UK consumers are conditioned to wait for last-minute festive deals to treat their children, but what impact does this have on the environment?
This Black Friday, 80%¹ of products are set to end up in landfill or be recycled incorrectly, many of these being children’s toys. As well as this, UK shoppers are expected to spend over a staggering £3 billion¹ during the Black Friday sales period, with many parents raring to purchase a bargain and stock up Christmas presents for their little ones.
Although waiting till Black Friday to grab a deal might seem like a cost-saving method, children’s toy retailer, The Kid Collective, shares why curating a timeless toy collection would be more cost-effective and how to prolong a toy’s lifespan.
Experts at The Kid Collective share four tips on how to look after toys:
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Toy rotation
After Christmas’ and Birthdays, children often end up with an extensive collection of toys. Having too many toys can overwhelm a child. It also means toys get forgotten about or uncared for, left to deteriorate in the process. Engaging in a toy rotation ensures kids make use of all of their toys and ensures toys are being kept in the best quality possible.
Toys should be divided into manageable groups and switched around regularly. They should be rotated every 5-10 days, and during this process, the toys and play area should be cleaned.
Founder of The Kid Collective, Laura Davies, comments: “This is a great activity to not only ensure toys are being kept hygienic, and children are taking part in numerous types of play, but it reduces the need for parents to purchase new toys to keep their children entertained continuously.”
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Storage
If children’s toys are stored correctly, it will reduce the chances of a toy being damaged and parents having to replace them. Some ways to store toys include ensuring play items are not stacked on top of each other, utilising bubble wrap for fragile items, and using cloth for teddys; parents can pretend with their children that they’re ‘tucking them into bed’.
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Clean regularly
Although cleaning methods will vary depending on the toy’s material, one way to wash a toy includes using a clean cloth, dipping it in warm soapy water, and gently wiping it.
For cuddly toys like teddys, these should be cleaned carefully. Handwashing is the best option as opposed to machine wash; this could cause a toy to shrink or cause lasting damage to the material. If they require a thorough machine wash, using a washing bag on a gentle cycle would be the best option.
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Repair over replace
Once a children’s toy is damaged, parents are likely to throw it away. Unfortunately, doing this contributes to landfills and, subsequently, an increase in greenhouse gas emissions. Taking a short time to repair a toy’s breakage will increase a toy’s life span and, therefore, contribute to a timeless toy collection.
Items you can invest in to help you fix a toy include non-toxic and child-friendly superglue, a small sewing kit, and sticky adhesive pads.
Founder of The Kid Collective, Laura Davies, comments: “At The Kid Collective, one of our main aims is to help people select toys for their little ones that inspire growth. This means helping people purchase toys that are meaningful and timeless. In doing this, we hope that it will reduce the number of toys being sent to landfill and people purchasing toys that have no educational value.
“With Black Friday approaching, we know families with children will be looking for discounts to take advantage of. Due to the cost of living crisis and the looming recession, we’re proud to be offering a selection of discounts on our site. However, we recognise the potential impact Black Friday can have on the environment, so we’ve ensured that the offers we have in place are for toys that will last a lifetime if cared for properly.”
To learn more about caring for children’s toys, please visit: https://www.thekidcollective.co.uk/blog/four-ways-to-look-after-childrens-toys-correctly.html