Green Options

Editor’s note: The following piece is guest post by Dalit Holzman from Natural Pod, one of our favorite eco-friendly toy companies.  Dalit is part of the Natural Pod team (www.naturalpod.com) and raises her two daughters as open-endedly as possible…with the help of some boxes.

We’ve all heard it. In fact we’ve all said it: “the best toy in the house is the cardboard box!” As parents we are constantly reminded that the active imaginations of children really don’t need much stimulation to get going…and going, and going, and going!

Just the other day my very own living room was transformed from, well, a living room into a series of caves and burrows, an enclave for ambushing mini- pirates!

Kids constantly mimic and replay the world around them, and though I am no pirate (lol), my daughters do seem to have many of my mannerisms and modes of communication down to a science (arrr me hearties!) They listen to learn to repeat.

Any parent knows that children love cardboard boxes.  Often, the box a present comes in encourages more creative play than the toy it once contained.  Imagination Box Co. was born out of this cardboard creativity.

After raising three kids and seeing how much waste there was in the toy industry, we said, “NO MORE,” and began making many of our children’s toys. An old box became a way to stimulate their creativity and recycle at the same time. They loved them and so did the neighborhood kids. It took about 17 years, but…voila…Imagination Box Co was born!

Made in the USA, Imagination Box Co. toys are completely recyclable and made from 45% post consumer materials.  Each set comes with watercolors, so that your child may decorate and assemble their own toy. For my eight-year-old daughter, it has provided hours of entertainment and excitement.

For parents who were suckered into Disney’s Baby Einstein concept, the company has announced they will give full refunds on up to four videos.  The basis of the refund is to compensate parents who actually believed the videos would make their children smarter.  UPI reports:

The move comes after Disney’s Baby Einstein Co. last month announced “enhanced consumer satisfaction guarantees” after lawyers had threatened a class-action suit for false advertising. “The Walt Disney Company’s entire Baby Einstein marketing regime is based on express and implied claims that their videos are educational and beneficial for early childhood development,” a letter from the lawyers reportedly said.

I miss my baby wearing days, especially now that an organic version of my favorite carrier is available!  Babybjörn Original Organic Baby Carrier is essential for any new green mommy or daddy, in my opinion.  A worn baby is a happy baby because:

Babies feel closely snuggled to the parent
Babies are kept within their short range of vision, unlike riding in a stroller
Babies can feel your heart rhythm and breath reminding them of the womb
Babies and parents bonding is promoted through baby wearing

A babywearing parent is a happy parent because their baby fusses less, and grown-up arms are free for doing chores, shopping, etc..

Thank you Citizenpup for sponsoring our Green Lunch Giveway, and congratulations to Sonya of Sanity is for Those Without Children (love the name!) for winning.  Sonya wrote, “My kids love edamame and lots of veggies!”  My kids love edamame too, and I promise to grow the beans in my garden next year. If you do buy edamame, shop carefully to avoid beans [...]

Every parent wishes for a happy baby…did you know an organic baby is also a happy baby?  That’s the premise behind Dr. Sears’ new book HappyBaby: The Organic Guide to Baby’s First 24 Months. Dr. Robert W. Sears, MD is best known for the Vaccine Book and being the son of Martha and William Sears, MD.

I am not a fan of electronic gizmos for kids, but I am a Mac fan.  When offered an opportunity to review a new app for iPhones and iPod touch by Parents Magazine, I decided to approach it with an open mind.  Previously, I’d bashed such applications, but this one is different.

My own personal experience involves my five-year-old son, who has verbal apraxia.  The tracing activities are wonderful in providing him with a unique way to practice fine motor skills while engaging with letters, shapes, and numbers.  I am also thrilled to have him using the iPod touch, as soon he will be using it as an AAC device to help him communicate.

The green factor in this app may be a stretch, and for that dear reader, I apologize; however, if your are looking for an app to entertain your child on the car, airplane, waiting room, iPlay n’ Learn may be for you. Heck, you can’t beat the price.

The kind folks at Citizenpip have offered to give a Square Meal Kit to one lucky Eco Child’s Play reader!  The Square Meal Kit features:

• 1 insulated lunch bag with nametag and carabiner that easily attaches to a backpack
• 1 stainless steel water bottle
• 4 BPA-free airtight food containers
• 5 100% cotton napkins

“Citizenpip is muck-free: no lead, BPA, PVC, or phthalates.”

To enter, simply leave [...]

Tough economic times have caused one school in Ireland to ask students to bring their own toilet paper. Parents received the following request last week from principal Catherine O’Neill:

Dear parent, from time to time we will request your daughter to bring in a toilet roll to her class teacher. These rolls will be specifically for your daughter’s class and will be dispensed by the class teacher. We would also request that your daughter has tissues in her sack at all times.

Unless you are lucky enough to send your child to a school with organic lunches and a farm to school program, you probably pack your child’s lunch. We’ve reviewed numerous lunch boxes and lunch systems, but in the end, I usually just grab random items and throw then together in my hurried mornings.  Despite my haphazard lunch packing routines, I am really excited about the Munchgear Soup to Nuts Kit (so are my kids who are fighting over who gets to use it tomorrow.

The Munchgear Soup to Nuts Kit made by Citizenpip (such a cute name) is an “everything in one kit” that, in my opinion, provides more flexibility and durability than a Laptop Lunch. The Soup to Nuts Kit includes:

1 insulated lunch bag with nametag and carabiner that easily attaches to a backpack
1 stainless steel water bottle and insulated food jar
4 BPA-free airtight food containers
1 stainless steel fork + spoon set
5 100% cotton napkins