Play naturally
Filed Under Going Green, Stuff | October 2, 2007
As every week seems to bring a new recall of imported toys, we’re trying to restrain ourselves from tossing out everything in our toy box and starting again from scratch. Not because we don’t want to, but because not only can we can just imagine the pint-sized emotional fall out but our garbage and recycling are already overflowing.
We turned to natural toy expert, Bridgitte Alomes of Natural Pod, for some wherefores and whys of non-toxic play. Natural Pod came about when Alomes and her husband had their first child, now four-and-a-half. They chose organic food and organic clothes for him, but when it came to play they had a hard time finding toys made and finished in a natural way.
They live by a less is more philosophy. Safe, non-toxic, educational toys designed for creative, open-ended play, have longevity. And if your toy isn’t limited to one function, pushing a button to make a noise for example, then you can do a lot more with a lot less.
We asked Alomes about a few things that have us stumped. What do you do for bath toys if you’re approaching life from a non-plastic point of view? How to you get the message across to your extended family of gift-givers? And how do you feed babies and toddlers if you don’t want to use plastic dishes and cutlery and you don’t want to endanger your china?
For bath time Natural Pod recommends wooden boats. They stock a selection of boats finished with beeswax for bath time from $10 on up. You can also use their wooden stacking bowls for pouring and tipping. The key to using wood in the bath is to make sure you dry it and air it after use. If it starts to become discoloured you can sand it lightly and apply more beeswax and it will be as good as new.
Letting grandparents and extended family know that you’re more into traditional, well-meaning, non-toxic toys rather than the latest gadget, is an educational process. As Alomes says, “You can help people pull back and let them know they can show their love without giving lots of presents.” When Natural Pod adds a registry to their site later this fall it will be even easier for those gift givers near and dear to your little ones as you can just direct them to your wish list.
As for eating, Natural Pod has just started to carry a cherry wood spoon and bowl which are sanded silky smooth and sealed with beeswax. And you’d be surprised how dexterous a toddler can be with regular cutlery and china if you give them the chance…
New today on our list of things to do around town that aren’t affected by the strike:
If you live on or near the UBC campus you may want to check out their Sustainability Fair & “Keep the Farm Gates Open” Fundraiser on Wednesday, October 3rd from 11:30 am – 3:30 pm. Sustainability super-heroes will be giving a campus sustainability tour, there’ll be live music, local food to eat, interactive ‘go sustainable’ booths and more. We’re most intrigued by the Friend’s of the Farm’s “Parade of Lost Vegetables.”
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