Many of our readers must have seen toy-story! If not all the parts then at least one of them. Indeed the story revolves around toys but it does show the harsh reality too where the kids outgrow their affection for these play mates and then, these little pieces are eventually thrown away, finally to land in either a landfill or the ocean.
Landing in a landfill is still fine but the ones which eventually land in the ocean, that is where the trouble begins. Also, unlike what we assume, it is the plastic toys that sell more than the usual stuff toys because of their durability and of course the variety that comes in them.
Now, plastic as we know is something that takes forever to decompose- a fact which is the reason behind the entire world trying to minimise the plastic usage. While the daily consumption has been reduced significantly thanks to the multiple awareness campaigns, yet children’s toys still remain a major pain area.
And somehow, it is impossible to not gift- the adults can understand but a child, there is a reason they are called children after all. So, as this holiday season commences, we did a bit of research and came up with some really good gifting ideas. And how are we so sure that these ideas are good? Well because some of us have children too and hence, we have seen some proven acceptance for these gifts before we thought of sharing this wisdom with the rest of the world.
Funskool Blocks
What legos are for the Americas, Funskool is for Asians but what makes them a better more environment friendly choice is the fact that they aren’t as small as an average Lego! They are mid to large sized blocks which are really hard to miss and since the plastic quality is so good that it won’t simply be damaged till you have gone on a mission to destroy it, a funskool block game purchased once will last several lifetimes.
And yes, sharing the stories and photographs of what one did with the same set of the blocks over generation would give you many precious memories to cherish over time.
Story Books- Tenaliraman and Panchtantra
These simply do not lose flavour ever. While there are multiple small storybooks which one can choose from, yet the wit and humour that Tenaliraman and Panchtantra come with has remained unparalleled, so much so that these books now have a huge international audience as well.
A workshop in Gardening
Or the likes. Now this might seem a bit out of place but there are multiple program providers which provide outdoor workshops in gardening, paddy farming, fruit cultivation, horticulture, fish farming etc. These workshops are usually bundled into an outdoor recreational activity so while the child enjoys, he or she also gets an experience to cherish and boast about too!
And of course, the fact that they learn something about growing things organically, it becomes an activity with added advantage!
Jenga
The timeless game which a lot of us have grown up playing too! Jenga blocks since made of recycled wooden blocks not just clears the world of the debris but also makes for a great engaging game for the kids. The fact that one has to watch every single move while playing to ensure that the structure doesn’t fall requires great concentration as well as patience.
The fact that it is a game for not just one but multiple would give the entire family a good time together.
Wooden Games
Almost every plastic game has a wooden alternative now! Be it the standard kitchen utensil set, the train set or even the basic board games. The wooden counterparts are definitely slightly more expensive than their plastic counterparts but how often do we give a gift?
Gifting isn’t something we do daily and giving something as exclusive and beautiful as a wooden gift would only show how much you cherish the other person.
A collection of Calvin and Hobbes
Because no kid was ever born who did not love the wonderful Calvin and his friend Hobbes! It comes in a set of four books so it is up to you how you want to gift it- the entire set at once or one book every year!
We are pretty sure that by the time you would have reached the end of this piece, you must have already remembered the multiple similar options you would have come across. So, which of these is going to be your pick for this gifting season?
And, if you have some other better eco-friendly options, do let us know too!