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Play Smart – Three Clever Puzzles from PlanToys

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A kid’s work is play. And toddlers and preschoolers learn primarily through exploring the world around them. A few high quality toys, like the gorgeous sustainable, fair-trade toys available from Plan Toys, are enough to spark their imaginations. The tactile feel of real wood, the non-toxic, bright colors, and the open-ended nature of these toys make them perfect for flexible, young minds.

Plan Toys sent us three items from their catalog of Developmental Toys for Preschoolers and they have quickly become favorites in our house: Animal Domino Memory Game, 30-Piece Construction Set, and Stacking Tree.

Imagine That, ImagiPlay

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Imagine a world where toys please the senses and stimulate the imagination. Now imagine a world where all of those toys are made in fair trade facilities from eco-friendly, sustainable materials.

It is easy if you try… just visit ImagiPlay. They make beautiful, clever wooden toys for infants, toddlers, and children…

Geopolitical Kid

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Puzzles are great way for young children to learn everything from shapes to numbers to species of animals…and now geography!

GeoPuzzles makes jigsaw style puzzles with the pieces in the shapes of the countries or regions, enhancing the learning. With this innovation, your child can hold an Italy-shaped piece in his hand…

Chugga, Chugga, SPLASH! Water & Sand Table Review and Contest

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At a recent playdate for my preschooler, I had a big playset with two slides, a play cottage, a play kitchen, and tons of smaller toys out for the kids but the biggest hit of the day? The Sand & Water Transportation Table from Step 2.

This group of three and four year olds clustered around the table and contentedly filled, poured and splashed for almost two hours. Meanwhile, the moms sipped lemonade and chatted in the shade…

A Baby Doll for the Big Sister

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When I was expecting my infant son, we introduced a baby doll to prepare my older child for her new sibling. Since then, she’s been inseparable from her baby dolls. And, like many of her celebrity counterparts, including Suri Cruise and Violet Affleck, her favorite baby dolls are made by Corolle…

A Useful Tool for Teaching Calendar Skills

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Calendars and schedules are such an integral part of adult life, but understanding concepts like days of the week, months of the year and the seasons can be difficult for young children. Without a strong understanding of how the calendar works, it can be tough for a preschooler to understand concepts like exactly how long daddy will be away on a business trip or when his class is visiting the zoo.

Your kids will learn calendar skills at preschool or kindergarten, but you can give them a headstart with the “My Week” calendar from 2fishkids.

Building Blocks Fit for a King or Queen

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Classic toys are timeless for good reason. Wooden building blocks never go out of style–durable, creative, open ended toys that allow for hours of exploration.

HABA makes quality toys primarily from cloth and wood. These organic materials, combined with a European aesthetic, lend HABA toys a warmth and charm that encourages tactile play.

The HABA Plug and Pile Royal Tower Wooden Blocks are a fun twist on traditional building blocks…

Recycle, Re-Play, Re-Think: Green Toys Review and Giveaway

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Reuse, reduce, and recycle for a more eco-friendly lifestyle. The new Recycling Dump Truck from Green Toys teaches all these concepts by example and through play.

The Green Toys Tea Set is a favorite of ours and Green Toys has rescued more treasure from the trash heap with its new action toys made from recycled milk jugs. Check out this video tour of the new line of Green Toys we previewed at Toy Fair 2009…

These are the Environmentally Conscious People in Your Neighborhood

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With the Eco Town from Plan Toys, your kids will find a new earth-friendly surprise around every corner.

We played with a set that includes a play mat with plenty of green set, an eco home, train station, vehicle charging station, and more–and all of these toys teach about sustainable development. Clean energy is spotlighted in this earth-friendly town.

The opinions expressed on Mamanista.com are based on a single consumer user testing, and are solely those of the author. Any factual claims, including but not limited to safety testing, are based on information from the manufacturer. Mamanista.com receives sample products for testing. Paid placements, such as announcements of sales or sponsored contests are clearly marked. See our disclosure policy.