2007 Holiday Gift Guide: Safer toys
Are you afraid to give a toy that might be recalled just a few months later? Check out these great safe toys.
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Sam & Bellie’s laminated chalk matsmake a great and original gift for the holidays (or in preparation foryour holiday travel). Laminated on one side, with a chalkboard-likematerial on the other side, your kids can draw on the 11"x17" laminatedmats with chalk and then you can roll it up and throw it in your bagwhen you’re ready to head out. They come in many fun designs- Anya hasthe sashimi pattern.
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Pastel Toysare simple but classic wood toys that include toys on wheels, truckswith blocks, outdoor toys, and small furniture. Their signature look istheir non-toxic pastel milk paint, which has a slightly distressedfinish, giving an antique look. They have a great backstory too-they’re produced on an Israeli kibbutz by adults with special needs (click here to watch a movie about it).
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Though they are made in China, Melissa & Doug Toys are free of all toxins and lead based paint and are vigorously tested. (Read more about their testing process here.) It’s a good thing too, because their toys are among Anya’s (and our) favorites. She has the Sushi Slicing Kit, wooden ABC/123 blocks, deluxe standing easel, magnetic wooden alphabet in a box, chunky farm puzzle, magnetic dress-up set, alphabet puzzle cards, and the four food group toys. I think we’re going to get her this fold & go dollhouse(pictured)- we’ve been looking for one that is appropriate for toddlersand she likes playing with it at the library. They have so manydifferent categories of toys for different age ranges and intereststhat it’s difficult to NOT find a good gift.
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For your daughter who has been begging for a Barbie Dream House, how’s this for a non-plastic alternative- KidKraft’s Savannah Dollhouse.Nearly 3 feet tall, it comes furnished and is scaled to Barbie/Bratzdimensions so your daughter’s dolls will be able to move in rightaway. For a less huge dollhouse, consider KidKraft’s Cottage Dollhouse. It also comes with furniture but is scaled much smaller and is appropriate from 3+.
Free shipping at Dimples & Dandelions.
Just about every child loves to play with food and Haba makesrealistic-looking play food items that are made out of wood or felt,not plastic. Kids will love their fun grocery store food items, like hot dogs, and chocolate bars and parents will feel safe knowing their child is playing with quality toys.
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Another great wood toy company is ImagiPlaywhich makes its toys primarily out of plantation-grown, chemical-freerubberwood. (Rubber trees produce a sap that is used to make latexproducts. At theend of their latex-producing years (generally 25-30 years) the treesare harvested and new ones planted.) I think their playsets are adorable, especially A Day at the Farm, African Safari, and Vision Quest (where else will you find this???). Their three-dimensional puzzles are really clever, like the Daschund and babies, Counting Penguins and Animal Alphabet.
As of press-time, felt was still considered safe so I feel confident in recommending FeltTales,which are felt storyboards. Similar to paper dolls, kids can rearrangethe felt figures to the felt board and make up stories. Anya has thePretty Princess version, but there are also boy-friendly themes aswell, like To The Rescue, Pirates at Shipwreck Cove, Knights Castle,Dinosaur Days, Busy Day at the Zoo, Riding School and Busy Day on theFarm. Each comes packaged in a reusable tote bag and makes for greatnon-electronic car entertainment. Available at Amazon.com.
Karito [`ka-ree`-toe] is a word from the constructed internationallanguage, Esperanto, meaning charity and love of one’s neighborperfectly identifies our hopes and goals. Karito Kids® by KidsGive™ arenot just dolls and books – they are a philosophy. Their five character/dolls include Wan Ling is a panda lover from China (pictured left), Lulu is an aspiring soccer star and co-host on a children’s TV show in Kenya, Zoe is a bohemian songwriter from New York, Gia is a fashionista and budding designer from Italy and Pita is a medal-winning equestrian from Mexico. It’s aimed for ages 6 and up- though the dolls are supposed to be 11 years old.
The facial features are beautiful. The 21 inch poseable dolls comeswith a 144 page book and are made of phthalate-free vinyl with a torsothat is 1/3 vinyl and 2/3 soft 100% cotton filled with polyester fill.
(Nancy)
BlaBla dollshave been some of our favorite toys for Anya since she was a newborn.She has quite a few of the medium sized dolls and recently, herfavorites are the mermaids. Craftsbury Kids has a nice selection.
CBB Deal: Get free shipping when you use coupon code FSCB at CraftsburyKids.com.
Hand drawn by Surya Sajnani, mother of two and graphic designer, Wee Gallery’sanimal-based baby art cards are a great way to stimulate baby’s visualsenses and teach them about animals. Surya and her husband/businesspartner Dave gave Anya the Original, Sea, and Farm setsof the 5×7 cards last year and she LOVED them. She loved to look atthe cards, while we told her the animals’ names and what sounds theymade. She soon began mimicking the sounds- "mow" for cats, "mmm" forcows, and "baa" for sheep. Since then, they have introduced three moresets of the cards- Garden, Dino, and Jungle, which has won the NationalParenting Center’s 2007 Seal of Approval. (The Farm set won aniParenting Media Award.)
If you’re looking for a unique gift for a new baby, I highly recommendbundling a few sets of the cards, a mobile, and one of their infant onesies (available through Cafe Press). They also sell 25"x35" and 11"x17" posters and different notecards via Cafe Press.
(Danielle)
Toddlers love pull toys and it’s great for practicing good balance and steady walking. I love this adorable wooden dancing alligator pull toy from Plan Toys. Its body wiggles as it walks- how cute is that?
Vilacis a French company that has been making wooden toys for over 80years. Their entire line is fantastic, but I especially love their Maison Des Boules (House of Balls).
For those who prefer a stuffed animal that is neither a licensed character nor found in every mass retailer in town, Moncalinpresents an adorable option. French for "my cuddle," Moncalin’s plushpigs, cats, blankets and star shaped blankees are super soft andcuddly, handsewn, and made without beads or plastic parts. Details areembroidered so they are safe for infants. Plus they’re machinewashable.
CBB Deal: Save 20% on entire Moncalin collection when you use code CELEBRITYBB through 12/15/07.
More ideas
- An alternative to Thomas the Train- Plan Toys Road & Rail Set.
- Green Toys uses plastic made from corn in their toys, including an indoor planting set, tea set, cookware and dining set.
- I love this wooden play dough kit, complete with tools and dough with a carrying case. (Free shipping at TheLandofNod.com)
- Celebrate Hannukah with your kids (with pretend fire) with this wooden Hannukah Play Set by KidKraft. It includes a menorah, candles and flames, latkes, dreidl, and gelt. (Free shipping at TheLandofNod.com.)
For even more safer toy options, visit CoolMomPicks.com.
- Posted on Dec 21, 07 at 2:00PM
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