Green Ideas for Children This Holiday Season
The holiday season is fast approaching and there are many ways to spread the good cheer to our children by not only giving green toys but also teaching them green practices.
If you’re children like mine ask every two seconds while watching a cartoon I want that No I want that Wait, wait, I want that you are not alone. there are toys from crying babies that can eat and talk to full size robots that can move around with a touch of a button. Bikes and trikes, scooters, and mini toy cars. Lets not even mention the stocking stuffer toys that are itty bits of plastic that are used as filler that will soon get thrown away.
Also you soon realize that after giving all your children toys and gifts that after a week or two most of them lay in the toy room and not picked up again for months or never. then the next Christmas comes along and more toys are added and more and more until finally there are so many toys with missing pieces, broken arms and ripped out pages that they get thrown away. It can be a never ending cycle of buying more and wasting more. Not just your money but also the earth.
I would like to offer some green present ideas and green gift substitutes for this holiday season. I think that the holiday season can be more memorable and enjoyable if we can take the time to focus on our families and our community. When we keep things small and simple we feel healthy in our minds and our bodies. Our community and earth benefit as well with less waste products filling land and air.
Try to upcycle toys with neighbors and extended family. Most toys in your own home are in great condition but are maybe not age appropriate. if you have a neighbor who has a daughter a few years older than your daughter see if there are some toys that you could either trade for or buy to save money and landfill space. if you have a friend who’s son is obsessed with trains contact her and let her know that your son has outgrown all his.
Look around your house for objects that can be made into toys. try making a doll house out of a large sturdy cardboard box, take your time cutting out windows and doors, attach wallpaper from leftover wallpaper from your dining room, use extra fabric to make bed coverings and window curtains. Children love getting gifts from the heart not just from the toy store.
If you know how to wood work ask for free leftover wood at a lumber store or construction site. Check out the internet for instructions to build wooden toys like trains, cars, toy guns, and even action figures. any boy would love to play and imagine with something that was made just for him.
Green Gift Substitutes
For older children who have grown out of toys a great idea to enjoy the holiday season while being green is volunteering at homeless shelters and soup kitchens either during Christmas season or even on Christmas day. Have them look for gently used toys and clothes that they have outgrown that they would like to donate. Or try a road side clean up activity where all cans collected could be exchanged for money and donated to a cause.
Another great idea for gift giving within the family is gifts of service. A foot rub for mom, doing dishes for one week for brother, shoveling snow for dad. Gifts of service often say more than a watch or new CD.
If you do buy toys try to look for toys that are made from recycled plastics. Check out Etsy for homemade gifts that are made in a more homemade green way.
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