We all know that babies and toddlers don’t discriminate when it comes to prices of toys. You can spend $150 on a wooden Montessori toy your child never touches and $2 for a plastic rattle your child plays with for hours. But in general, if toxin-free is a priority it’s best to invest in a few quality items than a bunch of plastic toys (especially if your child is three or younger as kids put everything in their mouth till they’re around three).
That’s where Le Toy Van comes in. They create imaginative wooden toys, designed in London, to encourage hours of imaginative play. And I mean HOURS. They’re not only beautifully designed – they’re sold at Harrods and Selfridges in London – but ethically made from sustainable materials, so you don’t have to worry about toxins. As someone who has had hormone issues that caused years of fertility problems, I’m particularly sensitive to anything that might have a hormone disrupting effect on kids… like plastic toys.
While Le Toy Van has been around for nearly three decades, it’s only recently that people in America have been able to buy their heirloom-quality pieces. I was in awe scrolling through their U.S. website and my son has loved every one of the pieces from the brand. It has also been amazing to see how he has gotten creative from month-to-month, finding new ways to play with the same play thing. These are pieces designed to last and I’m sure I’ll be passing them on to my son’s younger sibling when he’s born.
Plus, they have a wide range of toys, so you can find something to suit your particular child’s personality. My son loves to watch me make my morning cappuccino, so the above coffee maker was a huge hit, as was the xylophone since I’ve been reading him the “Sophie La Giraffe And Friends” book since he was a baby and there’s a character who loves playing the xylophone.
For picky eaters (or toddler foodies…), they also have a ton of wooden food items like this. Plus, dollhouses, doctor kits and a ton more.
