I love wooden toys for many reasons, including the fact that they are long lasting and beautiful. But nowadays we don’t see them often (besides maybe some puzzles made out of plywood). Most toys are plastic or metal and come from…China.

I try to avoid all things coming from China for various reasons such as the safety problems with many of the toys, the lack of supervision in regard of child labor and worker’s well being, impact of outsourcing on my economy and the impact on the environment (a huge one). I have only 2 exception to my “not made in China policy”: brio trains  and Playmobil (I try to buy only the sets not made in China and will avoid those that are made in China. There is a difference in quality, it’s quite easy to see when you open the boxes).

So I am always on the lookout for good toys and discovered these cool wooden toys made in USA (in Vermont) by Montgomery Schoolhouse: Made in USA toys. They are beautiful wooden toys made with local Vermont woods. They offer train toys, little cars and trucks, educational toys, baby rattles and much more.

Make a pledge this Christmas to offer at least 50% of  ”not made in China” toys. Shop around, there is many good brands you can select. Here’s just a few:

Kathe Kruse
Kallisto
Selecta
Lana Organic
Montgomery Schoolhouse
Green Toys