to ask for your ethical toy suggestions for 1 year old?

[namechangeindiana]

I'm having a clearout of all of his tacky plastic toys that he never plays with and am donating to a women's refuge. I've discovered Grimms toys and his favourite toys are the Grimms rainbow, stacking blocks and his wobbel board.

Can anyone recommend any nice, ethical wooden toys that will entertain a one year old?

You also need a wnacky basket

www.elc.co.uk/wooden-toys/Early-Learning-Centre-Wooden-London-Bus/p/540378

My children and all my visiting kids have loved this wooden bus

Also a bag of wooden musical instruments has been used for years (still used by my 8 year old)

@LipstickLoves I was looking at musical instruments today. He has a plan toys drum and xylophone but think I may invest in some shakers. I refuse to buy a recorder

Well, I hope the children at the refuge enjoy your ‘tacky’ toys

The Plan Toys Chicken Stacker was very beloved by my then 1 year old.

Some pans and wooden spoons, maybe a hemp tea towel to have tea parties on with various home knitted endangered animals. A pile of twigs and various coloured leaves for the garden.

@Rainallnight well, they are tacky, in my opinion. They're crappy plastic things that will someday end up in landfill. I've discovered toys that I personally think are nicer and are actually cheaper than the plastic toys I bought. I put a post on social media to see if anyone wanted them and someone contacted me to say she was taking donations to a local refuge, so that's what I'm doing.

Just my opinion.

https://smile.amazon.co.uk/JEROOP-Instruments-Percussion-Carrying-Educational/dp/B07TCGRRTN/ref=mpssa113?dchild=1&keywords=kids+bag+instruments&qid=1592602787&sr=8-3

I bought a bag of instruments like this years ago and they've been played by all ages!

@FlibbertyGiblets

You also need a wnacky basket

I've only just cleared out our wnaky basket that I started when dd2 was about 6 months old...she's nearly 14!

OP, wooden play food was a huge hit with my younger two DC www.amazon.co.uk/Kitchen-Food-Toys-Wooden-Pretend-Play/s?rh=n%3A364317031%2Cp_n_feature_keywords_browse-bin%3A2375753031&tag=mumsnetforu03-21

@namechangeindiana now my DD is a bit older I am so surprised by how expensive branded toys like LOL dolls are in comparison to their value.

The wooden/ethical toys and Lego offer much more value for money and they usually sell on well too.

Are we talking closer to 12 months or 24? Mine got a wooden mud kitchen for her second birthday which is still played with almost daily 3 years later. Also a decent large wooden dolls house (plan toys do good wooden furniture and people) and play kitchen? Smaller toys that proved popular were the wheelybug, a Brio Walker/trolley thing. Brio train set as well.

Do be prepared for your 1 year old to become a toddler who quite likes a few tacky toys though op

I'd say part of being ethical is buying smart. Nothing wrong with a plastic toy in itself, the problem is if it's used twice and then chucked to landfill. I'd say scour charity shops for toys, plastic or wooden, they're both ethical in origin from them. And then try and look after any toys (again plastic or wooden) so that they can be passed on and lots of use can be got out of them to make their carbon footprint 'worth it'.

Theres a wonderful shop who also sell online with loads of bits that would be perfect www.moolikeamonkey.com

I hope the children at the refuge get some enjoyment from the toys you donated and I'm sure many of those women do not have the luxury of choosing toys due to their terrible circumstances. A library of nice books that your child would enjoy for years to come. Sand pit (wooden) is the most popular toy here.

Cardboard boxes, a wooden spoon and a saucepan kept my vile little brother happy for hours.

DS1 had Grimms and Goki trucks.

Agree with a PP though, you can do as much as possible to prevent plastic they will still stockpile Happy Meal toys like their own pirate booty and no matter how much you insist people don't buy plastic; your living room will potentially be filled with Toot toot drivers.

Buying new isn't ethical, its generally green wash. If you look at waste reduction, its reduce (don't buy) reuse (buy second hand) and lastly recycled (new from old).

Anyway, we've had excellent use out of a wooden kitchen and play food, one of our longest played with toys with all 3 children.

Wooden doctor’s kit was also a good purchase. But agree with the above - whatever visions I had of a tastefully decorated room full of wooden educational toys has gone out the window now she can request what she wants for birthdays and Christmas. Plastic and unicorns galore.

I spent 3 months in a refuge when I fled from my abusive partner. My son was only 3 months old but had he been older we would have been greatly appreciative of any toys we were afforded.

All of our toys have been bought second hand from wooden toy buying and selling sites (there are loads of them and they're amazing!)

He's 20 months this month so closer to 2 but only slightly.