Wait, I'm not just repeating articles, am I?

Everybody is going green these days. It’s rather trendy to say the least, so it’s no surprise that toys are following the trend and selling big when it comes to eco-friendly categories. If you’d very much like to give your kids something fun to play with that they’re guaranteed to enjoy plus is quite possibly better for the environment in the long run, then good news because here’s an article about the top selling eco-friendly toys right this second.

Still Going Green It Seems

Do you remember me talking about the company Green Toys a while ago? I’m not here to judge; it was after all quite some time since that article. The reason I’m bringing them up is because they’re selling one heck of a lot of their toys right now with the number one green toy of them all being the Green Toys Tea Set that I went on about in my article. Someone must have been listening to me when I wrote the positive review or something. Of course they aren’t just a one-trick pony since they also have a cookware and dining set, a dump truck, and a sand playset. You know, things every kid should already have. The best part of all that is that none of those toys are particularly expensive with only the full cookware and dining set being over $30.

Dang it, now I want to go play in the sand.

Green toys may have a lot in the bestseller category, but they aren’t alone. Another company called i Play is doing quite fine for themselves until Apple decides to sue them for using a lowercase I in their company name. Their top item is the Green Sprouts Stacking Cup Set, yet another incredibly simple toy that happens to be a toy every kid should own. Heck, I had a set of these when I was a kid, but I’m sure this set is a lot better for the environment.

My set had much manlier colors though, but otherwise they looked the same.

If you’d prefer something way more advanced, check out Elenco Electronics’ Frightened Grasshopper Solar Powered Bug. I swear to you I didn’t just invent that thing, and even better, this robo-bug is only $7. That’s a deal no matter who you are.

Alright, I'll allow a robo-grasshopper, but as soon as we get robo-hornets I say we've gone too far.

Sprig Toys have a handful of bestsellers when it comes to construction vehicle toys if you’d rather not buy everything from Green Toys. Let the girls have their tea sets, us boys got stuff to dig and construct and whatnot. Then after we’re done with that maybe some more tea.

Once more, all I want to do now is go play in the sand.

Rounding out the bestsellers is Plan Toys with a couple items. What’s their highest selling item right now? A solid wood drum. That’s it. Just a little drum with a little mallet. While I’m all for kids having a toy drum, I’m not everyone. Plan Toys also has a doll house nursery set for the less noisy children, though I’m somewhat surprised to find out that the toy drum is $21 and the doll house set is $18. I must be really out of touch with my green side.

Yup, that's one wooden drum there.

So there you have it folks, a multitude of great eco-friendly toys at affordable prices. Now if you’ll excuse me, it’s once more time for tea.

That list goes as follows: Slinkies, Silly Putty, jump ropes, Frisbees, (or non-name brand equivalent), Ninja Turtles/G.I. Joes/Batman action figures, a stuffed animal of some sort, a PRETEND phone (not a real one), a hat that should never be worn in public but is anyway, and a tea set.  If any one of these is skipped, then the child will grow up to be sad, stupid, and probably a jerk.

Green Toys Inc. is a company that specializes in making toys made from recycled plastic, does everything in the USA to save transportation costs, and ends up saving a heck of a lot of energy in the process.

While Green Toys has a fair number of important toys, such as the aforementioned jump rope, I’m here to point you towards their tea set, of which they say, “Talk about green tea!”  I don’t approve of jokes that aren’t mine, but I approve of this one, just this once.

This earth-friendly tea set retails for slightly over $20 and looks about as sturdy as any child’s tea set must be, especially if they intend to have ninjas show up at said tea party.  No matter their material, tea sets have always been effective for building social skills, and imagination. The tea set updates the vintage toy feel of tea time, as it is made with recycled milk containers, with absolutely no phyhalates or BPA.   This is a great way to perserve the tradition of girls tea time, without the danger of broken ceramics.

Do your little girl a favor and get her a tea set that’s high quality, affordable, and does its part to ensure there’s still a world left for her to have tea in.   I don’t mean to get preachy, but I haven’t had my afternoon tea yet and I’m becoming slightly cranky.

For a great review of some of the most innovative products, check out Lisa Casinger’s review.  She writes that,

As for news tidbits–I learned that Kaloo is now making all of its furniture in Canada rather than China; Fisher Price has another complete line developed exclusively for independent retailers; Netto is planning on expanding into toddler furniture and a bunk bed in 2009; Crown Craft has the license for Major League Baseball for toddler bedding; LaJobi is moving away from drop side cribs; and more companies are adding organic or eco-friendly products.

Meanwhile, Heather Nolte from Startup Nation commented that sales are low for many manufacturers, which may be why many of them didn’t show up in the first place.

I couldn’t help but notice a reoccurring theme throughout the five day show.Nobody wanted new.The manufacturers I spoke with all commented that sales were down about 35-50% and that the customers that were still buying were existing customers.I couldn’t help but feel sorry for the newcomers that ventured out to the show for their big launch, as many left with no orders written.It seems the economy has left the buyers skittish and I can’t blame them.

Monkey Meditations by Pilloroo

Yikes!  Well, the economy may not be dazzling, but at least there are still plenty of creative toys being thrust out into the marketplace.

Personally, one of my favorite toy products at the expo that has been the subject of online toy talk is Pilloroo pillows.  Each pillow comes with a tiny stuffed animal that lives in the pillow’s secret pouch.  It’s so cute I don’t know what do with myself.  The pillows are hand-sewn in the United States and available at select toy boutiques.

Do you have any stories from the ABC Kids Expo?   Feel free to join in on the conversation about your experience.

Toy News reports:

One of many firms taking a greener approach is Thailand-based wooden toy manufacturer, Wonderworld, by participating in a localised tree re-planting scheme and manufacturing a range of educational games and toys to raise awareness of environmental issues. And privately-owned DKL Marketing is showing its support too, by playing an active role in the product development and distribution of its Eco Series range

We expect this trend to continue to grow in the next five years, so be on the look out for great new eco-friendly games, as well as green-washing attempts to sell games that are not really eco-friendly.