These toys don’t have to travel far to get to you. As a matter of fact most of them are already in your home. No wasteful packaging is needed-they’ve already been opened. These green toys reduce excess holiday waste and are made from things reused and repurposed.

If you haven’t had a chance to read the Jonathan Liu post for Wired entitled “5 Best Toys of All Time” you should. He nailed it. He reminds us that the best toys are all around us: sticks, boxes, cardboard tubes, mud, and string.

I thought, in light of Jonathan’s article, I would add a few more  favorite green toys that no child should be without (many of which are likely already in your home).

Wooden Spoons

They cost no more than a few dollars and they can turn into almost anything. I’ve spied them being used for a one-man-band, a wooden spoon puppet and a toy robot.

Blankets and Sheets

Just a few of these thrown together over a couch, bunk bed, table or chairs and voila you have a blanket fort. A blanket fort is fun to play in and easy to build. Pillows are great for filling spots where the light is still coming in. Also needed: a flashlight and scary stories.

Pots and Pans

 

Kids and adults can create a marching band with pots and pans found in your kitchen. Pot lids make great cymbals (ear plugs required). Grab a few wooden spoons and start drumming and marching.

Coffee Table

 

The coffee table is generally thought of as a convenient place to display coffee table books, magazines or other personal items. With young children around coffee tables serve an entirely different purpose. They become a permanent home to crayon marks, scratches and finger prints. Our coffee table is often transformed into a perfect stage. Dance performances and talent shoes have all been performed on top of our square and very trashed  coffee table (three boys=standing on the furniture).

Toilet Paper

The toilet paper rolls are ready for action. They can be unraveled by the sneakiest of children in a matter of seconds. Toilets are frightened by the sheer volume of paper potential each time a little one walks into a bathroom. Toilet paper is just fun to play with. Zombies, mummies and the like have all been created from a few rolls of this fluffy white stuff. The inner cardboard rolls have been used to make a bee, bird and bat. We have also used them for marble runs, telescopes and telephones.

There are so many other things in and around your home that could easily turn into the best toy ever. What other ideas do you have?

This month the green moms have gathered once again for the Green Moms Carnival to share our thoughts on our Favorite Green Gifts. The carnival is hosted this month by Linda over at Citizen Green.  The carnival goes live Monday, December 10, 2011.  Be sure to stop by for lots of great tips and  suggestions for green holiday gifts.

[Photos used under Creative Commons from Pualv, Alan Levine, O5com, Phil Manker/Flickr]