The Best Eco Friendly Gifts for Kids This Christmas | Gift Ideas by Age square image

The Best Eco Friendly Gifts for Kids This Christmas | Gift Ideas by Age

Ethical and eco friendly gifts for kids that are making a positive change around the world. 

Discover ethical and sustainable Christmas gifts for kids. We bring you inspiring eco friendly gifts for kids by age: for babies, toddlers, pre-schoolers, primary school aged children and older kids and teenagers.

Contents: 

Explore Christmas at Good Things: hundreds of gifts, toys, accessories and homeware that make a positive difference to people and planet. Ethical and plastic-free Christmas decorations, recycled Christmas cards supporting great causes, 100% recycled gift wrapgift ideas for all ages, eco stocking fillers and digital gift cards.

Christmas Presents for Babies (0 - 12 months)

First Christmases are so special. Explore a selection of organic, recycled and lovingly handmade fair trade gifts that will be loved by babies and the adults around them.

The Best Eco Friendly Gifts for Kids This Christmas | Gift Ideas for babies

Clockwise from top left: Animal Alphabet Wall Hanging, £49.95; Organic Teether - Sloth, £16.50; Green Toys Recycled Plastic Stacking Cups, £14; Adam Fair Trade Doll, £22; Green Toys Recycled Plastic Block Set, £28

Our top picks:

Green Toys Tugboat, £12.50 (below, left)

A fun first bath toy that's made entirely from recycled plastic! It floats, scoops and pours. Suitable for 6 months +

Organic Cotton Activity Pad - Woodland, £35 (below, centre)

Described by one parent as "like catnip for babies", this beautiful organic cotton activity pad has a rattle, crinkle, squeaker and maple wood teething ring. It'll keep babies engaged and entertained during the festive period and beyond!

Cotton Baby Shoes with Gift Bag, £16 (below, right) 

Everyone wants to look sharp at Christmas! These super-cute baby shoes come in a matching soft cotton gift bag. We love the safari animal print in a choice of three colours, and the way they support Fair Trade work and opportunities for people with disabilities in Tanzania.

The Best Eco Friendly Gifts for Kids This Christmas | Gift Ideas by Age from Babies to Teens - Babies our pick

 

Explore ethical and sustainable baby gifts and toys at Good Things

Christmas Presents for Toddlers (1 - 3 years)

When Christmas begins to get really fun it's great to give presents that keep little ones entertained, and that will stand some rough play! Discover toys made from recycled plastic that may otherwise have entered our oceans, toys designed to stimulate and encourage learning and development, and some sustainable twists on classics!

Sustainable Christmas presents for a toddler

Clockwise from top left: Green Toys Recycled Plastic Watering Can and Little Gardeners Kit, £18.50; Wee Gallery Numbered Nesting and Stacking Blocks, £25; Green Toys Recycled Shape Sorter Truck, £35; Fair Trade Reversible Cotton Crown, £18; Tegu 42-piece Magnetic Wooden Building Blocks, £110

Our suggestions:

Grow Wild Growth Chart in Organic Cotton, Rainforest Design, £34.50 (below, left)

This beautiful growth chart features rainforest animals in black and white print with metallic silver detail. It has a waxed cotton cord, wooden dowl and organic cotton canvas carry bag.

Toy Cooking Set - Fair Trade, £59 (below, centre)

Cook up a feast with this 30-piece colourful cotton toy cooking set including table-top hob, basket of fruit and veg, two pans with pan holders, utensils and assorted groceries all ingeniously made from cotton! This Fair Trade hand-loomed cotton play set is vegan-friendly and machine washable too.

Magnetic Wooden Prism Pocket Pouch, £22 (below, right)

Ignite their imagination with this magnetic wooden prism pocket pouch set. These vibrant wooden blocks, concealing sealed magnets, empower kids to craft creative structures. Perfect for travel or entertainment when you're out and about, they store neatly in a felt pouch. 

The Best Eco Gifts for Kids This Christmas | Gift Ideas for toddlers

Explore ethical and sustainable gifts and toys for toddlers

Gifts for 3, 4 and 5 year-olds

As children begin to get swept up in the excitement of Christmas we bring you a selection of open-ended toys to encourage imaginative play, as well as cute handmade and Fair Trade products creating change in Sri Lanka.

The Best Eco Friendly Gifts for Kids This Christmas | Gift Ideas for ages 3, 4 and 5 year-olds

Clockwise from top left: Fair Trade Cotton Whale and Friends Soft Toy, £25; Handmade Safari Animals Dress from Neema Crafts, £28; Polar Explorer Play Set Toy Pouch, £32; Green Toys Car Carrier and Three Cars, £25; Cotton Picnic Play Set, £30; Green Toys Doctor's Kit with Toy Ambulance, £42

We particularly like:

Stegosaurus Dinosaur Toy, £25 (below, left)

Don't worry, it's not as fierce as it looks! This Fair Trade stegosaurus dinosaur soft toy is made from hand-loomed cotton. It's made in Sri Lanka where the artisans who make this toy are paid fairly and benefit from child care, health education and skills training. 

Green Toys Recycling Truck, £26 (below, centre)

Things are about to get a bit meta, luckily if you're under 5 you'll take that in your stride. Learn all about recycling with this cool recycling truck - which is made entirely from recycled plastic itself! Green Toys make their eco-friendly toys from recycled plastic milk bottles, prevented from entering landfill.

Earth Heroes Gift Set from Little People, Big Dreams, £25 (below, right)

Introduce little ones to Earth Heroes with this inspiring gift set featuring Jane Goodall, Greta Thunberg, and David Attenborough. Three hardback books from the acclaimed Little People, Big Dreams series tell the stories of the remarkable lives of these individuals dedicated to understanding and protecting our planet. Our picks: The best eco friendly gifts for children this Christmas | gifts for ages 3, 4 and 5 year-olds

Ethical and sustainable gift and toy ideas for 3, 4 and 5 year olds

Gift Ideas for Children Aged 5 to 11 years

As children get a little older it can be hard to find sustainably made products and avoid screens. We've gathered a range of engaging, creative gifts that will keep kids busy and help them learn about the world around them.

The Best Eco Friendly Gifts for Kids This Christmas | Gift Ideas for primary school aged children

Clockwise from top left: Build and Play Santa's Midnight Sleigh Ride, £12; Hedgeways Strategy Game, £24; Little People, Big Dreams Treasury, £30; Green Toys Eco Saucer Flying Disc, £9; Kids' Bamboo Socks that help Hedgehogs, £7.50; Handmade and Fair Trade Hippo Cushion, from £22

Looking for ideas?

Super Sapiens Card Game, £12 (below, left)

A 3-in-1 card game that pays tribute to 12 inspiring and diverse women from around the world. Plastic-free fun and 75% of profits go to black, indigenous and people of colour-led organisations

Pucket Catapult Board Game, £49 (below, centre)

A beautifully hand-crafted wooden catapult game of dexterity and skill. Race to catapult your pucks from your side of the board, through the gate in the middle of the board to the other side! Just be warned: this will get competitive!

Build and Play Toy Space Station, £18 (below, right)

Sometimes Christmas requires a project. This eco-friendly build and play toy space station has fabulous attention to detail and is completely plastic-free! Pop out the pre-cut pieces and follow the visual instructions to bring your space station with dockable capsule to life. This 102-piece play set was developed in partnership with the Science Museum and includes a research lab, opposable arm and two astronauts. Recommended for ages 6+

Ethical and sustainable gifts, toys and games for 5 to 11 year-olds

Ethical and sustainable gifts, toys and games for 5 to 11 year-olds

Gifts for older kids and teenagers (12+)

From beautiful handcrafted wooden games you'll treasure for generations, to mindful gifts, and fabulous handmade Tanzanian treats with amazing stories to tell. A wonderful range of eco-friendly products that make a positive change in the world.

The Best Ethical and Sustainable Gifts for Christmas for older kids and teenagers

Clockwise from top left: Brixton Backpack made from Recycled Materials, £59; Illustrated Insulated Water Bottle, £28; Colourful Scrunchie Changing Lives in Yellow; Handmade Tassel Earrings, £12; Rollet Ricochet Game, £62; Recycled Eco Pen Set made from Plastic Bottles, £3.99

Our faves:

Sproutword Game - 2-4 player tin, £23 (below, left)

Christmas is the time for a competitive game and this fun and strategic word games will have you hooked! Create and change existing words and try to take control of the Sproutword to win the game. The game is designed to be as eco-friendly as possible, it’s completely plastic free and the beautiful wooden letter tiles are made in Devon.

Ideas Pocketbook with Recycled Coffee Cup Cover, £4.99 (below, centre)

This sustainable pocketbook has a cover made from 100% recycled coffee cups and recycled paper pages, proceeds also supports children's education projects worldwide.

Fair Trade Zebra Print Cushion, from £19 (below, right) 

A firm favourite at Good Things HQ, this hand screen-printed linen cushion cover features a contemporary contrasting zebra print on the front, and tassels on each corner. Neema Crafts transforms the lives of people with disabilities in Tanzania through Fair Trade work and opportunities.

The Best Eco Friendly Gifts for Kids This Christmas | Gift Ideas for older kids and teenagers

Have a look at gifts and games for older kids and teenagers

Sustainable wrapping paper and ethical cards

A sustainable Christmas isn't just about the gifts you give. Did you know that often wrapping paper can't be recycled? This can be because of poor quality paper fibres, and because the designs often include glitter and plastic strands which aren't recyclable. Fear not! We've tracked down 100% recycled and recyclable wrapping paper in some gorgeous colourful designs. This is the kind of quality you'll use again and again. Plus explore ethical cards that are 100% recycled, and providing life-changing work and opportunities in the UK and around the world.

Sustainable wrapping paper and ethical cards

Clockwise from top left: Christmas Bears - Handmade and Recycled Christmas Card; Christmas Snowmen Recycled Wrapping Paper; Christmas Baubles Teal Recycled Wrapping Paper; Merry Catmas Recycled Christmas Card; Christmas Bears Recycled Wrapping Paper

Just to make things even easier we can also hand gift wrap your presents this Christmas. Just select the option to add gift wrap or a handwritten card when you choose your gift.

If you're still looking for inspiration why not check out all our good things or explore our gifts by age?

You might also like:

Ethical and sustainable Christmas gifts for kids - Good Things banner

At Good Things you’ll find inspiring ethical and sustainable gifts that support charities, empower people and protect our planet. Discover gifts for all ages and inspiring ideas like cards that plant trees, handmade cushions empowering people in Tanzania and eco toys made from recycled milk bottles. Have a look at our collections.

Check out more Little Ways to Love the Planet or sign up to have Good Things popped into your inbox every other week.

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