Green Gifting: Our Eco-Friendly Christmas Gift Guide
As Christmas approaches, Kay & I find ourselves seeking gifts that not only bring joy to children's faces but also leave a positive mark on our planet. This year, we want to embrace the spirit of giving with a selection of eco-friendly, long-lasting treasures designed to spark imagination, foster creativity, and stand the test of time – these kinds of gifts are not always easy to find!
From sustainable wooden toys to imaginative crafting kits, our Christmas Gift Guide is curated with utmost care. We have chosen tried and tested items that not only bring endless hours of play but also promote a brighter, greener future for generations to come. Delight in this collection that marries the magic of childhood with the principles of sustainability, and let the festivities begin!
Love, Jo x (Founding Director of The Den Kit Co.)
'The Big Present' Ideas
Isla Bikes
If you’re in the market for a bike, Isla is a great option – they have all kinds of kids bikes from balance bikes to mountain bikes. You're bound to find the right one for your child.
Bundle Beds
We LOVE Bundle Beds – these beds are perfect if you travel regularly, if your children spend time sleeping anywhere other than home or if you regularly have guests. They are a great way to get your children to feel comfortable (and maybe even excited) about sleeping away from home. They have options for different sized people (including adults, hooray!) and the beds are made from sustainable materials. SO MANY WINS!
The Forest Den Kit
Our Forest Den Kit is a great gift for the little adventurer in your life. It contains everything needed to build a super-sized, camouflaged camp in the garden, at the park or anywhere you fancy. It comes in a handy, water-resistant backpack so that it can be taken with you anywhere. These kits are made to be used again and again, year after year.
Sandpit – Plum Play
A sandpit is always a great option for the ‘big present’. Children get SO much use out of these and they help to develop their fine motor skills. We love this one with a canopy from Plum Play. You can fill it with gravel too for a bit of variety.
Stocking Fillers & Smaller Presents
Button & Squirt
Button & Squirt is a fantastic brand. They sell beautifully illustrated fact cards that help children to learn about animals along with lots of other lovely things including eco-friendly stuffed toys. PLUS 5% of every sale is donated to aid with dolphin and whale conservation - which means you can feel really good about purchasing from their site.
Insect Lore - The Very Hungry Caterpillar Butterfly Growing Kit
These kits allow children to watch caterpillars grow into butterflies in front of their very eyes! We’ve had great success with these kits and definitely recommend them.
The Entomology Kit
This kit keeps children engaged for hours outdoors while they search for, identify and document which insects can be found in their garden or local woodland.
Wudimals
These beautiful carved & painted wooden animals are a wonderful gift for any child. Encouraging imaginative play AND helping the planet as all Wudimals are made from sustainable wood sources and 1% of their turnover is donated to approved environmental and social justice charities.
Scrunch Kids
Scrunch Kids make beautiful silicone items in a range of gorgeous colours. Our favourite is the watering can which has a rope handle and can be used for all sorts of water play. Scrunch items last years even with lots of wear and tear.
Yoto Play – Yoto Mini & BrainBots: Our Planet Cards
Yoto Mini makes a fantastic Christmas Gift. It’s great for long journeys or for just staying at home. There are so many wonderful child-friendly stories, music and podcasts to choose from. We love the BrainBots cards.
Lego
Lego is an absolute classic, of course. It’s a great one for keeping children entertained on Christmas day and beyond. We love the Insect Collection and these fantastic Stem Sets.
Playin Choc – Woodland Animals ToyChoc Box
If you like to add chocolate to their stocking, we recommend these ToyChoc Boxes from Playin Choc. The chocolate is organic, sustainably & ethically sourced and delicious!
The Knot Skills Kit
We love using our Mini-Kits as stocking fillers. Our Knot Skills Kit contains everything children need to learn and practice lots of very useful knots.
Mobilo
Mobilo was well loved by children in the nursery when Kay and I were teachers. In our opinion, it’s one of the best construction toys out there and now they have an eco-version!
Bare Kind Socks
Socks are a stocking staple and we love these from Bare Kind. They’re made from bamboo and are wonderfully soft. PLUS 10% of profits are donated to save endangered animals!
Marbles
Old fashioned marbles are a great gift – they last for years and can be used for hundreds of different things! We love these from Moulin Roty.
gofindit
gofindit is a pocket-sized sensory adjective hunt game – it’s perfect for a family walk or to keep children entertained in the garden.
The Den Kit Co. Mug
Our enamel mugs are always well received. Just add hot chocolate!
The Potion Making Kit
This kit is a best-seller for a reason. Children love to explore the changing colours and smells when making potions in the garden, and this kit provides everything they need for messy, endless, outdoor fun. All of the components in Den Kit Co. Kits are ethically and sustainably sourced and are robust so that our kits can last years.
