Green Options » play

Listen To Your Children: Playing is Green

Jessica Gottlieb — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 13:30:02 +0000

This morning I had the good fortune to play tennis with a recent high school graduate. Why good fortune? Have you spent time with a teenager lately? I mean, have you sat down and listened to them, really listened. Teens (rightly) believe that they can change the world. Their enthusiasm is contagious and they don’t see the boundaries that we sadly erect in our adult lives.

As I asked her about her day she mentioned that her father drove to work. She thought he should walk, drive or take the bus. “Because of the environment?” I asked her, maybe a little too hopefully.

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.

Taxonomy (Categories)

David Alan Foster — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 07:35:30 +0000

Product Categories for our Topics (next post) follow:

Essentials – air, water and food… products and processes for human survival.
Clothing — what to wear!
Shelter — spaces and places for living and working.
Energy — a power-full life.
Health — healing and feeling good.
Conversion — waste not, want not, have more… from composting to upcycling.
Materials — elemental building blocks: biological and technical.
Tools — making things easier.
Movement — getting there.
Connection — we are not alone: direct and indirect communication; knowledge; governance.
Play — having fun along the way!