Dress-up and animals are probably two of just about every preschooler’s favorite things. Plan Toys, one of our favorite eco-minded green toy companies, has created something very special in their Dress Up Animals.

Each set comes with two animal-shaped naked figures along with fun fabric skins and head pieces to create a zebra, tiger, deer, leopard and everything in between. As kids mix and match pieces they’ll build skills in tying laces and buttoning buttons to secure the pieces. Plus, this set is small enough to toss in your purse so you can be ready to pull it out when boredom hits while traveling or visiting Grandma’s house.

From a green standpoint, Plan Toys creates all of it’s wooden play things using eco-friendly rubber wood that’s no longer able to provide rubber. Click here to read more

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Over the last several years, toy safety issues have exploded. From lead paint to choking hazards, the toy recalls and trouble in Toyland has made playtime a stressful time for parents. But going back to basics and turning to trusted eco-friendly brands can help you steer clear of harmful toys. The cool thing is many green toys are actually better for your baby’s development anyway.

Plan Toys Woodpecker Walker will help your 9-month-old get closer to taking his first steps and develop gross motor skills. But instead of being a big chunk of plastic with flashing lights and loud sounds, this simpler wooden toy encourages more imagination and only makes a gentle clacking sound as the woodpeckers’ noses hit the perch. Click here to read more

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Yesterday we discussed the chemical concern around toys and the newly introduced Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act to show a glimpse of the current toy industry. Today we fill you in on how to get great toys without filling up on LEAD.

We’ve all heard about lead in toys–it’s hard to miss that information when massive recalls are taking place and buyers are being urged to throw away suspicious toys. That doesn’t mean, however, that we all know what to do about it. Sure you can toss out all the toys you’ve acquired and lay down a ban on play things that will prove rather unpopular come birthday time, but there are less extreme steps you can take that will let your little one have toys and still keep your lives lead-free.

The Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA), when fully active sometime around September 2009, will help keep lead and phthalates from getting into stores and you can periodically check their website to see what’s taking place, what toys have been recalled and sign up for their e-mail alerts for future recalls. Go through the toys you already own and check for painted surfaces and plastic components (especially small ones that may be swallowed) which may contain lead. If your child has been playing with a toy that is now recalled you may want to check with your doctor to see if lead testing would be a good idea; this is especially wise if your child tends to suck or teeth on toys.

As you approach buying new toys, look for ones with as many natural components as possible. You can use the Toy Rankings at HealthyToys.org (a great site for all things toy-safety related) to browse toys or check a specific toy for safety. One of the easiest ways to assure yourself of a non-toxic toy is to buy from a brand that has always focused on natural, chemical-free products.

Plan Toys makes toys using rubberwood from the rubber tree and completely child-friendly non-toxic paints and sealants so they’re healthy for not only your youngster but also the environment. Safety is such a high concern for Plan Toys that they recently recalled their toy Penguin because of a single incident where the Penguin head fell off–even though there were no injuries. The toys also undergo both EN71 testing and ASTM testing before being released. Click here to read more

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We were so excited to read about the Safe Toy bill passing in Senate last week – the new bill bans 6 phthalates, eliminates lead in toys for kids under 12, requires unbiased pre-market testing, and doubles the Consumer Product Safety Commission’s budget by 2014, among other things. Despite industry lobbyists’ protests, the House voted 423 to 1 and the Senate voted 89 to 3 – a definite step towards corporate accountability that will hopefully become more widespread in other industries.

But until all of those safer toys hit stores’ shelves, companies like Plan Toys, which we’ve written about in the past, provide educational, fun playthings free of preservatives, additives, or harmful paints. Plan Toys’ Dancing Alligator is a great option for toddlers – the pull toy helps develop gross motor skills, and the bright colors stimulate active minds. Click here to read more

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Last year’s toy recalls for lead paint-contaminated toys scared most parents. Lead is a potent neurotoxin, particularly harmful to children’s developing brains. Lead exposure may result in developmental disabilities, cognitive impairment, slowed growth, damage to the central nervous system and has been linked to attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Children are particularly susceptible to lead exposure because of their smaller size, greater rate of absorption of lead and ongoing development. As a result, lead paint-contaminated toys can pose a problem, particularly for younger children still prone to mouthing toys. But even children who don’t mouth toys are still at risk of exposure to lead if the toys contain lead-contaminated paint. If children play with a toy and lead dust comes off in their hands, they can ingest the dust from their hands, or paint chips can be ingested. Even a contaminated paint chip the size of a staple can elevate a child’s blood lead level.

A safe, eco-friendly option is Plan Toys’ Shape Matching Toy, $19.50, which combines six different puzzles on a board. The child matches the corresponding halves to fit within the spaces on the board. The board is slanted for easy use, the brightly colored pieces are attention-grabbing, and it’s great for helping kids learn to differentiate colors, shapes and forms. Click here to read more

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