First Birthday Gift Suggestions from Itty Bitty Greenie

There is only a few more sleeps until my baby boy turns one and… um… er…. we haven’t bought him a birthday present yet.

I don’t know about you, but I find it rather hard to select first birthday presents. It seems like one year olds are too big for all of the ‘baby toys’ but not quite ready for most of the ‘older toys’. It also doesn’t help that he is the smallest of four, so we already have just about every toy that was ever invented!

To help me out with my dilemma I’ve asked Donna from Itty Bitty Greenie, one of Picklebum’s new advertisers, to tell me what her top five gifts for a one year old are and here’s what she said!

1) Pull-along toys
They’re great for little ones who are just learning how to walk because they
encourage movement and kids love watching the toy follow them as they walk
or cruise along. The Plan Toys pull-along toys are great because each one
has a different movement that’s really captivating. The zebra bobs its head,
the snake slithers side to side, the alligator dances and clatters….

2) Green Toys Vehicles
Whether it’s the recycling truck, the fire engine or one of the race cars,
these not only incorporate super-cool design (made out of 100% recycled
plastic) they’re also BPA, phthalate and lead free, amazingly durable and
wonderful for encouraging imaginative play.

3) Musical Toys
Drums, shakers, xylophones and any other musical instrument is a good way to
develop hand-eye co-ordination and reinforce a natural sense of rhythm that
all children have. My favourite is the colourful Plan Toys xylophone.

4) Eco-stars crayons
By age one most children are still learning to grasp objects and developing
motor skills, but these crayons are great because the star shape makes them
easy to grip. They’re also 100% recycled and non-toxic.

5) Puzzles
It might seem early to start puzzles at age one, but simple peg puzzles or
this 2-piece puzzle collection of farm animals is great for developing motor
skills and language. My son is two and a half and he loves the challenge of
putting puzzles together – even ones way beyond his skill level. It’s also a
great rainy day activity.

Apart from Itty Bitty Greenies great range of toys they also stock eco friendly kids clothes, skincare range, feeding utensils and more. I’ve been eyeing off the lovely animal bib (pictured). I also adore this Digital Love organic cotton t-shirt and as a long time cloth nappy nerd I am totally in love with this MiniLaLa bird cage nappy!

I also asked Donna why she thinks it is important to choose eco-friendly, sustainable items
for our children and family?

For me it comes down to making responsible choices as a consumer. I don’t
want to buy something if it means I will be exposing my child to chemicals
that may affect his health. I also don’t want to support companies that
pollute the environment – whether it’s through chemical dyes used in
colouring fabric or offering toys with excessive packaging. As parents we
have an obligation to be good role models for our children – to teach them
respect for their surroundings and for others. I’d rather have one $30 organic cotton T-shirt made with respect for the environment and the workers who produce it, than three $10 T-shirts that are synthetic, laden with chemicals and made by someone who isn’t earning a fair wage.

I confess, I am somewhat of a toy snob. I prefer our children to have toys made from natural materials, and those that don’t light up or play music. But our house has it’s fair share of noisy plastic toys too, we don’t always have the means or the option to buy eco even when we want to. But I am really pleased to see web stores like Itty Bitty Greenie. They make it easier for us to purchase toys and items for our children that are safe and ethical, and these days, even affordable.

Disclaimer – Itty Bitty Greenie is a paid advertiser on Picklebums (see their nifty little ad in my side bar?). Donna’s opinions and words, as directly quoted are her own, as are mine.