Our top 8 eco-friendly gifts for kids this Christmas

1. Recycled plastic toys

One of the best eco-friendly gifts for kids is toys made of recycled plastic. There are many companies that specialise in creating recycled toys. A lot of them also have really nice aesthetics and colours that your kids will love. It is much better for this plastic to be transformed into another beloved toy than to sit in landfill.

2. Homemade gifts

If you fancy being creative with your gift, there are plenty of homemade gifts that are eco-friendly. One craft we suggest is to put some cotton and lavender in an old sock. It is best if you have white socks, as they can be turned into snowmen! Use the socks to make little toys that kids will love.

If you choose to include lavender, they will be great for bedtime to help your little ones get to sleep. You can then add features to your creations. Perhaps you could sew on some buttons and ribbons. This would be especially good for a snowman. You can use the buttons for their front, and the ribbon for a scarf. Not to mention a snowman is perfect for Christmas. And this one won’t melt, so your kids can enjoy them for much longer!

3. Personalised boxes

Kids have lots of toys – they are often thrown all over the house after being played with for five minutes. Why not make tidying up toys a little more fun with a personalised toy box? You can get wooden boxes of all sizes. Then have them personalised by engraving a name or a message on it. You could also get a pattern, shapes or images engraved. These boxes can last for a long time too, so they are a great sustainable Christmas gifts. Your little one can keep them forever for various purposes. From storing toys, to clothes, make-up, and whatever else they may need them for.

4. Wooden building bricks and Lego

Wood is certainly the better alternative to plastic. So, if you want to help your kids learn about shapes and building blocks, you could go for wooden ones. There are plenty of wooden building blocks available, there is even wooden Lego!

5. Cotton tea party set

This eco-friendly gifts for kids idea is great for kids that love tea parties. A cotton tea party set is much better for the environment, but it is also easier to clean too. There’s no need for antibacterial sprays and wipes. These can go in the washing machine with the rest of your clothes. Your little ones will love being able to have tea parties with their friends and toys. So, this eco-friendly gifts for kids idea could be a favourite for many kids!

6. Cotton farm set

Our next eco-friendly gifts for kids idea is an adorable farm set made of cotton. It will be loved by your little ones! With cute piggy pens and a pond for little yellow ducks, it is perfect for those learning about animals. The cows even have a black and white tartan pattern which is especially cute.

7. Wooden musical instruments

Along with wooden toys, you could also get wooden musical instruments as eco-friendly gifts for kids. Learning sounds can be incredibly fun for kids, even more so when they can make their own! The great thing about wooden toys and instruments is that they are a lot more durable than plastic toys. But they also do not have such a bad impact on the environment. A tree can be replaced, but plastic can take up to a thousand years to break down!

8. Bug houses

If your little ones love animals, this eco-friendly gifts for kids idea could be perfect for them. There are loads of wooden bug and animal houses that you can put in your garden. Kids will have a lot of fun decorating these houses and placing them outside. It can be great for them to learn what kind of creatures they can find. It will help them understand the importance of keeping animal environments protected. As well as how important some animals are, like bees, for our own survival.

A bird house and feeder could also be great to hang outside one of your windows. Kids will love seeing which birds visit them. They may even get to see a Christmas robin!

We hope you have enjoyed some of our suggestions for eco-friendly gifts for kids. Teaching kids the importance of being eco-friendly is essential. Now more than ever. So, showing them that being eco-friendly can also be a lot of fun is a great way to start.

Need more ideas for activities?

Finding activities to do with kids can sometimes be a challenge. If you are looking for ideas, we have more at Santa Academy. You can download several activities from our activity packs. We have several to choose from, inspired by our different factions. You can learn how to care for pets and practice PE with Reindeer Recruits. Learn how plastic damages the environment and how different cultures celebrate Christmas with Fairy Fellows. Make slime and candy with Elf Ed!

Keep up with Santa Academy

You can find new stories every day on the Lacus Herald! Your little one can stay up to date with all their favourite characters, as well as the latest news. At Santa Academy, your little one can join Reindeer Recruit, Fairy Fellow or enrol into Elf Ed! Lacus Island features 70+ characters, 50+ buildings, 19 unique shops and its own TV and radio stations.

Lacus Herald

Many children have missed out on their learning due to the Covid-19 pandemic. We know how crucial it is to help kids catch up. That was one of the reasons for launching our learning resources. Our resources aim to keep kids reading and give families something they can enjoy together.

We know our resources have been a great help to those home-schooling children. So, we are not stopping there! On the Lacus Herald, we will be publishing stories and news updates daily. Your kids can stay updated with Santa Academy and continue their learning in a fun environment. Designed to be enjoyed by the whole family.

Find more fun, festive tips and ideas, such as:

• Easy Christmas crafts for kids
• Christmas printables
• Things to do near you for Christmas
• Christmas activity book ideas
• Christmas art ideas
• Christmas party ideas for kids
• Tips for helping kids to read
• Christmas baking for kids
• Christmas countdown ideas for your family
• Christmas writing ideas
• And many more!