Eco-Pretty Gift Guide: Top 11 Eco-Friendly Gifts, Toys, Games & Kits
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When you're buying holiday gifts for children this year, we hope they all won't be Barbies, action figures and video games. Although they do have their place, there's always room for eco-friendly gifts and eco-spirited complements as well. To better ensure the children of today will have a prettier world tomorrow, here are our Top 11 picks for the prettiest eco-gifts -- toys, games and kits that encourage the spirit of preserving and prettifying our planet.
TOP PICK:
Paradice - The Game of Give and Take
Our favorite this year nurtures the most important thing of all: a prettier spirit. Perhaps the most thought-provoking game in the new millennium, Paradice - The Game of Give and Take (pictured above) is a strategy game like no other, equally esoteric and artful. It's truly a game that you have to play before you understand the beautiful philosophy behind it. If our attempt at explanation still leaves you baffled, we hope your curiosity will lead you to learn more about this piece of playable art.
In a Universe of four forests, each with a Forest Spirit, players compete to become the Giver, who gives trees, and to bring Human Beings eye-to-eye to form the Blue Pyramid -- before the Taker, who takes trees and draws Human Beings apart, stops them, that is. Of course, on any roll of the die the Circumstance Changer can cause the Opportunity for Givers to become Takers, and vice versa. Thus, each player experiences both points of view in a single game. The beautiful challenge is that only the Giver can win the game. Meditate on this powerful goal, you shall.
Paradice comes in two versions: a more adult version made of recycled plastics and the newer, less expensive wood version, better suited for children.
- Learn more about Paradice
- Buy Paradice at select stores
- Buy Paradice online at Amazon
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#2 H-Racer & Solar Hydrogen Station
Named one of the Best Inventions of 2006 by 'TIME Magazine', the H-Racer is a toy car run by a hydrogen fuel cell, with a completely miniaturized version of the same tech in hydrogen-fueled autos. It's still brilliant in 2007.- Read our post on H-Racers
- Buy H-Racer at Amazon
#3 Xeko Card Game
Get your kids talking about eco-points instead of Yu-Gi-Oh life points.The Xeko game features beautifully detailed playing cards with plant and animal species from Earth's biodiversity hotspots. Every game purchase helps fund conservation efforts in the field.- Learn more about Xeko
- Buy Xeko cards online
#4 Seeds of Life Oak Tree Kit
Planting a tree is one the best things you could ever teach a child. With this kit you can nurture an oak from seed to sapling and then make a special occasion when it's ready for your child to plant it in the yard or a nearby park.- Buy the Seeds of Like Oak Tree Kit online
#5 World Wildlife Fund - Adopt an Endangered Animal
Donate money for a symbolic adoption of an endangered animal and get a stuffed animal with an adoption certificate and framed photo that will help your child make a personal connection to conservation.- Adopt an animal online
#6 Thames and Kosmos Power House
Let your children build a green home and learn about alternative energy with this extensive kit, which includes devices for wind power, desalination, solar electric, air-conditioning, solar cooking, a greenhouse and more -- and all for a cute, beachy abode.- Learn much more at Thames and Kosmos
- Buy Power House online
#7 The Garden Game
Gardening isn't just about pretty flowers. It's really about learning how to nurture life. This beautifully illustrated game will help anyone learn more about this zen and eco-conscious pastime that continues to grow in popularity.- Buy The Garden Game online
#8 Plantarium
Watch seeds germinate and roots grow like you never have before in colorfully translucent non-toxic gel devised by NASA. Show your children there's much more life beneath their feet outside than they may have thought.- Buy Plantarium online
#9 Organic Infant Gift Set
Show a little extra care to little loved ones with this adorable set made with organic cotton and non-toxic natural dyes. Although the child may be unaware of the eco-benefits, his or her parents will appreciate the thought. - Buy the Organic Infant Gift Set online
#10 Organic, Natural Wooden Treehouse Set
Wood toys, especially those organic and free from formaldehyde and toxic paints, are the most abundant eco-friendly options for little ones' toy boxes. There are so many choices, but this treehouse from The Playstore could be dolled up quite nicely. We also love the eco-appeal of living among the trees, not tearing them down. The Playstore also donates to reforestation efforts.- Buy the Organic, Wooden Treehouse online
#11 Terra Fuela Sunflower Kit
We love Ben & Jerry's mission to set a eco-friendly example for other companies in everything they do, so we had to include their cute sunflower kit. If your child can nurture a sunflower to its full grandiose potential, they'll thoroughly enjoy the extra stroke of prettiment they've brought into the world.- Buy the Terra Fuela Sunflower Kit online
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Like this Eco-Pretty Gift Guide? Try...
- Top 11 Critters and Cuddlies
- Top 11 Toys Made to Motor, Racers to Robots
- Top 20 Board Games and Tabletop Tête-à-Têtes
- Top 12 Eco-Friendly Gifts for Women
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