Green Options » European toys

European Toys: Old Fashioned Block Play Develops Intellect

Jennifer Lance — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 23:52:01 +0000

When I first started looking for eco toys, I found that the Europeans were much more aware in their selection of materials and design than American companies. European toys are often made of wood and are designed with an understanding that children need to play creatively in order to learn. According to Russian pyschologist Lev Vygotsky, play is the leading activity for preschoolers and kindergarteners. Play promotes cognitive, emotional and social development, but not all kind of play is equal in leading to higher mental functions. Modern children’s toys actually can hinder this development with their lack of imagination and inspiration; however, European toys offer parents an alternative choice for promoting play.

Comptoir d’Enfance is a new online store started by a French mother who recently moved to North America. This store features French wooden toys, accessories, and babywear. One featured toy company is Kapla. Kapla creates safe, ecological, innovative alternative toys. The wooden planks inspire hours of imagination and learning, accompanied by the pleasure of accomplishment, discovery and creation.

Waldorf Kathe Kruse Mermaid Doll

Jennifer Lance — Thu, 09 Aug 2007 15:29:00 +0000

Little girls love mermaids, and I love Waldorf dolls. I have always been drawn to the work of dollmaker Kathe Kruse, the oldest German doll company. “Handwork, simplicity of design, integrity, and an aversion to gimmicks and fads are still very much a part of how the dolls are made. Each doll and item of doll clothing is made by hand and takes from 16 to 36 hours to make. During that time, it will pass through the hands of 8 to 10 craftspeople and artists.”

Magic Cabin offers an affordable, Small Waldorf Mermaid by Kathe Kruse. This doll is made of all natural cotton, wool, and mohair. The tail is removable, allowing the doll to live on land, as well as the sea of your child’s imagination. The detailing on the doll includes beading and shimmering threads. My daughter adores her Small Waldorf Mermaid, which makes the perfect travel companion due to her small size. Kathe Kruse makes natural toys you can feel good about!

Fair Trade Benefits Children

Jennifer Lance — Tue, 05 Jun 2007 14:13:00 +0000

Fair Trade is a term that is often used in the green community, and you have probably seen your favorite organic chocolate, coffee, tea, etc. labeled as fair trade certified. The concept behind fair trade is simple: to create a sustainable and just global economic system through fair trade (Fair Trade Federation). This goal is accomplished by supporting seven principles identified by the Fair Trade Federation:
Fair wages in a local context,
Participatory workplaces,
Environmental sustainability,
Financial and Technical Support,
Consumer education,
Respect for cultural identity, and
Public accountability.

As consumers in a “developed” nation, most of our goods are produced overseas. Fair trade targets these exports from developing countries to North America and Europe. As a parent, I become especially appalled when I hear about products manufactured by children in unsafe working conditions, such as Gap Kids clothing made by children in third world countries. Fair trade certification gives the consumer some peace of mind that children were not exploited in the production of the goods they are purchasing. Fortunately, fair trade is moving beyond coffee, chocolate, and tea to encompass toys, sports equipment, musical instruments, clothing, etc. for children.

If you would like to read more, including links to fair trade curriculum for parents and teachers, please visit my post on GNM Parents: “A Little Greener: Fair Trade Alternative & Kids”.

Wooden Parking Garage

Jennifer Lance — Fri, 02 Mar 2007 17:16:00 +0000

Living in a family of all girl children, my access to typical “boy” toys was limited to other people’s houses. One of my early childhood memories is playing with my best friend’s brother’s plastic parking garage. I loved working the elevator and letting gravity pull the cars down the ramps. When I saw a wooden version of the parking garage, I had to buy if for my son’s birthday. Actually, my daughter was the one that found it and really wanted it for herself. She tried to convince her dad to build her one.

Wheel Town Parking Garage is available through Hearthsong for about $60. Made of wood, this natural toy replicates the plastic version of the toy. The Wheel Town Parking Garage has three different levels and comes with a working elevator, helicopter pad (helicopter sold separately), gas pump island, one car, and a car wash. There is place where you can attach wooden railway or roadway tracks and expand the play. Additional accessories are available, such as a Wheel Town Fire Station and Wheel Town Gas Station. This natural toy is rated for children three and above, but as long as your child doesn’t place the car or gas pump nozzles in their mouth, I believe it can be used with younger children. There is not a day that goes by without my son playing with his Wheel Town Parking Garage. Unfortunately, our elevator does not work as smoothly as it did when the toy was new, but I am sure it is fixable (if I had the time to figure it out!)
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Selecta Natural Baby Toys

Jennifer Lance — Sun, 11 Feb 2007 16:07:00 +0000

Selecta Spielzeug is one of my favorite toy companies, especially for infants. We have several of their quality wooden toys. These small baby toys are perfect for little hands (and mouths). Even though my son is a toddler now, he still enjoys manipulating the beads and rods of his Selecta toys. They are great little toys for the car and make a great gift for a baby. Oompa carries a large selection of Selecta toys, including the awesome baby gym mentioned in an earlier post. According to the Oompa website, “The designers at Selecta believe that the warmth of wood stimulates all of a child’s senses. It inspires creative play because it appeals to each of the senses in a different way. They are careful to select wood that is flawless and of the best quality. Selecta uses only environmentally friendly, water-based colors. Their toys are finished with beeswax, a substance that child-friendly, safe and has a wonderful, subtle aroma.” The beeswax and water-based color finishes on Selecta toys make them safe for teething and the best alternative to plastic teething toys (See “San Francisco Bans Certain Plastic Toys”). The Selecta website reports, “Because wood is a natural material, it can be taken without doubts into the mouth. The Holzspielzeug of Selecta contains excluding pollution free, completely harmless colors and lacquers, in order to emphasize the special structures of the different woods.”

The Best Baby Gym Ever!

Jennifer Lance — Sat, 06 Jan 2007 05:44:00 +0000

The Germans know how to build high quality, natural toys. The Selecta Pontino wooden baby gym is the best toy for your young child. Baby’s love to lie under the wooden arch and kick their legs or reach their arms for the dangling bird, bells, and rings. As your baby grows, the sturdy base allows the child to pull themselves to standing without toppling the Pontino baby gym over. This wooden baby gym is more expensive than the commonly sold cloth versions, however this toy grows with your child and is the kind of toy you will want to save for your grandchildren. I would rather spend more money on fewer, high quality toys rather than fill my home with lots of inexpensive toys that will end up in the landfill. I had trouble finding the Selecta Pontino baby gym and had to have it custom ordered through a Selecta dealer in Oregon. There are a few US websites now in which you can purchase this amazing toy.