Toy trends may come and go, but wooden building blocks are a perennial favorite for the preschool set. Spark even more creative play with the Cheekeyes. These artistic wooden animals won the 2009 Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Platinum Award. Since the Cheekeyes are handmade from eco-friendly rubberwood, each set is unique. Adults will dig the sophisticated design and minimal […]
Go Vroom, Vroom with Natural Pod
Natural Pod is one of my favorite boutiques for children’s toys. All of the products are so lovely and I feel good knowing they are made from eco-friendly and child-safe materials, by fair-wage workers or independent craftsmen. My preschooler checked out the Wooden Van (CAD $25; about US $19.50), a charmingly simple wooden toy automobile. […]
Craftsbury Kids Coupon Code for 10% Off (Deal of the Day)
Craftsbury Kids is the place to look for unique, handmade toys, clothing, art and decor, and gifts for babies and children. So it is no surprise we’ve featured some of their selections in our Guide to the Hottest Holiday Toys for 2008. This gorgeous Caterpillar Pull Toy ($34.00) is handmade of hardwoods in the USA. […]
Smarter Sipping from a Savvy Kidtrepreneur
When I was younger, I was convinced my generation would save the planet. These days, though, I’m also worried about saving money, saving time, and saving my sanity. But some of my idealism remains and I’m excited to see a new generation taking up the effort to reduce waste, reuse, and recycle–especially when it is […]
A Bright Idea: New Improved CFLs Pay for Themselves
Compact Fluorescent Lights (CFLs) that screw in to regular bulb sockets consume less than a quarter of the energy of incandescent (tungsten) bulbs that produce the same amount of light. They cost a lot more than tungsten bulbs, but since they also last at least four times longer they easily pay for themselves. I tried […]
Fuss Free Baby Food
When I was pregnant, I had visions of preparing homemade baby food from fresh, locally-grown produce. I purchased Annabel Karmel’s bestselling baby cookbook- First Meals, and I read all the yummy-sounding recipes. (Read Candace’s full review of First Meals here.) But my first attempts at preparing homemade purees were time-consuming and frustrating. It’s hard to […]
Clean Your Home Green in 30 Days
Confession: I want to be green but sometimes, between family and work, it is just not at the top of my list. I also want to keep my house cleaner, but I have little interest in tidying and even less time for it. So, when my organization and cleaning guru (and fellow Mamanista editor), Debbie, […]
Sharing is Caring
Any parent with a preschooler knows that teaching the little niceties of social interaction can be a challenge. Children want to be sweet, they just do not always know how and remembering manners in the middle of playtime can be tough. Caring Corners has introduced Mrs. Goodbee, an interactive talking doll house, as a fun, […]
Go Green for Halloween
October is a great month to consider our impact on Mother Earth because it is harvest time! One of the best things parents can do for the environment is to show their children the joy and beauty of our planet. Here are some ideas for a Green Halloween: Enjoy the Fruits of the Fields: Focus […]
New Affordable Organic Baby Food Options from Gerber
Gerber just introduced some new dinner purees with DHA, which helps brain and eye development, and reintroduced their organic cereals. (Gerber had recalled their organic cereal over a year ago due to lumps which could have caused a choking hazard, but the company brought it back after making several changes to the manufacturing process.) I had a chance […]
