Just in time for the Holidays, the Canadian Toy Council had announced the 2011 Childrens Choice Toys — or perhaps as they should be known, the Great Big List of Plastic Stuff. OK, perhaps that may be a little too harsh — after all, it is the holiday season, and the last thing we want is to end up on Santa’s naughty list.
That said, if you have kids on your list whom you’d prefer to give gifts with lasting value, or if you’d simply prefer not to see yet more plastic stuff scattered around your living room on Christmas morning, The Pebble team has compiled its own list of recommended toys — all of the fun, none of the plastic. And of course, we carry each and every one of them (at least while supplies last, so you may want to hurry.)
We think St. Nick would be proud.
(1) Wishbone Flip
It’s a rocker that converts to ride-on in mere seconds, thanks to a nifty flipping mechanism. Its simple, beautiful design includes double bolt holes that allow the Flip to grow with your child. Made from 100% reforested birch plywood. Meets current European, US and international toy safety standards. Recommended for ages 1 to 5.
(2) Educo Salad
Create a gourmet salad with fabric lettuce and carrot strips, wooden peppers, cucumbers, onions and tomato slices. Toss with a little imaginary dressing from an exquisite salad dressing bottle, and you’ve got yourself some delicious and healthy lifetime eating habits reinforced by early-age play.
You just can’t go wrong with the classics. The xylophone is simply one of the best ways to introduce toddlers to their inner musician. Especially when it’s a top-quality Plan Toys xylophone, made of chemical free, kiln-dried recycled rubber wood.
(4) Manhattan Toy Puppet Theatre
For those who love to give the gift of originality, it’s hard to top this one. This adorable yet functional puppet theatre will give new life to old puppets — and raise the interest level in new ones — while inspiring kids to create, imagine and perform. And when the show’s over, it also doubles as a couch cushion-saving fort.
(5) Beleduc Puppets
Sometimes, all you need is a stocking stuffer. Beleduc hand puppets fit almost any hand (as well as almost any gift budget) and are almost too adorable to be legal.
(6) Blabla Dolls
A great story makes a great gift even better. Blabla Dolls are more than just irresistibly soft and cuddly pals; designed by Florence Wetterwald and knitted by Peruvian artisans, everything about them is handmade from exceptional quality natural fibers grown in Peru.
The simple, poetic, and vibrant style combined with the ancestral knowledge of the knitters has created products which look contemporary, yet feel like old friends. And that’s something you just don’t get from Fisher-Price.
(7) Educo My Creative Cookery Kitchen
Turns out the Canadian Toy Council agrees with us on this one; this toy has earned the Council’s 3-star award. There are plenty of play kitchens out there, but Educo’s version is easily one of the best. Yet while most other top-of-the-line toy kitchens can be ridiculously expensive, the Educo kitchen offers some of the best value, considering not only its outstanding quality but everything that’s included with it: a refrigerator, a cook top, a sink — even an oven with a see-through door. There are also plenty of ingredients for the perfect meal, including veggies, bread, an egg, cheese, pizza, salt and pepper, pots and pans, and utensils.
This is the kind of gift that makes adults wish they were still small enough to take it for a spin. The Prince Lionheart Wheely has won a bevy of international toy awards, is constructed from the highest quality materials and is entirely non-toxic and contains no PVC. Oh, and did we mention it’s crazy fun?
(9) Wishing Owls
For those who love giving one-of-a-kind gifts, no two Wishing Owls are alike. And no, that’s not just a bunch of sales hyperbole — each and every one is literally unique. How can this be? Because they’re all hand-made in Vancouver using recycled, re-used and vintage fabrics. (Some new fabrics and fill are used, but all ‘new’ materials are actually made from recycled plastic bottles.) Available in small and large sizes.
(10) Modern-Twist Kidz Placemat & Marker Set
Setting the table is a lot more fun when the placemats look like this, and you even get to color them. Collaborating with independent artists, these placemats features playful yet amazing artwork. Just clean off with a damp cloth or rinse, and color again & again; washable markers are included but any washable or dry-erase markers will work. Made from silky food-grade, hand silk-screened silicone, these mats are a non-porous, germ-free surface, free of BPA, lead, latex & phthalates, and won’t crease or rip. Ideal for traveling.
