A Guide to Safer Toys for Babies & Children
As parents and gift-givers, we naturally want to feel confident about the toys children touch, hold and — particularly as babies — inevitably put in their mouths.
At Bambino Eco Toys, we’ve been choosing natural, thoughtfully made toys for children since 2009. We look for trusted toy makers, carefully considered materials and products that meet recognised toy safety standards.
But what does “non-toxic” actually mean when it comes to toys?
In this guide, we look at what to consider when choosing safer toys for babies and children, the materials and finishes worth looking for, and some of our favourite trusted toy brands.
A Brand You Can Trust
We favour established toy makers that are transparent about their materials, manufacturing and approach to children’s safety.
Some of Our Favourite Non-Toxic & Natural Toy Brands
Over the years we’ve discovered some exceptional toy makers from Australia and around the world.
Wooden Toys:
Grimm’s is loved for beautifully tactile wooden building and stacking toys, using non-toxic water-based colour stains that allow the natural character of the wood to remain visible.
Ostheimer creates distinctive wooden animals and figures in Germany, shaped and finished by hand using carefully selected materials and finishes.
Grapat creates wonderfully open-ended wooden loose parts and small-world toys, with simple forms designed to leave plenty of room for children’s imaginations.
Wooden Story, made in the Beskidy Mountains of Poland, creates tactile wooden toys using FSC®-certified wood, natural eco-certified colours, beeswax and botanical oils.
Goki creates classic wooden toys designed for lasting play, with a focus on quality materials, thoughtful design and traditional play value.
Natural Rubber Toys:
Tikiri creates charming baby toys, teethers and bath toys made from natural rubber, with designs hand-painted using non-toxic paints. Their soft, tactile toys are especially suited to little hands and sensory play.
Oli & Carol creates colourful baby toys, teethers and bath toys made from natural rubber and hand-painted with natural pigments.
Soft Toys:
Senger Naturwelt is known for beautifully made soft toys using carefully chosen natural and organic materials.
Nanchen Natur creates traditional Waldorf-inspired dolls in Germany using natural and organic materials, with many pieces individually hand-finished.
Apple Park Organics creates soft toys and baby gifts with a focus on organic and thoughtfully selected materials, including organic cotton.
Maud n Lil is an Australian brand known for beautifully soft baby comforters, toys and gifts made using certified organic cotton and carefully selected materials.
Himalayan Journey Co. creates beautiful handmade wool felt toys and play pieces using natural Aus /NZ wool. Crafted by skilled artisans in Nepal using traditional felting techniques, their colourful small-world toys, animals, play mats and fairies bring together natural materials, imaginative play and artisan craftsmanship.
We also seek out smaller makers and Australian brands whose approach to materials, craftsmanship and children’s play fits naturally within the Bambino collection.
What Makes a Toy Non-Toxic?
“Non-toxic” is a broad term rather than a single toy certification.
When choosing toys, we look beyond the label and consider what the toy is made from, how it is coloured or finished, who makes it, and whether appropriate toy safety requirements have been met.
Depending on the type of toy, this may mean choosing materials such as:
- Natural or sustainably sourced wood
- Organic cotton
- Wool and natural fibres
- Natural rubber
- Plant-based fibres like PLA
- Water-based, non-toxic paints and stains
- Plant-based oils and natural wax finishes
For babies in particular, we also consider whether a toy is appropriate for mouthing and whether its construction and components are suitable for the recommended age.
Why Materials Matter
Babies and young children explore through their senses. They grasp, squeeze, chew, bang, stack and carry their toys everywhere.
For families wishing to reduce unnecessary exposure to certain plastics and chemical additives, choosing toys made from simpler, carefully selected materials can provide reassurance.
Some substances commonly discussed in relation to children’s products include BPA, certain phthalates, lead and other heavy metals. Toy safety regulations restrict many hazardous substances, which is why purchasing appropriately tested toys from reputable manufacturers and retailers is important.
A wooden or organic toy isn’t automatically a safe toy simply because it is described as “natural” — good design, age suitability, construction and proper safety testing matter too.
Be Careful with Very Cheap Toys and Copies
Price alone doesn’t determine whether a toy is safe. However, we recommend being cautious about unbranded toys, copies and products from sellers where the manufacturer, materials or safety information cannot be clearly identified.
A toy that looks very similar to one made by an established toy company may not necessarily have been manufactured from the same materials, using the same finishes, or subjected to the same testing.
When shopping for babies and young children, knowing who made the toy and where it came from matters.
What to Look for When Choosing Safe Baby Toys
Natural & Carefully Chosen Materials
Look for clearly identified materials rather than vague descriptions. Wood, organic cotton, wool and natural rubber are among our favourites, but what matters most is understanding what a toy actually contains.
Non-Toxic Paints, Dyes & Finishes
For painted and finished wooden toys, look for manufacturers that clearly disclose the paints, stains, oils and waxes they use.
This is especially important for toys intended for babies and toddlers who may put them in their mouths.
Recognised Toy Safety Standards
Look for reputable manufacturers whose toys comply with applicable safety standards, such as Australian toy safety requirements and EN71 standards in Europe.
A More Considered Way to Play
At Bambino Eco Toys, we’ve been selecting toys for babies and children since 2009, with a particular love for natural materials, thoughtful design, beautiful craftsmanship and open-ended play.
We don’t believe children need endless toys. We believe in choosing fewer, better toys — pieces that feel good in little hands, encourage imagination and can be played with again and again.
Whether you’re choosing a first baby toy, a special birthday present or beginning a collection of beautiful wooden toys, our aim is to make it easier to find toys you can choose with confidence.
