Shopping for back-to-school supplies just got better. I’ve always struggled to find eco-friendly art and craft supplies, but now my go-to shop is eco-kids USA. This family-run business started out when parents Cammie and Kip started selling homemade dough at farmer’s markets. The dough was based on a recipe that Cammie’s mom made for her as a child – with natural ingredients for color and texture. Now you can try all natural art and craft supplies from eco-kids USA.
eco-dough ($23.99)
My kids love playing with dough but I can’t stand buying Play-Doh or anything with a lot of artificial ingredients. And while making dough is a better alternative – I’ve had a hard time making my own natural dyes that make my dough bright and I refuse to use artificial dyes. eco-kids USA eco-doughis the perfect green, non-toxic alternative. Made with natural and organic ingredients, including flour, salt, cream of tartar, organic rosemary oil, vitamin E oil, soybean oil, coconut oil, potassium sorbate and citric acid. Natural dyes are made from plant and vegetable extracts from annatto seed, beets, blueberries, carrots, paprika, purple sweet potato, red cabbage and spinach. It’s also available gluten free if you’re kids have allergies.
Photo courtesy of eco-kids USA.
eco-finger paint ($23.99)
Who doesn’t love finger painting? We make everything from thumbprint animal characters to modern art squiggly lines with paint. eco-kids USA eco-finger paintis a perfect green, non-toxic alternative to craft-store paint that’s laden with artificial colors and ingredients. eco-finger paint comes in a powder form, and all you need to do is add water. A 1:1 ratio of paint powder and water is recommended but you can make it thicker if you like. Made with natural and organic ingredients, including flour, cornstarch, wheat paste and earth clay. Natural dyes made with plant and vegetable extracts from annatto seed, beets, carrots, curcumin, purple sweet potato, red cabbage and spinach. Available gluten free too.
Photo courtesy of eco-kids USA.
eco-crayons ($9.99)
It’s hard to find eco-friendly crayons and even harder to explain to my kids why we don’t buy the 64-pack of Crayola crayons. That’s why I love this simple 6-pack of eco-crayons from eco-kids USA. My kids can make their own colors just by mixing and matching these eco-crayons – sparking creative play. We even make a game where I write down the colors they mix up and we come up with funny names – like minty gum green when they mix blue and yellow together. These crayons are handmade with soy, bee and palm wax – and feature dyes made from plant and vegetable extracts from annatto seed, beets, carrots, curcumin, purple sweet potato, red cabbage and spinach.
Photo courtesy of eco-kids USA.
eco-glue ($6.99)
Ditch the Elmer’s and reach for this eco-friendly, non-toxic glue instead. eco-glue from eco-kids USAis handmade using rice flour, water, sugar, citric acid, corn starch, potassium sorbate, and rosemary oil.
Photo courtesy of eco-kids USA.
This post was written by
Tracey Black is the founder and editor-in-chief for Don't Mess with Mama, the sassy mom's guide to parenting, green living and travel. She is a regular contributor to Redbook's Mamarama blog, and a social media strategist working with eco-friendly brands such as Stonyfield, Juice Beauty and others. She has three boys and lives in San Diego, Calif.
