappy pants are 100% chlorine, latex and plastic free – made from a combination of natural tree pulp and maize derivatives, they are also around 60% biodegradable, offering a more eco-friendly option for parents.
Organic Fortnight at the Ethical Superstore
The Soil Association’s Organic Fortnight finishes this weekend, but there is still time to scoop up a bargain at the Ethical Superstore. This eco-retailer is holding an Organic Fortnight promotion, offering up to 20% off selected groceries. Many of these are also available in good value multi-buy offers also – and there’s free delivery on all orders over £60. The Soil Association is keen to show that not only is buying organic better for the planet, it doesn’t have to be expensive – with smart shopping, you can still bag a bargain, and the Ethical Superstore’s range starts from under £1! But organic isn’t only about food – cotton production is one of the most chemical intensive processes in the world, so buying organic cotton can make a huge difference. From bedlinen to dresses, underwear, t-shirts and children’s clothes, there’s now a huge range of organic products available – you can even now buy organic cotton mattresses! And don’t forget beauty products – the humble cotton wool pad or baby wipe – as buying organic versions of these will also help reduce the amount of chemicals that are used. And it’s not just specialist eco-retailers like Ethical Superstore who are promoting organic goods – big high street names like Marks and Spencer are getting in on the act. They now sell a range of organic clothing and household goods (including curtains). Plus, you can buy a stylish organic shopper to carry it all home in…
The Mud Powered Alarm Clock
Arguably, one of the biggest challenges that has faced environmental campaigners is that of educating today’s youth. The problems affecting the younger generations are widely reported in the media, accurately or otherwise, and it is now all too common to associate teens with bad behaviour. Furthermore, emerging generations are depicted as being innately self-centred. Ultimately, however, the youth of today will inherit the Earth. Unfortunately, the Earth is not in the fit state that it ought to be – all thanks to previous generations. Ensuring that children are made sufficiently aware of environmental problems that are currently being experienced, which will no doubt worsen during their lifetimes, is absolutely fundamental.
Kids, however, do not always want to learn about the more miserable facts of life. Thus, education ought to be delivered very carefully and raising awareness in a fun and enjoyable way is key to ensuring that children learn the values of looking after the planet Earth. In this respect, the mud-powered digital alarm clock, which is sold in popular electronics stores such as Maplin, is an excellent gadget that can help to encourage children to think about the wider issues affecting the environment, whilst learning a little chemistry in the process. Indeed, the mud-powered digital clock comprises two pots of damp soil, which is readily and freely available from just about anywhere, which are then connected via cables that use copper and zinc to create a flow of electrons – powering the LCD display. Assembling this gadget from scratch is guaranteed to get kids thinking positively and constructively.
The Teen Chair & The Toddler Chair
How cool are these chairs? – Chairs for your children from toddler to teenager – made entirely from recycled cardboard. No more worrying about your children’s plastic chairs ending up in a landfill site.
The cardboard chairs come in two sizes. The Teen Chair for children up to teenage years and The Toddler Chair for your younger ones.
The recycled chairs are both sturdy and comfortable and will put up with the normal wear and tear that children submit their furniture too … and when they finally wear out you have the feel good factor of recycling them once again – and then buying some more!
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