It is difficult to make it through the mall without a trip to the toy store for the kids to play with the Thomas set. Yes... they have their own train set at home, but there's something about the one in the store that is irresistible to them.
As I have pretty strict standards for the type of toys I let the boys have, I am rarely enticed by the toy-store offerings. However, I was pleasantly surprised to discover a wonderful new line of toys by Sprig Toys (www.sprigtoys.com). The toys are eco friendly and encourage active play (yipee!!). They're very cool - made from recycled plastic (mainly milk cartons) and wood shavings. And get this, the wood shavings are from our very own BC pines and the toys are manufactured in Canada!! Amazing! They even smell piney! They contain no paint - so we don't have to worry about those troublesome toxins sneaking in there. I am just so delighted to find such a conscientious product.
The toys themselves are a range of vehicles with little people that fit inside. The little dudes have headlamps which are powered when your child pumps the vehicle. There is also a big "rig" that the little people fit into and when the person is in the rig, it tells stories and has music. The great thing is there are no batteries (can I get a hallelujah from the choir?!!) and the kids actually have to run around and get the toys moving to generate enough power for the lights and sounds to work. That's what I like - a bit of bribery to motivate physical activity! I am certain that my boys will love these, but I also think girls would like 'em too. Because they have the little people, they're kinda doll-esque and I think girls will enjoy the people-mimicking side of them... but that's just my guess.
Anyway, I am just delighted to find a toy that encourages active and creative play, is eco-friendly and is made in Canada - bonus, bonus, bonus!! The grandparents were anxious to get the kids some form of chunky vehicles for Christmas and I am happy that these fit the bill. Sprig toys also has a line of eco-friendly diggers (I spotted them on the website but have yet to see them in "real-life" so I'm not sure what they're like).
So kudos to Sprig toys... hopefully more manufacturers will be following suite!
