Shopping Guide - Toys, Books and Gifts

Green Lullaby

Green Lullaby — an eco-friendly design company based in Israel — has debuted an adorable new dollhouse girls of all ages will love.

Easy-to-put together and take apart, the My Green Dollhouse ($70) is made of 100% extra-tough cardboard made from recycled materials. Added bonus: the paints, adhesives, lacquer and fire retardant are non toxic and water-based.

A fresh take on the traditional dollhouse, it sports a modern pink/brown palette and whimsical home decor drawings. It’s also 100% recyclable and biodegradable, so when its time is up — just throw it in the recycle bin.

QuietHoursToys.com

Crayon Rocks

What: Some of the most delightful artisan-crafted toys and wares from around the world.
Why We Love It: Without having to spend time researching, you can know that these toys are going to be safe and fun for your children.  Their products are beautiful, imaginative, long-lasting and made from natural and sustainable materials.
Shop Here For: Charming wooden figures and farmhouses by Ostheimer, cloth and wood play food (no matter how you slice it, every child loves play food!), unique craft supplies and fun room décor.
Our Favorites: No child should be without the store’s most popular item, Crayon Rocks ($7). So simple, yet so cool.  And the new wool and cotton dolls by Viola Studio ($38-$56) are as funky as they are adorable (you can even order a custom doll to look like your child!). Don’t miss the tiny felt baby shoes ($32)… how can you not want a pair in every style?

Classic Bendable Gumby

KitesTailsToys.com
What: An online toy store specializing in every kind of toy imaginable including hard-to-find classics from mom and dad’s childhood.
Why We Love It: If you are shopping only for Made in the U.S.A. toys these days, there is a filter you can use to make your browsing easier (you can search for toys Made in Germany as well). Also, local customers can stop by the facility to pick items up and save on shipping.
Shop Here For: Classics from your childhood like Gumby and Friends ($5-$10) or Pink Panther ($8.99) and more modern baubles like Melissa & Doug ($9.99-$129.99) or Baby Einstein ($7-$20).
Our Favorites: Not that we are encouraging you to you buy these for your kids, but we haven’t seen candy cigarettes ($10) in years! Also, these awesome Water Balloon Launchers ($10-$16) make us wish we were ten again.
CBB Deal: Save $10 off any Schleich order over $50 when you use code Schleich50 (expires June 30, 2009). Free UPS Ground shipping is always offered for orders over $100 (within the continental US).

Chronicle Books
What: Parenting, children’s, crafts, art, design, photography, food, drink, fiction, travel, pop culture, and humor books and gifts.
Why We Love It: Uh oh!  Forgot your babysitter’s birthday?  Your best friend’s baby is due tomorrow? Got three kids bday parties to wrap presents for in the next week? Chronicle Books is bound to have something for everyone on your list. Plus, they’ve got an awesome blog.
What To Buy: Great gifts and award winning titles include Doodles, Scribbles, Ivy and Bean, Little Pea, Little Hoot, An Egg is Quiet, Mom’s Ultimate Family Organizer, The Pregnancy Journal, The Fertility Journal, Nursery Style, and Porn for New Moms. And save on their web-exclusive gift packs, available only on their website.
Celeb Fans: People magazine reported that Lisa Kudrow gave Courteney Cox-Arquette a copy of The Three-Martini Playdate, Anna Getty has I Was A Really Good Mom Before I Had Kids and Dirty Little Secrets From Otherwise Perfect Moms. Julianne Moore made sure her daughter, Liv, had a copy of Ivy and Bean. Tori Spelling relied on Nursery Style when decorating her new daughter Stella’s first room.
CBB Deal: Save 25% and get free ground shipping when you use coupon code CELEBBABY (expires Dec. 31, 2008).

Zutano Baby Basics Sugar Blossom Set

Bugs and Blossoms
What: This is the perfect site for a mom who’s pregnant and has another child—there’s lots for the tyke you’ve already got and plenty for you to last from pregnancy through nursing.
Why We Love It: The outlet section is almost as fun as hitting the real thing. But this one is way more organized. You can look for items in a specific size or category.
Shop Here For: All things Zutano and that includes their relatively new preemie line Itzy Bitzy. You’ll find things for pregnancy and nursing moms, items from Appaman, Bruder Toy Trucks, Swaddle Designs, Boppy and Little Twig skincare. There’s also an organic section.
Our Favorites: Diapees & Wipees’ Wet Bags ($18) are pretty-patterned zipper bags with plastic lining that you can use for wet bathing suits, "accident" clothing and used diapers. The At Home pajamas ($22-30) are super soft and come in a host of patterns and prints.
Deal: Free ground shipping on orders over $60.

Magnetic MightyMind

Fat Brain Toys
What: A place to find toys that teach but aren’t even remotely dull. Detailed descriptions of each toy and the best age group for it means you won’t over challenge anyone.
Why We Love It: A huge, huge, huge selection of engaging, educational toys organizedinto very specific categories including gardening, bugs, space, sports, fire and rescue,science and a lot more. Need help shopping for someone else’s child? Use The Gift Wizard—answer a few questions and he’ll come up with suggestions.
Shop Here For: Dado Squares, Erector Sets, Spy Toys, games and puzzles your child won’t lose interest in 10-minutes later. They also have a Special Needs Advisory Panel that recommends games and toys on the site best suited for different special needs.
Our Favorites: Magnetic MightyMind ($19.95) is a must-have on an airplane, even more so at home. With patterns ages 3-8 will be challenged by (and can master), this magnetic shape building kit is definitely as entertaining as anything that beeps and blinks. Put the template on them metal block and kids have to figure out which magnetic shapes they need to fill it in. HaPe’s Quadrilla Twist Set ($149.95) is certain to thrill kid and adult alike. We also love Babalu’s Felt Tales story/play boards ($11-16.95).

Barefoot Books
What: A site for books (plus toys, music and audio books) that teach children about respecting different cultures and our environment.
Why We Love It: Kids don’t have to read about outer space or submarines to explore new worlds. Barefoot Books stories have rich illustrations and themes—usually with a great lesson to be learned.
Shop Here For: Stella Blackstone’s Bear books are fun for even the littlest listener. There are plenty of stories about ballerinas, fairies, wizards and dragons. 
Our Favorites: I Took the Moon for a Walk ($16.99), The Great Race: The Story of the Chinese Zodiac ($16.99)—read up on this ancient calendar and learn more about the site of this summer’s Olympics.

Sevi magnet puzzle

Oompa Toys
What: A European Union of colorful wooden toys—from infant on up—and fun backpacks,soft toys, games, art supplies, decor and pretend play items thataren’t easy to find in stores.
Why We Love It: European toys are just so darned bright and pleasing. There is a seemingly endless supply of colorful plush and wood toys for a variety of ages conveniently narrowed down by interest. Plus each item has a "Loyalty Point"value, enough of them earns you money off future purchases.
Shop Here For: All things HABA (from Germany), plush from sigikid (also from Germany), Sevi (our new favorite Italian toy company), Vilac (from France), and a huge selection of other American and international toys and games.
Our Favorites: The magnet puzzle from Sevi ($49.99) helps develop fine motor skills, and encourages creative expression and indepenent play, but who cares when the pieces are just darn cute! The Beauty Salon with Stool from Educo ($99) comes with a wooden hair dryer, brush, perfume, cosmetics and matching stool. Adorable for the budding beautician or girlie girl. The Bajo Transporter with Red & Blue Cars ($22.99) is made from locally grown wood in the Carpathian mountains. Cool!

Melissa & Doug
What: It’s Melissa & Doug’s North Pole — everything toy they make ishere. Plus, click "About Melissa & Doug" to see the geniuses behind this toy empire.
Why We Love It: Most parents spend more time with Melissa & Dougthan some of their living, breathing family members, but their cool newitems are hard to find en masse.  From infant toys to arts and crafts to puppets to puzzles to food play, you are bound to find that perfect gift you’ve never seen before for every age.
Our Favorites: So hard to choose! Food toys like the Slice and Bake Cookie Set ($19.99) and the soft Picnic Basket Fill and Spill ($19.99) let kids imitate parents. Did you know they made magic sets (for kids as young assix)? Also, the travel games are based on classics with impossible tolose pieces. Don’t forget to check out their special offers.

Kaloo’s Travel Activity Playmat

Pampered Tot
What: A store for … tots who are pampered or will be once they’re born.
Why We Love It: Have a question about an item? Email the Charlaps (theyrun the site) for their insights and recommendations—they’ve testedalmost everything. Their online checklists help new moms figure outwhat they need—use it to buy what you want or save it to their wishlist section.
Shop Here For: Everything Bugaboo—they’ve got a whole section devotedjust to this tony stroller. Plus the standard must-haves (bibs,onesies, crib sheets) in bold and beautiful prints.
Our Favorites: Kaloo’s Travel Activity Playmat ($94) with a waterproof mat and detachable velour blanket. Soft, muted colors and it packs flat. Icky Products Travel Place Mat ($19) includes a spoon and fork and pockets to hold them. Baby Bjorn’s potty chair ($22.50) has a removable inner potty for easy clean up.
Great Deal: No tax in all 50 states and free shipping for orders over $100.