15 Great Eco-Friendly Non-Toxic Holiday Gifts for children.

Like everything we recommend here on Good as Dirt, eco-friendly gifts should be plastic-free and non-toxic. Stores are overflowing with plastic toys, which include polyester-filled stuffies and toys made with synthetic fabrics. Plastic is toxic. It pollutes the environment, contributes to global warming and it poisons us, our pets and wildlife from the moment the crude oil from which it’s made is drawn from the earth. Once purchased and brought home, the shedding of microplastics is just one of many ways it’s harmful and all plastic does this over time. Polyester and other synthetics shed microplastic fibers even faster than hard plastics. They send this toxic dust into the air and environment every time they’re used, are played with, slept on or washed. (This is one reason never to buy polyester pillows and blankets.) Many soft flexible plastics also emit phthalates and other endocrine disruptors which damage the hormone system, among other harmful effects.

Looking at other holiday recommendation lists for purportedly eco-friendly toys and gifts, the number of plastic and otherwise not eco-friendly products that are there is disheartening. It’s greenwashing, which is the deceptive practice of labeling something eco-friendly when it’s not. Good as Dirt is a greenwashing-free zone. Everything we recommend here is truly non-toxic, safe, plastic-free, environmentally-responsible and usually organic. Many are gifts that your child will enjoy for years. Many are educational and inspire creativity and imagination. All are eco-friendly.

Here are our top 15 recommendations for eco-friendly and healthy gifts for children this 2026 holiday season.

This solid wood honeycomb hexagon rattle from Grimm’s Spiel & Holz is made in Europe of alder and maple woods and finished with non-toxic water-based stains that sink into the wood and preserve the natural grain patterns on the surface.

2. HABA’s natural wooden blocks are made in Germany of responsibly-sourced, solid untreated beech wood. This 26-piece set is PEFC-certified, which means HABA uses timber from sustainably-managed forests located within 100 miles of its production facility. Each piece is sanded to be extra-smooth. Blocks are not only fun, they also foster spatial thinking and help develop logic skills and problem-solving skills, creativity, fine motor skills, cooperative skills and sensory awareness.

1. Apple Park’s stuffed non-toxic plastic-free dolls and stuffies are made with GOTS-certified organic cotton and filled with a stuffing made from corn husk fibers, not polyester. There are many dolls to choose from,. Wren has a cotton muslin dress with wooden buttons. Her hair and shoes are also organic cotton. There are no synthetic materials in Apple Park’s dolls and soft toys and only non-toxic OKEO-TEX 100 dyes are used. At right, Benny the bunny is also made with organic cotton and filled with Apple Park’s non-toxic corn husk stuffing. These are dolls that are safe for children to be snuggling with.

3.The Earth Book by popular children’s author Todd Parr introduces young children to the issues of environmental protection and conservation. Its colorful illustrations and simple message help inspire in children a love of nature and a recognition that there are steps we all can take to help protect the Earth. This New York Times bestseller is printed on recycled paper with soy inks. Books are a thoughtful present for children and offer endless enjoyment and opportunities for discovery, learning and entertainment. Those made responsibly and printed with non-toxic inks are best but as long as they’re not plastic most books are relatively eco-friendly.

4. This rideable delivery bike from Bella Luna Toys has a roomy storage basket up front that kids can put treasures in and take from place to place. It's made in Thailand from chemical-free rubberwood, using formaldehyde-free glues, organic pigments, and water based dyes. The wheels are rubber. It has a beep-beep horn for added fun.

5. This very cool botanical press from Eartheasy teaches children how to press and dry flowers. leaves and other plants. Filling the pages with different species can help them learn about each one. Using it throughout the years helps familiarize children with what plants emerge and bloom when. The press is made with wooden covers, paper pages and metal screws at each corner to tightly press the pages together .

6. There’s nothing like an outdoor playhouse for children of all ages to enjoy year-round. It’s an exciting get-away, a place for adventures, solitude and independence, for nurturing imaginations and making memories. This one from Eartheasy is made in Canada of rot-resistant western red cedar. There are no toxic chemicals or preservatives — just the wood’s natural durability. The cedar naturally weathers to a light gray if left unfinished but staining or painting is recommended to extend its life. It includes four functional aluminum, screened windows with tempered glass. It’s expensive ($5,988) but will provide years of fun, camaraderie and adventure right in your own backyard.

7. This rainbow jumprope from Bella Luna Toys is made of cotton and wood. That’s it. Zero synthetics. It fosters coordination, confidence, and movement, all wrapped in a timeless, heirloom-quality design. The wood handles are sanded silky-smooth and finished with a durable water-based varnish for comfortable grip and lasting use. The 100 percent cotton rope is painted with water-based non-toxic dyes.

8. Jigsaw puzzles are educational and fun and a great way for siblings and families to spend time together and get away from electronics and screens. eeboo’s non-toxic puzzles are made with recycled materials, vegetable-based ink, Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)-certified materials and biodegradable packaging. eeboo is women-owned and run and commissions original art for their puzzles from book illustrators around the world. This puzzle at left features shore birds. With 1000 pieces, a puzzle of this size and difficulty is a good option for the whole family. eeboo also has smaller puzzles for children such as this 500-piece moth puzzle and 20-piece garden animals puzzle, both at right.

9. Scrabble is a great game for learning vocabulary and strategy and offers a lifetime of fun and entertainment. Like other games and puzzles it brings family and friends together without electronic devices. It’s still made of cardboard and wood as it has been for almost a century We are looking into what the tile bag is made of but suspect it’s a synthetic. If so, that’s unfortunate but we still wanted to include Scrabble on this list. A quick fix if the bag is synthetic is to toss it out and replace it with a small paper or cotton bag.

10. One of the oldest board games throughout history, backgammon is a fun game of strategy, risk and luck. This set from Earthshopp is made in Thailand of sustainably-harvested mango wood and painted with non-toxic paints. The wood is finished with a gloss lacquer and teak oil. The board, dice and pieces are all wood. This is a game that will boost children’s confidence as they get better and better at it and they will enjoy it throughout their lives.

11. Grimm’s Spiel & Holz wooden toys are exceptionally well-made and eco-friendly and are truly heirloom-quality. They’re handmade in Europe, individually sawed from raw wood from area forests. They are stained -- not painted -- with non-toxic water-based dyes that penetrate the wood rather than sitting on top, which preserves the natural grain and surface characteristics of the wood. This truck is made from alder and maple wood and finished with plant-based oils and water-based stains. It has smooth rounded edges and it carries 10 colored blocks in the back.

12. This pentatonic glockenspiel from Sweden has seven brass keys tuned to the 5-tone pentatonic scale. It’s made of maple wood and brass and is finished with a wood varnish and beeswax polish. It comes with two mallets: one with a rubber head and one with a wood head.

This wooden rolling wheel from Grimm’s Spiel & Holz is handmade in Germany of lime wood and has a small bell inside that jingles when it’s rolled around and wooden balls that clatter. It’s finished with brilliant colorful water-based stains.

13. Uncle Goose’s vintage alphabet blocks are made in Grand Rapids, Michigan of Great Lakes region FSC-certified basswood and painted with non-toxic child-safe paints. They come in this handy wooden wagon which is a great place to keep them organized and tucked away. Uncle Goose blocks also feature many other themes including constellations, insects, Hebrew letters, Arabic letters and nursery rhymes. Uncle Goose is a family-owned business started in 1983 by a new dad in Michigan frustrated he couldn’t find good quality blocks for his young children. In time his two sons joined him in the thriving business and they continue today making their popular blocks.

14. HABA’s Terra Kids collection includes this fun and eco-friendly cork catamaran at left. It has a cork twin hull and rudder, wooden poles, beechwood sails and sisal lines. It comes as a kit so children can build the boat themselves before setting sail. As they test out their boat, they naturally learn about buoyancy, balance, wind power, and basic mechanics. At left is HABA’s cork single-hull DIY cork boat made from cork, wood and steel. The ropes are sisal and the pull cord is hemp. In 2021 it won a Best of Green Award, Eco-Family from the environmental news website Treehugger.

15. For gifts for infants, one of our top recommendations is Apple Park’s organic cotton blankies. This Mini Mushroom and Bunny Gift Set includes a bunny blankie made of lightweight organic cotton muslin and a mushroom toy, also of organic cotton, that has a baby-safe rattle inside. It’s filled with natural corn fiber. There’s no polyester or plastic anywhere. Other adorable blankies like this one feature cows, beavers, mice, dogs, giraffes and pigs and more.