Anyone else seeking "not made in China" toys?

[kren]

I have a 2YO and a 6YO and I'm committed to it, since I've been a victim of three of the recalls this year and I am furious about it.

 

The hard thing isn't for the 2YO; there's plenty online at specialty sites for him. But my 6YO is a tomboyish girl (no dolls or princess stuff) and I am finding it very hard to find stuff for her.

 

I have resigned myself to not getting killer bargains for toys this year. But would love to exchange ideas with others on cool toys that aren't gonna poison the kids...

[nnmfam]

I have been searching for toys not made in China I have a 5 year old whose Birthday toys were recalled the day after and she was playing with aqua dots when we heard the news . I am having a hard time finding anything made here she is a girlygirl.

[kren]

sdfsfdsf

[MandaJo111]

This is a link to all of the Little Tikes Toys that are made in the USA (they have this like right on the main site, but for quick reference here it is).

 

http://www.littletikes.com/toys/toys-list.aspx?FS=1&N=26&Ntk=Product+Search&Nty=1&Ntt=made%20in%20the%20usa

[Guest Macrossmaster]

I hear your concerns – this is one of my wife and I's worries this year.

 

If it helps, certain stalwarts like Lego are made in Denmark and Playmobil is made in Macau or Germany. They don't cost that much more and can be had at Target. Those are just the ones I know of off hand...

[Flutterbye]

Here is a pretty cool toy site, it lists where the toys are made. www.nicoandzoe.com

[sfven]

We've decided to do the same thing too, but it is hard to find "popular" toys not made in china. I know we'll be paying more which we're fine with. I'm just sad I won't be getting that thrill from clearance bargain hunting anymore. So much for after Christmas toy rance. Also, we got a toy catalog in the mail, Back to Basics Tys that have traditional classic toys made in the U.S.

[kselzer]

I was at a craft fair yesterday and the wooden toy booths were quite busy. There was also one booth that had a sign up saying they use Lead-free paint, lol! I guess that's what it is coming to though...

[nina13]

Thanks for the links! It is quite hard to keep up; so this year we are telling family to get gift cards so that we can take our children shopping for made in USA toys.

[trbarginhunter]

Our DD is now 13, but when she was younger I bought a lot of toys from hearthsong. I'd really recommend them.

[Annettecummings]

My four year old had to toss a 'made in China' toy yesterday...it was from McDonalds. No toys from China for him. I have read a lot on the dangers of lead posioning, and any little bit helps to keep my children safe. So the question I have is... what's lurking out there regarding "lead" that we do not know about????

[bargaingal2]

I do have a question as I worry about this. How can we know forsure that companies that make toys in the usa dont have too much lead either. Since appreatly those that check toys coming in, are really not checking them how can we know that our USA toys are safe if they are checked by the same people???

[kren]

Well, I think lead paint is harder to come by in the U.S. (I don't know this for sure, though).

 

It's also banned for use in toys and such in the U.S., whereas there is no such ban in China.

 

I hear ya about the trust thing, though. I really trusted the Thomas company -- the toys cost SO MUCH, and I really thought quality meant something to those people. Hah! And then when they had to recall a replacement engine that they sent out that contained lead after the first recall, I was done. No more Thomas for my 2YO.

 

I don't know for sure about U.S.-made toys, but those made in western European countries I feel VERY confident in (like lots of Lego, Playmobil) -- Europe is a lot tougher regulation-wise -- and enforcing those regulations -- than we are. We just pay lip service to the rules we do have (kind of like the "inspection" of meat. Yeah right)

[Junebug2]

I can certainly see everyone's point here. My dd is 3 and we've had her tested for lead and bought the lead test kits for her toys, etc. However, it is VERY important on your mission for "made in America" toys to remember that just because it is labeled "made in America" it doesn't mean it is lead-free. Toys made in USA can have component parts made else where that may contain lead. Check out the information on this site http://www.toyportfolio.com/

Just food for thought, I wonder how long it is going to take before we realize that there is lead in other common every day items in our homes that our children come into contact with from key chains, to decorations, to clothes/shoes, etc.