Toys! Toys! Toys!

When was the last time you went into Toys R Us, Babies R Us, or Buy Buy Baby and saw a toy NOT made in China? Pretty hard to find. In fact, I was shocked when my mother-in-law pulled out a Fisher Price toy from the 70's (my husband's old toys, yep she still has them!) and it said that it was made...wait for it...in the USA!

Over the past few years there have been numerous recalls of toys manufactured in China. Everything from lead paint to kerosene has been added to these toys! I know manufacturing these toys in China is what keeps the prices low and allows you to buy your kid 100 Thomas the Tank Engine toys (which by the way were recalled in 2007 because the Chinese factory that made them used lead paint), but maybe it's time to invest in some safer toys.

Here are a couple of sites that sell American-made, European-made, earth-friendly, and green toys:

Oompa:
Oompa sells European wooden toys, baby toys and gear, educational toys, and modern children's furniture. There motto is: No Batteries. No Blinking Lights. No Cartoon-Themed Toys. Period. All of the toys are safe, eco-friendly, non-violent, and from manufacturers who provide safe and nurturing environments for their employees.

Moolka:
The Moolka site carries a huge collection of European-designed toys, children's furniture, room decor items and other accessories. A lot of these toys are also manufactured in Europe. On their website they have listed the brands that they carry, where they have been designed, and where they have been made. http://www.moolka.com/jzv/inf/safety

FatBrainToys:
Fat Brain Toys claims that they carry the single largest selection of American-made toys. They also carry quality toys from around the world. It looks like the business started as a mom and pop shop and has grown to be a pretty big company offering over 5,000 in stock toys, games, and gifts.

Green Toys:
The toys sold on this site are made of recycled materials and are 100% made in the USA. Green Toys sells a line of classic children's toys. Even the packaging is 100% recyclable. The toys are tested in the USA and contain no traceable amounts of Phthalates or BPA. They are also designed without any external coatings, eliminating the fear of lead paint.