09. 2.2010
Mother cat and kitten
Where do babies come from? Never worry again about having to explain the lurid details - just have this gorgeous, minimalist mother cat and kitten toy to hand (or, if you prefer, the cow in the same range).
Handy - and unlike real life, when you want to tidy up, junior just pops back into his mum's tum. Hmm, so come to think of it, you might still have to do a bit of explaining - but at least this will broach the subject in a very natural way.
Posted by Myf
Category:
toys
Tags: cats educational soft toys
Email this
| Comments (0)
08.30.2010
Great Goose!
I think part of the reason I had kids was so I could legitimately indulge my love of all things farm: sheep, bunnies, ducks and particularly, GEESE!
So, OOOOOO, am I drooling over this exquisite, felted, wool, goose puppet! It's so expressive! So beautifully rendered! So cuuute! Part of a fantastic menagerie of hand crafted critters by Hungarian artist Klara, it's definitely an heirloom piece. What a wonderful way to engage your child's imagination (not to mention your goose fetish) for generations to come.
Geese not your thing? (Whateverrrr!) Check out this balloon mobile. The animal figures come out! Another brillant decorative/play addition to any kid's room. The stork is great too!
Posted by Justine
Category:
toys
Tags: balloon decor felt geese handmade puppet stork wool
Email this
| Comments (0)
08.16.2010
Hasenpfeffer's custom recycled dolls
They're not cheap (sample price, US $104.25) but they sure are awesome. At Hassenpfeffer's Etsy store, you can get a doll custom-made to any specifications. You might get one made in your child's own image, or a best friend, or simply dictate favourite colours for clothing and hair.
Best of all, everything is recycled, strongly made and has amazing attention to detail.
Via Poppytalkblog.
Posted by Myf
Category:
toys
Tags: custom dolls ethical Etsy recycling
Email this
| Comments (0)
07. 9.2010
Painted acorns
Any kid would love to play with these painted acorns, an Etsy find. The very young may line them up and learn to count and name colours; older kids can pretend to be squirrels. And if they don't take to them at all, no matter: they'd look lovely simply lined up on a windowsill.
Posted by Myf
Category:
toys
Tags: wooden toys
Email this
| Comments (0)
06. 9.2010
Super Zeroes - toys with human flaws
So apparently the Super Zeroes range of soft toys are here to teach our kids that it's OK not to be perfect. Not that they're visibly disfigured, or even badly sewn - no, it's simply that each of them has a character trait that kids might identify with.
Zaza the mouse, pictured, is scared of the dark. Zola the koala can't sleep at night. Zebu the zebra gets lost a lot, and Zipo the hippo doesn't like getting wet.
Now, you might think that if these are to be aids for timid kids, there's nothing to stop you buying any old toy and attaching the same story to it, and you'd be right. But the fact still remains that these are nicely-made toys, and I guess it might as well be these as any.
Posted by Myf
Category:
toys
Tags: phobias soft toys worries
Email this
| Comments (0)
05.20.2010
Olivelse
Pictured are just two of the many products I could have picked to show you, from French kids' store Olivelse: I could just as easily have gone nuts for their gorgeous bibs, bedding sets and storage bins, all in wonderful fabrics.
In fact, as we speak, I'm on the verge of committing the Babygadget cardinal sin of placing an order (can you imagine how poor I'd be if I succumbed every time I saw something appealing?).
I can't find much on the site about the company, but maybe this is one time when the products speak very strongly for themselves. Olivelse will ship worldwide. To me. Imminently.
Via True Up.
Posted by Myf
Category:
toys
Tags: animals bedding elephants french sleep sacks sleepingbag toys
Email this
| Comments (0)
05.14.2010
Amish-made orange scooter
Living here in the UK, we don't come across Amish-made goods as often as perhaps our readers in the states do - so possibly they hold even more fascination for us. Certainly I'd froth at the mouth with the desire to give this Amish-made scooter a turn. It's not just the intriguing Amish label, either - it's the colour and the solid look of the thing. And the basket! When did you ever see a scooter with a basket?
They're suitable for age six and up; I'm tempted to start saving for next year when my daughter will reach that milestone.
Via Poppytalk blog.
Posted by Myf
Category:
toys
Tags: scooter usa
Email this
| Comments (0)
05. 3.2010
Wagons ho: the Zen Super Wagon from Kaiku
The warm weather may have taken a brief haitus on the east coast these last few days, but it doesn't mean that I can't prepare for the sunny days ahead. Visions of walking my boys to the farmers' market in a dreamy wagon like the Zen Super Wagon from Kaiku abound. Yes, two children can sit face to face with minimal bouncing due to the air-filled rubber tires. No, they do not have to cross their legs as there is an entirely practical dip in the middle of the wagon. Yes, it is made of formaldahyde free birch and uses non-toxic finishes. Yes, the ergonomic handle is patented. And yes, it is $319. Oh, if money only grew on trees....
As if the wagon itself weren't cool enough, check out the ridiculously retro lightship basket attachment (sold separately for $40).
Posted by Katie
Category:
gear
| toys
Tags: wagon
Email this
| Comments (0)
04.14.2010
Bubs Bears - made from old baby clothes
Someone mentioned to me the other day an idea that I've heard from a few sources: that, rather than give treasured baby clothes away, one might make a quilt from them. That way, you can keep your memories forever, salvage clothes that may be too worn to pass on, and still retain something useful.
All of which sounds really good, until you realise that some of your clothes are just wrong for quilting: stretchy babygros for example? Well, it's doable maybe, but not by an amateur like me.
But Bubs Bears on the other hand? They have had a similar but better idea: they make teddy bears from your fabrics. Stretch cotton is going to work much better in some of those small panels than it would on an unforgiving flat canvas.
It's funny how much nostalgia can be carried in an item of clothing that has lived through those emotional early baby years with you. Well, now you can snuggle up to them, and nobody will think askance.
Posted by Myf
Category:
toys
Tags: bears recycling
Email this
| Comments (0)
04. 7.2010
Mohr, please: Filzschaukel baby swing from Mohr Polster
Oh, Mother Nature, how could you be so cruel? Just as I had found the perfect baby swing, you went all Nor'easter on our back yard and downed the perfect branch for it! The "Filzchaukel" was originally made by Austrian designer John Mohr for his daughter and has even won a design award. The colors for this beautiful lambswool felt swing nearly made me swoon after so many afternoons pushing our sturdy (but pretty unattractive) Fisher Price swing. I was ready to move on. I was ready to attempt to justify the $210 price tag. I was ready for international shipping charges! But alas, fate intervened.
Available exclusively at enfant terrible.
Made in Germany.
Posted by Katie
Category:
toys
Tags: felt swings
Email this
| Comments (0)
