LEGO

Toys play a crucial role in the daily lives of children. They serve as tools that bridge the gap between children’s imagination and the real world, enabling them to explore through both fun and learning. But are all toys genuinely beneficial for children? What factors should we consider when selecting toys for them? Is the design of the toy the primary criterion that comes to mind? What about sustainability?

When selecting toys, it is advisable to opt for designs that align with the child’s developmental stage and physical characteristics—ones that are engaging, durable, and safe for health. Moreover, it’s crucial to consider whether the materials and chemicals used in toy production are compatible with both human and environmental health. While various materials such as metal, paper, fabric, and wood are used in toy production, plastic stands out as the dominant player in the market because of its cost-effectiveness and easy processability. Although plastic makes toys more accessible to a broader audience by reducing production costs, the environmental and health repercussions it entails should not be overlooked. For instance, the dyes present in plastic toys often contain harmful substances like lead and cadmium, which can result in various health issues such as poisoning, mental retardation, asthma, allergies, and hormonal disorders in children. These toys pose a major risk especially for children under the age of 3 who tend to explore objects orally. Furthermore, even though plastic can be recycled, its toxic chemicals pose a threat to the environment and living organisms, adversely affecting the nature through air, water, or soil contamination.

The escalating impact of the climate crisis, felt more prominently each day on a global scale, influences consumer choices and purchasing habits in the toy market, as in all sectors. Millennials, in particular, are increasingly leaning towards sustainable products and aspire to instill environmental awareness in children from a very young age. Companies aiming to adapt to this evolving landscape respond to these consumer demands by opting for natural or recycled materials and packaging in toy production. For instance, the Denmark-based toy company LEGO is gearing up to produce play pieces using a novel material derived from sugarcane-based plastic. In pursuit of an ecological material in alignment with its sustainable living approach, the brand continues to focus on circular design and waste reduction, incorporating recycled plastic bottles into its initiatives. Mattel, the producer of the world’s most popular toys, currently in the spotlight with the movie Barbie (Directed by: Greta Gerwig, 2023), has crafted a series of dolls from recycled ocean plastic. The company has committed to transitioning to recycled, recyclable, or bio-based plastic materials in all toy and packaging production by 2030. Similarly, Hasbro, the manufacturer of well-known toys like Monopoly and Play-Doh in Turkey, has set a similar goal to be achieved by 2033. While these advancements are promising, the lengthy processes of research and development, manufacturing, marketing, and promotion mean that these toys may represent only a small fraction of companies’ overall production volume, limiting their widespread adoption.

As major companies undergo transformations in their production processes and expand their product diversity, we are witnessing a surge of new entrepreneurs today who prioritize sustainable materials and design eco-friendly toys. Embracing circular economy principles, these brands utilize natural materials like wood, rubber, wool, cotton, or recycled paper and packaging waste for manufacturing, and opt for vegetable-based dyes. The presence of these brands, which emphasize not only production but also the educational role of toys, facilitates consumers in making more eco-friendly and conscious choices. In this article, we have reviewed toys from health-conscious, eco-friendly, and design-oriented brands* that inspire children’s imagination and contribute to their development.


bi’İstanbul, Atelier Biiz

Atelier Biiz: “bi’İstanbul”

Founded by two mothers with the motto “The World is My Playground”, Atelier Biiz designs products to enable parents to spend both educational and entertaining time with their children. The exploration game “bi’İstanbul”, created for this purpose, invites families and children to explore the cultural heritage of the city in a fun way. The game includes a cloth map, 7 wooden blocks representing Istanbul’s landmarks, 5 DIY city blocks, and a brochure containing historical information and the route. Children can color the game’s blocks, crafted from wooden material in miniature sizes, through their own imagination.

For more information about the “bi’İstanbul” game, which aims to help children explore and imagine Istanbul’s cultural heritage, please click here.



HEY! Imaginable Guidelines

SANALarc: “HEY! Imaginable Guidelines”

Created by Alexis Şanal (SANALarc), the “HEY! Imaginable Guidelines” cards invite everyone, including children and adults, to engage in the game. The game provides a transdisciplinary methodology for city-making, aiming to achieve a self-organized urban design that fosters vibrant public life and enhances neighborhood cohesion. The “deck of cards”, comprising 101 topics categorized under six sections that address the fundamental components of public sphere, encourages exploration of the limits and opportunities offered by the city. This group game facilitates the formation of a collective imagination that successfully merges the analytical, practical, and creative minds essential for the development of sustainable urban design.

For more information about the “HEY! Imaginable Guidelines”, please click here.

Hisleri Harika, Picasso Aktivite Seti

Hisleri Harika: “Picasso Aktivite Seti”

Inspired by the life stories of artists, Hisleri Harika presents the “Picasso Aktivite Seti” (Picasso Activity Set) for children to harness the therapeutic power and narrative of art for creating their own “feeling great” experiences. Children interpret Pablo Picasso’s artworks and create their own pieces to engage in the creative thinking process through play and art. The activity set, made entirely from recycled paper, includes a Picasso storybook, “Colors of Feelings” wheel game, “Kübist Portreler” (Cubist Portraits) collage work with stickers, “Ne Alaka” (What’s All That About) salt and pepper shaker game, a letter from Picasso, and interactive application links.

Click here to explore the “Picasso Aktivite Seti” (Picasso Activity Set), which aims to help children recognize different emotions through art and entertainment while providing information about art history.

Moritoys

Moritoys

The Moritoys team, dedicated to fostering children’s development across all domains through play, comprises professionals from various disciplines, including industrial designers, child development experts, pediatricians, illustrators, engineers, and gender specialists. The designs, seamlessly blending education and entertainment, are crafted to be gender-neutral. Moritoys games undergo initial testing with families and kindergartens, and they are continually refined and produced based on the feedback received.

For more information about Moritoys toys and the 2023 toy catalog, please click here.

Noobuu

Noobuu: “İstanbul Serisi”

Noobuu was conceived from the necessity to familiarize children with city symbols by a mother who values naturality in toys. Firm in the belief that toys can be sustainable without compromising the wood quality, Noobuu unveiled its inaugural collection “İstanbul Serisi” (Istanbul Series) to toy enthusiasts in 2020. The “İstanbul Serisi” (Istanbul Series) secured a spot among the top 10 finalists in the ETSY Design Awards Children’s category in 2022. Noobuu aspires to be a companion in the adventures of parents, teachers, and travelers with its designs that resonate with everyone’s lives.

To explore Noobuu toys, click here.



Şehir Dedektifi


Şehir Dedektifi

The maps created by Şehir Dedektifi (City Detective), an initiative dedicated to promoting child-friendly cities, are crafted for children to enhance their spatial awareness and to foster their urban mobility. To date, Şehir Dedektifi has developed three maps: the “Flora Istanbul Map”, “Beyoğlu Map”, and “Historical Peninsula Map”. The “Flora Istanbul Map” features routes visualizing Istanbul’s watersheds, groves, and forests, along with dominant species, as well as a biodiversity dictionary, and game suggestions. The map kit includes a Flora Istanbul Guide detailing the creatures in the forests and a sticker set. The “Historical Peninsula Map” kit incorporates sensory and cognitive games, a glossary elucidating fundamental concepts tied to the hidden reading culture, a map displaying landmarks, the Historical Peninsula Guide, and a sticker set. The “Beyoğlu Map” kit, designed to deepen children’s connection with the historical texture of the neighborhood, comprises sensory games, a place dictionary, and a sticker set.

For more information about Şehir Dedektifi maps, click here.


Tahtoy

TAHTOY

Crafted from beech wood and recyclable materials and with an unfinished design, TAHTOY wooden blocks are toys that stimulate children’s creativity while fostering motor skills and hand-eye coordination. The brand is currently featuring three games, namely “Birdys”, “Robowots”, and “Monstys”. The games involve stacking and combining blocks, providing children with endless design possibilities and unlocking the doors to their imagination.

You can find detailed information about TAHTOY toy collections here.

Toyi

Toyi: “Yaratıcı Oyun Kiti”

Toyi “Yaratıcı Oyun Kiti” (Creative Play Kit) is a game that empowers children to transform everything around them into toys through their creativity. The kits include wheels, feet, eyes, hands, joints, sticks, and flexible rings, fostering advanced recycling abilities in children through play. The game is designed to teach problem-solving, critical thinking, and innovative skills. By instilling a sense of production over consumption at an early age, children are encouraged to redesign the objects in their surroundings.

For more information about Toyi’s “Yaratıcı Oyun Kiti” (Creative Play Kit), click here.


*Brands are listed in alphabetical order.