Where to Find Gifts for Young Children that Are NOT Made in China

It's the hot topic of the Christmas season - finding toys NOT made in China. I'm not an alarmist, so I'll take this moment to say that most toys are not likely to be contaminated with lead, even if they are made in China, just as most dogfood isn't laced with harmful ingredients. Even so, if you are the unlucky consumer who has the misfortune of buying tainted products, your family could, unfortunately, pay a high price. There are many alternatives to the Chinese-made toys that overwhelm the shelves of every toy store in America. With internet access, it is very easy to locate and order high-quality products that meet your needs and your child's interests. (Note to readers: Be sure to verify that the toys sold by the companies mentioned in this article are indeed manufactured in a safe manner that meets your standards. Many companies offer some toys made in China and others made in the U.S. and other parts of the world.)

Check out companies like Oompa Toys, which does sell products made in China, but also features many European-made wooden toys such as those of Holztiger. Holztiger has beautifully simple wooden figurines of everything from animals to Indians as well as castles, vehicles, Noah's Ark, and more! Great for imaginative play. Bajo and others made hardwood baby toys, mobiles, adorable pull toys, and more, all finished with non-toxic paints. The incredible array of toys created by Playmobil, everything from Roman warriors and pirate ships to farms and castles, are made in Germany with only 2% of their parts coming from China.

There are also American companies that offer alternatives to toys made in China. Many popular board games such as preschool favorites Candyland and Chutes and Ladders are manufactured in the U.S. And then there are Perler Beads which are made of food-grade materials - a perfect choice for a little one whose wish list included the recently recalled Aquadots. Tag Toys offer a wonderful range of wooden educational toys, puzzles, furniture, and even items that can be used for physical therapy and adult rehabilitation. For artsy kids, Beka easels, toys, and furniture are made of wood in St. Paul, Minnesota.

Educational toys, furniture, and other materials made for Montessori and Waldorf schools are often made of wood and other simple, natural materials and not as likely to be made in China. A simple search will turn up many companies which offer such toys, but be sure to read the fine print as to their manufacturing procedures.

While we're talking about toy safety, it is important to mention that there are many chemicals that are permitted in toy manufacturing that can also pose health problems to our children. You might check for toys that are phthalate-free and that are made of organic materials when you are purchasing for infants. Phthalates are used to keep vinyl toys flexible and can put a teething baby or a mouthing infant at risk for ingesting potentially harmful chemicals.

It's our very youngest children who need the most protection. They eat, chew, and mouth toys so, even if you end up spending a bit more to order a safe toy online or to buy one in a specialty store instead of your local super discount store, you can feel good that your gift will be one that can be enjoyed without risk. And you may even find that the simplicity and natural beauty of many of the "alternative" toys will lead to more creative and imaginative play and to a less chaotic environment sans blinking, beeping, spinning, mindless toys that seem to abound these days.