This Plastic Free July it's time to turn your attention to plastic free toys. As an industry often overlooked environmentally, having a eco-friendly attitude to toys teaches your kids about consumption, plastic rubbish and finances.
We've put together a 31 day Plastic Free July challenge so you can have plastic free, eco friendly toy fun!
Toys are made from plastic
Over 90% of toys are made from virgin, petroleum-based plastic. The toy industry is on track to produce over 1 million tonnes of rubbish annually and its the most plastic intensive industry in the world.
Toys aren't recycled
Most toys are made from different components and, due to toy safety standards, are hard to take apart for recycling. Even if they are recycled, recycling is the ambulance at the bottom of the consumption cliff and not the answer to the fast turnover of cheap, plastic, disposable toys that can make havoc of any minimalist parent's home.
Plastic Free July eco friendly toys challenge
See how many of one-a day eco-friendly actions can you complete during Plastic Free July! Right click to download and print.
The 31 Plastic Free July eco friendly toy challenges
- Play games using household items, eg hunt the peg
- Make a toy from recycled materials
- Visit a toy library
- Visit the library and find a book you like
- Make a toy from natural materials
- Go through your toys and find any you don't play with any more
- Have a toy swap party with your friends
- Support a small toy company on social media
- Buy no new toys this month
- Take your old toys to the op shop
- Find your oldest toy, how long have you had it?
- How many toys do you have made from wood?
- How many of your toys are plastic?
- What is your favourite toy?
- Do you have a toy that has been passed down?
- Bring outdoor toys in out of the rain
- Give your toys a clean
- Are there any toys you can give to a friend?
- Got a party? Give something other than plastic toys
- Write a review for a toy that you bought from a small toy company
- Get outside into nature
- Ask your parents how many toys they had when they were kids
- Make a donation to a child in need
- Play board games together
- Learn why toys aren't recycled
- Learn a game from another country
- Learn a game your parents played when they were kids
- Which of your toys do you play with the most?
- If you could only have 5 toys what would they be?
- Check out World Sustainable Toy Day online
- Check out Sustained Fun online!