Sprout Holiday: Organic & Natural Gift Guide

This time of year, there are many guides talking about gifts for babies and children. These are great to read and can help choose presents for your little ones and extended family members, but it is also essential to remember to give healthy gifts to your loved ones. Many of today’s popular clothing and toy brands are still made with harmful chemicals such as BPA, phthalates, and flame retardants to name a few. Buying all wood toys and organic clothing or stuffed animals can be more expensive, but you can rest assured they are healthier and stronger so they will last longer than the alternatives. One thing I really love about wooden toys is they are often decorative, so when your child is either too young to play with them or has out-grown them, they still have a good-looking and long-lasting purpose and can be passed down through generations. Below is a Sprout gift guide with a few of our favorite toys that we carry in both our NY and SF stores. Our smallest customers love them and it makes us feel great to know that not only are they having fun while playing, they’re also being healthy and safe.

Wooden Toys:
Classic ABC Blocks– These all wooden blocks are a staple in any child’s toy collection. Made with natural wood and water based paints, they are completely safe for babies to teeth on and perfect for tower building. Choose a set in a box or a cute pull wagon. These classic blocks are also great for a new baby as decoration in the nursery spelling out their name on a shelf.

Truck Push Cart– We especially love Manny & Simon’s new push cart for it’s bright colors and unique design.  Its modern design creates stylish storage options too. This is such a great gift for a new walker or active toddler. Crafted from recycled wood, this made in the USA push cart, has no VOC’s and is formaldehyde free. They also make this great pink buggy!

Plush Toys:
Finger Puppets– We love Apple Park’s 100% organic cotton finger puppets! They are fun for all ages, whether you are entertaining a baby or watching your toddler put on a show.  No need to worry when they go into your child’s mouth, they are 100% organic cotton with no flame-retardants or added chemicals.

Stuffed Teddy Bear– Who doesn’t love a cozy stuffed teddy around the holidays, especially when tying a cute  big red bow around its neck?  One of our top selling stuffed animals is the Aurora Teddy, made with 100% soy fiber on the outside, 100% Kapok stuffing, a golden silky fiber known for its hypoallergenic softness.

For the Artist:
EcoPaint– This gift is perfect for the blossoming artist or toddler to express their creative side. Made of 100% natural, safe, and organic fruit, plant and vegetable extracts. They can create their master piece while you have the ease of knowing the paint is harmless.

Musical Band– This is perfect for entertaining at a holiday party full of little ones! This musical band set up is made with organic rubber and natural wood.  Not only will it last through endless music sets, it will also keep your little one entertained for hours!

The gift that keeps on giving:
The AM Globe is a wonderfully handmade plush toy with a wonderful message. This is a limited edition and each globe is numbered and hand made by artisans in the hills of Arequipa, Peru. Crafted with a rattle inside, this eight-inch globe celebrates the joy of childhood, the playfulness of a simple design, and the closeness of the world in our hands. 100% of proceeds from this globe go to the REMOTE CLASSROOMS INTERNATIONAL FOUNDATION – (RCI), in conjunction with funding local organizations focused on children's education. The RCI Foundation is works to bring education to children living in rural areas where the basic fundamentals of learning is impossible or too challenging due to location and/or poverty. What a wonderful way to give a gift and give back to an amazing foundation too.

We have many more natural and organic toys and clothes online as well as in our New York City and San Francisco stores.  We will have our most popular toys pre-wrapped with festive recycled paper in our stores to make your shopping that much easier. We’re also offering a holiday shopping discount now through Dec15th.  Just type in “hh11” at check out to receive 15% off your next purchase!

Happy Holidays From Sprout!