Green Options » Tiffany Washko http://greenoptions.com/author/naturemom/ Post archive of Tiffany Washko Wed, 22 Apr 2009 22:29:06 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 en http://greenoptions.com/author/naturemom/ http://www.gravatar.com/avatar/94cd5b79f95362c1aa42c627b6a266b1?s=65&d=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.gravatar.com%2Favatar%2Fad516503a11cd5ca435acc9bb6523536%3Fs%3D32 Green Options » Tiffany Washko How To Make Veggie Popsicles Kids Will LOVE! http://ecochildsplay.com/2009/04/22/how-to-make-veggie-popsicles-kids-will-love/ http://ecochildsplay.com/2009/04/22/how-to-make-veggie-popsicles-kids-will-love/#comments Wed, 22 Apr 2009 22:29:06 +0000 Tiffany Washko http://ecochildsplay.com/2009/04/22/how-to-make-veggie-popsicles-kids-will-love/

Green popsWe are big on green smoothies in our house. We usually make them once or twice a day at least and I load them full of healthy, leafy greens and veggies. So even if my kids don’t want to finish the veggies on their plate at dinner I do not worry because they already have two to three servings in their bodies already thanks to green smoothies.

But since we are trying to get away from eating meat for environmental and health reasons, I find the need to get even more protein rich greens into their diet every day. With summer around the corner it seemed a no brainer to accomplish this with delicious warm weather treats. Our green smoothies become green Popsicles in just a few hours!

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]]> http://ecochildsplay.com/2009/04/22/how-to-make-veggie-popsicles-kids-will-love/feed/ Grab a Pillow, Book, and Head Outside http://ecochildsplay.com/2009/04/03/grab-a-pillow-book-and-head-outside/ http://ecochildsplay.com/2009/04/03/grab-a-pillow-book-and-head-outside/#comments Fri, 03 Apr 2009 22:07:35 +0000 Tiffany Washko http://ecochildsplay.com/2009/04/03/grab-a-pillow-book-and-head-outside/ Book PillowNow that the weather is warm there is opportunity to shake off the winter doldrums and get the kids some fresh air and sunlight. Hopefully getting your kids to want to spend time outdoors will not be an issue for you but if it is you may just have to get creative.

Indoor entertainment certainly has its place but when they get outside to play or just enjoy a sunny day they get exercise and they connect with nature. Richard’s Louv’s book Nature Deficit Disorder is just full of reasons why we need to make a conscious effort to get our kids out of doors.

One simple way to do this is to take story time or homework outdoors.

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]]> http://ecochildsplay.com/2009/04/03/grab-a-pillow-book-and-head-outside/feed/ PBS “Share the Earth” Earth Day Campaign http://ecochildsplay.com/2009/03/19/pbs-share-the-earth-earth-day-campaign/ http://ecochildsplay.com/2009/03/19/pbs-share-the-earth-earth-day-campaign/#comments Thu, 19 Mar 2009 23:58:39 +0000 Tiffany Washko http://ecochildsplay.com/2009/03/19/pbs-share-the-earth-earth-day-campaign/ Share the EarthMost of us are already familiar with the fun and educational programming provided by PBS. Many of us grew up with Sesame Street and The Reading Rainbow right? Well, I am pleased as punch when I find my kids engrossed in PBS programming because I know they are likely learning while viewing.

Well now PBS is participating in an entertaining, educational, and free Earth Day campaign! This is even better news for an eco conscious parent.

The online content and programming are ADORABLE – and all free – and help instill a love of the environment and eco-conscious values in children and their families.  Joining in the campaign is a great way for kids and families to start a dialogue about the importance of preserving the earth, while learning and having fun.

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]]> http://ecochildsplay.com/2009/03/19/pbs-share-the-earth-earth-day-campaign/feed/ Fresh New Designs for gDiapers Flushable Diapers http://ecochildsplay.com/2009/03/08/fresh-new-designs-for-gdiapers-flushable-diapers/ http://ecochildsplay.com/2009/03/08/fresh-new-designs-for-gdiapers-flushable-diapers/#comments Mon, 09 Mar 2009 01:48:48 +0000 Tiffany Washko http://ecochildsplay.com/2009/03/08/fresh-new-designs-for-gdiapers-flushable-diapers/ gdiapersgDiapers fans are no doubt excited to see that they have some new and adorable options for flushable diapers. Their web site is now boasting several new prints for their “little g” pants including Ga, Ga Pink, Goo Goo Blue, Good Vibe Girl and Good Vibe Stripe, which are pretty snazzy if I do say so myself. It has no doubt been hard to compete with the cuteness of cloth diapers but they are certainly making strides.

The little g pants are the outer shell of the gDiaper system or the diaper cover that holds the flushable inserts.  The inserts are the disposable and absorbent inner liners that you toss (flush, throw away or compost). You reuse the gDiaper pants again and again. For about 40 years there have been only two basic choices in diapering. Cloth or disposable. gDiapers offers consumers a third option….a hybrid cloth diaper with a disposable element.

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]]> http://ecochildsplay.com/2009/03/08/fresh-new-designs-for-gdiapers-flushable-diapers/feed/ How to Make a Green Smoothie http://ecochildsplay.com/2009/02/19/how-to-make-a-green-smoothie/ http://ecochildsplay.com/2009/02/19/how-to-make-a-green-smoothie/#comments Thu, 19 Feb 2009 18:03:17 +0000 Tiffany Washko http://ecochildsplay.com/2009/02/19/how-to-make-a-green-smoothie/ Child drinking smoothieMy kids and I are crazy about green smoothies. We make them a couple times daily usually. Never before has it been so easy to get my kids to eat plenty of those all important leafy greens! Just check out my daughter’s green smoothie moustache (left).

You may be wondering what a green smoothie is exactly. Or maybe not, they seem to be getting really popular in healthier living circles everywhere lately. A green smoothie does not refer to being “green” in the eco sense of the word. Although they can be that too. The green in a green smoothie refers to what is in the smoothie and usually the color as well. Quite simply, green smoothies are blended beverages that combine fresh or frozen fruit and leafy greens like Kale, collard, spinach, or wild edibles. Veggies like carrots may make a cameo appearance in green smoothies as well. The genius of a green smoothie is that they are jam packed with nutritional goodness, usually in its raw life living form, and they taste absolutely fantastic! When was the last time your kids begged you for fresh spinach? Well, mine ask me daily for some. ;)

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]]> http://ecochildsplay.com/2009/02/19/how-to-make-a-green-smoothie/feed/ Wood Toddler Toys from Plan Toys http://ecochildsplay.com/2009/02/19/wood-toddler-toys-from-plan-toys/ http://ecochildsplay.com/2009/02/19/wood-toddler-toys-from-plan-toys/#comments Thu, 19 Feb 2009 17:04:42 +0000 Tiffany Washko http://ecochildsplay.com/2009/02/19/wood-toddler-toys-from-plan-toys/ Hammer BallsHammer Balls from Plan Toys is a curved wooden box with three colorful balls and a mallet, this toy helps children to improve hand-eye coordination, aligning, slotting and aiming. Pound the balls and watch them roll out one by one. It is now one of my all time favorite toddler toys.

We got Hammer Balls for our 3 year old son as a green Christmas gift and not only does he love it, his older siblings do to! It is just a simple wood block with a lovely curved shape that has three holes in it. You place one or all of the three colorful, wooden balls on it and then you use the hammer to pound the balls through the holes. They roll out from underneath and the fun begins again. The concept is incredibly simple but it is fascinating to most young kids. It is similar to the idea of wack-a-mole but without the violent concept of striking an animal.

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]]> http://ecochildsplay.com/2009/02/19/wood-toddler-toys-from-plan-toys/feed/ My Son Nearly Died of Salmonella http://ecochildsplay.com/2009/02/17/my-son-nearly-died-of-salmonella/ http://ecochildsplay.com/2009/02/17/my-son-nearly-died-of-salmonella/#comments Tue, 17 Feb 2009 16:42:59 +0000 Tiffany Washko http://ecochildsplay.com/2009/02/17/my-son-nearly-died-of-salmonella/ PeanutsAs a mom that often blogs about the latest going on in the news in regards to child safety, I was especially saddened by the story on Root today of Hamil R. Harris, a reporter for The Washington Post. His son Issiah is one of the victims of the recent peanut butter salmonella scare. He came very close to to losing his toddler to this horror and ironically because he is so used to being the one covering the news he never imagined that something like this would touch his family.

Tummy aches, fever and diarrhea plagued his son but Harris was skeptical that it could be linked to the salmonella poisoning. The family could not deny something was seriously wrong though after little Isaiah began to fill his little diapers with bloody stools. They saved the diapers so that tests could be run. The culprit they believe was tainted peanut butter crackers.

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]]> http://ecochildsplay.com/2009/02/17/my-son-nearly-died-of-salmonella/feed/ Wooden Fairy Dolls from The Fairy Ring http://ecochildsplay.com/2009/02/11/wooden-fairy-dolls-from-the-fairy-ring/ http://ecochildsplay.com/2009/02/11/wooden-fairy-dolls-from-the-fairy-ring/#comments Wed, 11 Feb 2009 18:12:05 +0000 Tiffany Washko http://ecochildsplay.com/2009/02/11/wooden-fairy-dolls-from-the-fairy-ring/ Fairy DollsNatural dolls are almost impossible to find in conventional stores. Most dolls you can get at big box stores are made of plastic with phthalates and PVC. Cloth dolls can be found at specialty stores but they can be very expensive. Getting quality, natural, safe dolls for your little ones can be a tall order if you are on a budget.

Recently my little girl fell in love with small wooden fairy dolls from an etsy seller, The Fairy Ring. These dolls are simple, adorable, and very stimulating as far as creative play is concerned. Upon getting her first fairy doll, which she decided to name “Jewel”, she insisted on having more right away and they have been with her constantly ever since. When she takes a shower they hang on the shower door. When she goes to sleep at night they are held lovingly in her hand. Her dreams are now filled with fairies.

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]]> http://ecochildsplay.com/2009/02/11/wooden-fairy-dolls-from-the-fairy-ring/feed/ How to Make Homemade Almond Milk http://ecochildsplay.com/2009/01/29/how-to-make-homemade-almond-milk/ http://ecochildsplay.com/2009/01/29/how-to-make-homemade-almond-milk/#comments Thu, 29 Jan 2009 18:26:18 +0000 Tiffany Washko http://ecochildsplay.com/2009/01/29/how-to-make-homemade-almond-milk/ almond milkI am not a big fan of pasteurized milk, even organic. It just seems like milk flavored water with much of the nutrition and all of the enzymes being killed during the pasteurization process. For several years now we have opted to buy raw milk or make homemade almond milk instead. Both are much healthier and easier on the stomach. Conventional milk is not an option for me in fact as the moment I drink I get dehibilitating stomach aches. To me this means I just shouldn’t be drinking it.

Making almond milk is incredibly easy once you get your system down and my kids think it is incredibly delicious. They will drink it straight, add it to cereal, or use it to make chocolate milk or banana milk smoothies. Since I use raw organic almonds, I get to rest easy knowing that their milk, or “mylk” as many refer to it, is healthier for their little bodies and healthier for the planet. Nuts are an essential fuel for the body too. To make it I just follow these simple steps:

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]]> http://ecochildsplay.com/2009/01/29/how-to-make-homemade-almond-milk/feed/ The Skip Hop Mate - BPA and Melamine Free http://ecochildsplay.com/2009/01/23/the-skip-hop-mate-bpa-free/ http://ecochildsplay.com/2009/01/23/the-skip-hop-mate-bpa-free/#comments Fri, 23 Jan 2009 13:49:34 +0000 Tiffany Washko http://ecochildsplay.com/2009/01/23/the-skip-hop-mate-bpa-free/ Over the past year we have seen societal and parental concern grow about the possibility that many conventional feeding products for kids may have chemicals that can leach into food. As parents try to feed their kids healthy foods, the last thing they want to think about is that the dinnerware their kids are eating off is tainting the food!

Luckily over the past year we have seen companies old and new rise to the occasion and provide us with products that are safer for kids. We have options now, other than those plates and cups with BPA or questionable Melamine. Skip Hop Mate is one such new company that meets this growing demand for healthier children’s feeding products.

Their stay-put mat and plate is beautifully designed, very attractive, and safer for children. The plastics used have no PVC, phthalates, or BPA. It is a table setting that stays in place, which is a great idea for toddlers. It has a divided plate in the middle so that foods need not touch if you have picky eaters. The fork and spoon neatly attach to the mat so that they won’t get lost in the shuffle and the whole thing comes apart for easy cleaning. In fact if you need to remove the plate to fill it with food they are left to look at an adorable happy face on the mat.

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]]> http://ecochildsplay.com/2009/01/23/the-skip-hop-mate-bpa-free/feed/ bumGenius! BabyLegs - A Perfect Match http://ecochildsplay.com/2009/01/20/bumgenius-babylegs-a-perfect-match/ http://ecochildsplay.com/2009/01/20/bumgenius-babylegs-a-perfect-match/#comments Tue, 20 Jan 2009 23:17:02 +0000 Tiffany Washko http://ecochildsplay.com/2009/01/20/bumgenius-babylegs-a-perfect-match/ bumGenius BabyLegsMoms everywhere have slowly begun to see how easy and planet friendly it is to use cloth diapers. I have been using cloth diapers on my children since 2004, and I am still delighted to see new brands and diapering innovations. Some of us cloth diapering moms are almost like kids in a candy store choosing the cutest print designs, the most luxurious organic velour inners, and alternating colored snaps. There is even a big market for used cloth diapers. Who knew diapering could be this much fun?!

There is now even more fun in store since one of the biggest and most respected cloth diaper brands, bumGenius has just teamed up with another big favorite, BabyLegs! My youngest son is a fan of both products and has worn them since he was an infant.

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]]> http://ecochildsplay.com/2009/01/20/bumgenius-babylegs-a-perfect-match/feed/ How To Choose Non-Toxic Paint and Wallpaper http://ecochildsplay.com/2009/01/17/how-to-choose-non-toxic-paint-wallpaper/ http://ecochildsplay.com/2009/01/17/how-to-choose-non-toxic-paint-wallpaper/#comments Sat, 17 Jan 2009 13:51:43 +0000 Tiffany Washko http://ecochildsplay.com/2009/01/17/how-to-choose-non-toxic-paint-wallpaper/

PaintsMany homeowners love do-it-yourself home projects, but are the products we use such as paint and wallpaper, non-toxic and safe?  We all want our homes to be free of cancer-causing toxins, especially when it comes to the decor we choose.  Not only is it important for adults, it is critical to use sustainable and green products around any area where children and pets play. Do we really want to decorate a nursery room or a recreation room with potentially toxic substances? I think not. But, how do you choose the right kind of non-toxic paint and wallpaper?

 

Fortunately we can now buy paints that low in or free of VOCs, or volatile organic compounds.  This is so important because the paints that do contain VOCs still release toxins years after they have dried. One hasty decision at the home improvement store can have very long lasting effects.  Non-toxic paints have significantly less odor that can spark allergic reactions, headaches and, nausea.  Make sure you are buying paint that is low on the VOCs or free of VOCs entirely.  Do this by reading the labels or asking your paint retailer. I have used C2 LoVo myself with wonderful results. The paint fume smell was non-existent. I was a very happy, green customer.

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