Canadian Gift Guide

It’s thawing! It’s thawing! At least in my region of Canuckia, I’m pleased to announce there is significantly less feet of snow remaining than there was last week. All this lovely Spring-tease weather is making me eager to find outdoorsy gifts, so forgive me if this is a little premature, but I thought it was really cute – the Naturebag, created by a Canadian duo of mommies and found on a Canadian eTailer.

The bag itself forms the basis of the set, and is a fair trade product, made in southern India. The contents of the bag are basically everything you need to set your little one’s mind free in the great outdoors, giving them a much-needed break from the video game and movie hibernation most Canadian kids go through every winter.

Start things off with the activity booklet that outlines year-round (!) options for outdoor play for kids aged 3-12. From there, use the included eco-friendly, organic, and fair trade items including soy-based crayons, recycled paper products, and an all-natural magnifying glass. Presto, you’ve got endless afternoons of good, clean fun.

I found the kit on Little Footprints, a Canadian kid-friendly eTailer that specializes in socially conscious gear. No matter what item you buy on the site, you can guarantee it’s meeting one of their mandated ‘footprints’ – ranging from organic and sustainable to local and responsible. There are a million ideas on there for kids of all ages, but the Naturebag is a pretty nifty choice at $35 for the child that hasn’t had a chance to explore their natural enthusiast. Did I mention it also comes en francais for our bilingual tots?