Recently in Kids Category
m o r e (organikids)Organic cotton is the way to go for so many reasons. And not only is it less destructive to our air, soil, and water, organic threads and non-toxic dyes are better for their wearers as well.
And who deserves the best stuff to soothe their very thin skin? You guessed it: tykes.
I was recently alerted to mermapillar, a small, independent business making 100% sweatshop free, 100% creative clothes for kids. You can create your own custom bibs, hats, thermals, and onesies, each with the curious critter of your choice.
My fancy? Anything with the big-eyed whale on it--so, so cute.
m o r e (non-toxic toy collections)Heard about phthalates and bisphenol-A lately? Well even if you're not clear about what these synthetic chemicals in plastic products from baby bottles to toys to food containers are, they're probably in your body. In fact over 95% of the population has BPA in their bloodstreams, and for phthalates that percentage goes up to 100%.
The problem for kids is that the smaller you are, the more susceptible you are to these hormone-disrupting chemicals.
Don't worry though. This Guide to Safe Children's Products put out by Healthy Legacy is ready to rescue.
With many helpful tips like avoiding fragrance and opting for breast milk if you can, this handy pamphlet has a focus on plastics, telling you which to avoid and which are a safer bet. There's even an even handier clip and carry plastics guide on the last page to slide in your wallet for easy information access when considering a toy or bottle for your tot.
m o r e (kids marching on monday)October is here! In many places, it's one of the most glorious months of the year, and it also happens to be Walk to School Month.
Walking or biking to school gets kids moving, creates cleaner air quality, and builds awareness about the need to look out for and have safe passageways for little learners.
About 10-25% of kids overall walk to their campuses.
Become part of the movement (pun intended) and get ideas of events and activities to create more pedestrians in your parts.
m o r e (little smarties)
Future green builders and scientists can start now with this wind power science kit from Thames & Kosmos (makers of all kinds of wonderful sciencey gadgets). First, they can build their own operating wind turbine. Then, they can conduct 20 different experiments with it.
It's functional, too, charging a battery or lighting up an LED.
Sure, it's physics, but it's super duper fun. And, it's the wind and wave of the future.
Get a wind power learning kit for kids (49.95) here.
m o r e (green youngsters)It's back to school week for a lot of little ones. I really like this set of 48 jumbo flashcards that schools little ones bigger than five about ways to save the planet in their own small way. Friendly, furry earth-friendly animals teach 48 lessons about how kids can affect the global community by doing simple acts, from recycling to turning off the lights to shopping at the farmer's market.
Required curriculum indeed.
m o r e (good ideas)An eco-friendly stroller is a good idea indeed. After all, every kid (or parent!) needs one and the run of the mill variety is message-free and plastic-heavy.
This endangered species stroller from NewbornMom.com remedies that. A collaboration between Baby Planet and the Wildlife Conservation Society, each features a different endangered animal who will benefit from its purchase.
It's got all the things a stroller should have from cup holders for rider and pusher to ergonimic grip handles to folding up and adjusting in all the right ways. It's also PVC and phthalate-free so it's slobber-safe. Beyond that, its frame is aluminum so it's lightweight and, best of all, recyclable. Learn about the free donation and recycling programs here.
Get an endangered species stroller (229.99) here. And with all things baby, pass it on to another member of our species when you're done.
m o r e (green school supplies)I always wanted a Trapper Keeper as a kid and never got one. I survived though, and while they're cool and all, they certainly aren't environmentally conscious.
Thanks to The Green Office, you can now make your little one's back to school pack totally sustainable. I mean, what kid doesn't need pens, pencils, notebooks,and markers in September? So now, s/he can have them and you can know they're not toxic to him/her or the planet. That's starting the school year on the right foot.
There are kits for kindergartners all the way to eighth grade, each being age appropriate. They come with non-toxic crayons, refillable pens, completely recycled notebooks, responsibly harvested pencils, and even perfect touches like Seventh Generation tissues, among other wonders. There's one for teachers, too!
m o r e (imagination)Parents always say that the best toy is a cardboard box, that empty shell that sometimes holds more fascination than the (sometimes obnoxious) gadget it held inside.
Fridge Box knows this. They came up with just that--a cardboard box toy. So, you can use it as inspiration to fashion your own, or get own of theirs and make use of their fancy ideas that are in development, from decorative stickers and milk paint to a companion story for teachers or parents.
A Fridge Box is totally eco-friendly--it's non-toxic, requires no batteries, and is made from partly recycled materials. You can use it over and over again,repainting, refolding, redecorating, reimagining for each incarnation. When you're done, recycle or compost it. (And, 1% of revenues go to environmental causes.)
If you live in Northern California, you can even get a sustainable storytelling visit from the creator of Fridge Box--lucky duck.
more (art)If you or some school kids you know are at home for the summer and need to get out of the sun for a while, there's nothing like some good old-fashioned creativity to pass the time indoors.
I biked to my local, independent art supply store today to pick up a frame and hunted down some environmentally-friendly options while I was there.
Here are some to keep an eye out for:
Aquabee tree-free hemp paper is made totally of hemp, over half of which is recycled. It has not one wood fiber in it and hemp has loads of actual advantages: it's durable, doesn't need to be treated with chlorine, and can be recycled over and over again.
Get a tree-free artist sketchpad (starting at 6.99) here.
Strathmore, the grandparent of drawing paper companies, now has wind-powered paper options. In other words, the process of making this 30% post-consumer waste product is powered by windmills. Love it.
You can choose from a number of drawing pads (starting at 2.97) here.
For artists who aren't quite coloring inside the lines yet, you can go beyond drawing and get away from chemical play-doughs at the same time--try modeling clay made from beeswax! Or, make your own play dough with these recipes from Creative Kids at Home (I'd skip the ones with food coloring--maybe try beet juice, berry juice or a spice like turmeric instead--just don't forget the smocks!).
One more: generic crayons are made from petroleum products. Not these. They're crafted from soybean oil and are non-toxic and biodegradable. They're rumored to glide better, too. We'll just have to wave goodbye to the nostalgic smell of paraffin wax.
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more (generations of reuse)
It's likely that 27 billion plastic diappies end up in the ground each year.
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This cloth one is made from bamboo, that super-sustainable fabric that also happens to be incredibly soft and absorbent. So, baby stays dryer and more comfortable and you get to save the energy used to manufacture disposables while reusing something instead of handling it once and throwing it away.
I'll understand if you can't do it, but do give it a thought or two.
This bouncer (or rocker or lounger) has so much going for it. It's sleek and modern enough to blend in with "adult" furniture for starters. More importantly, there's no PVC and the paints and pigments are non-toxic. And best of all, it's made from wood from responsibly-managed forests, so no old growth, clear-cutting is on your child's back, literally and figuratively. Plus, no plastic! That's hard to find in a baby product.
And, to make sure you keep the good karma going, just pass it on to someone else when your little one outgrows it.
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more (truly clean cribs)This dinosaur-designed crib bedding is not just absolutely supersaurusly cute. It's also 100% organic cotton, made with low-impact dyes, and stuffed with 100% Eco-spun batting--that means that it's regenerated polyester, but doesn't offgas or emit VOCs for baby (or toddler, or big kid, depending on which kind you choose).
This sand play set is made from recycled milk jugs, is tested for safety, and saves energy. For every pound of milk jugs the company uses to make these play sets, they save enough energy to power a television set for three weeks (compared to what it would cost to make something new).
Milk jugs put to good, fun use, for sure.
If you're going to be playing basketball, tossing a frisbee or football, or kicking around a soccer ball anytime soon, consider buying your balls from Fair Trade Sports.When buying these sports accoutrements, you're guaranteed to get a product that's eco-certified and fair trade. If you notice you can get a similar ball elsewhere for cheaper, that's because these have the cost of paying a wage that supports health care, shelter, food, and education for the workers--seems like a good investment to me.
I first heard of this company from my pal, Tracy, at your daily thread.
Supporting this company would be a great way to get gear for a whole athletic team and raise awareness at the same time. And discounts are available for bulk purchases.
This educational toy has two of my favorite things: letters and animals. I hear kids like em, too.Made from sustainably grown rubberwood and painted with child-safe paints, this is a winner in all around and forms a long chain of perfectly fitting creatures--in alphabetical order of course.
People say that the absolute best toy is a cardboard box.
Enter foldschool.
It's so many things at once:
a totally free stool, rocker, or chair for your child,
a creative project for you and yours,
neverending design fun,
using what you have,
getting something for nothing,
not battery-operated or plugged in,
and the list could go on.
All you need is some cardboard (think discarded moving boxes or other people's discarded moving boxes) and a few easy supplies like a printer and scissors. You download a free pattern and get to work making any number of furniture items for little tooshes. Then, you can have loads of fun decorating it together.
You can start em young with this book, The Kid's Guide to Social Action.Ten year olds and older kids can read about other young people who've made a difference in the world and see the forms and resources to help them figure out how and who to contact to get heard.
I remember writing a letter to the President as a kid--a letter that I don't think was ever sent and that was about something downright silly. This book appears to offer a chance to guide kids and teens toward actually do something meaningful. And why not? They certainly can.
My friend K swears by this for her daughter. Along with preventing snack time messes for kids, it prevents the ubiquitous snack baggie as well--that staple of little ones' lunches holding to go carrots and the like.The munchie mug keeps snacks where they belong--either in the mug or in a kiddie hand or mouth--with no more, or way fewer anyway, spills. It's made of FDA-approved food grade plastic and you can also recycle it at the end of its life.
This just may make life easier and eliminate those irksome zip-seal baggies for good.
The EcoMom motto is: "Sustain Your Home, Sustain Your Planet, Sustain Yourself."I imagine that's a mantra moms can get into. And with 82 million of them in this country, they have the power to do something really big.
This organization (which I heard about from Low Impact Living) has a few key ways to get involved and make a difference.
Join the EcoMom challenge by signing an online pledge.
Or, take the first 10 steps toward sustainability, which include changing your lightbulbs, buying organic, local, and fairly traded goods, using non-toxic cleaning products, and playing more to connect you and your child to the world around and a sense of joy--things that are imperative for environmental change.
Ecomoms unite!
Plastic high chairs are not known for their environmental conscience.Here's one from Svan that has one.
It's made of birch and is eco-friendly. And though I can't get a ton of details on that, it does seem to have certification as such.
It's also got safety in mind, and it can grow with your little one, until she's not a little one anymore at all. It's also adjustable to pretty much any table height. Oh, and it's ergonomic to start that little spine growing in the right direction.
This little guy will last a very long time. LEDs are the most efficient kind of lighting around because they don't waste all their energy creating heat (even CFLs do some of this). So, it's a-okay to have this nightlight going all night and it should last many, many twilights.
This super soft fleece blanket is made from recycled plastic. It doubles as a blanket for a baby, but turns into a poncho for when that baby is up and walking around town. It's the perfect solution to Linus's embarrassing blanky-dragging habit; this way, a little one can literally stay attached to her blanky without anyone knowing!
If there's one room in the house that should be designed with the utmost deliberation, it's the nursery, should you have one. The basics:
Carpet: no.
Air purifier: yes.
No VOC paints: yes.
Solid wood furniture without formaldehyde:yes.
Organic cotton/wool crib linens: yes.
Slings for baby-carrying have been back for awhile. They seem to be the easiest way to carry a little one around -- and the closest we can come to the kangaroo's pouch. This one is an undyed and unbleached organic hemp/organic cotton/lycra blend. So, it's a durable, natural, organic fabric for nestling. (It also comes complete with padding.)
Hemp is an especially great crop because we can reap 250% more of it compared with cotton grown on the same amount of land.
According to this Environmental News Network article, kids dump 67 pounds of trash every year from their school lunches. 67 pounds per kid! By cutting down on the packaging that goes to school with books and gym clothes by packing a reusable bottle and reusable food containers, you can eliminate pounds of trash, save money, and probably get healthier, more whole food choices into your child's school diet.One great solution is this bento box and sleeve. It's inspired by the traditional Japanese "to go" bento boxes and comes with a number of little compartments for food -- no baggies required! The sleeve and non-toxic ice pack help keep everything fresh until noon, too. It even comes with stainless steel utensils.
It's all lead-free and though made from plastic, these compartments are FDA approved not to leach chemicals into food. The icing on the cake? It was made following fair trade and fair wage practices.
It's not just for kids either, it's just that they are the ones who dig primary colors and require miniature servings of carrots.
We all know that plastics are bad. Yes, they're a petroleum product. Yes, they have harmful chemicals that leach into foods. Yes, babies are being found to have chemicals from plastics in their very makeup. According to Green Cradle, most sippy cups have been made from plastic in the last few decades. Unfortunately, #3, #6, and #7 all contain bisphenol-A (BPA), a chemical that mimics estrogen and poses a clear risk to kids' health.
Even the "safer" and easier to recycle #1 plastic may leach antimony, a heavy metal as well as another possible carcinogenic chemcial.
That's the bad news.
The good news? You can choose glass baby bottles and stainless steel sippy cups, like the one pictured, and rest easy. The sippy cup is a lot like a SIGG bottle for adults. It's totally stainless steel so that it not only keeps liquids cool to inhibit bacteria growth, but it's hygienic and safe without the dangers of plastics. It also has handy qualities like being dishwasher safe, unbreakable, and spill-safe.
I can't think of anything that is better bought than made. And now, that includes chocolate. This kit promises amazement and deliciousness for kids who like science experiments or who just like eating treats. It's complete with certified organic cocoa butter, cocoa powder, and all the other stuff you'll need to whip up some tasty chocolate. Along with the how-to's, the manual also tells the story of where chocolate comes from in the rainforest and how it's been used through the centuries. Very cool.
Kee-Ka makes organic clothing for tykes. I love this organic poncho a la Little Red Riding hood made from 100% organic fleece and low-impact dye.
Salvor Fauna Kids T-Shirt Penguin on Milk - Size 4 (35.00)
What little kid doesn't like animals? Salvor Fauna makes a whole line of animal print t-shirts; they're not the leopard print variety, but rather lifelike images of birds, giraffes, and terriers for kids to wear.
Each is hand printed on organic cotton and reminds wearer and viewer alike of the wild life that surrounds us in the world.
zid zid kids Mini Poof Monkey
(78.00)
A column for a fort, something on which to sit, or to climb, or roll on? The zid zid mini poof is all four and more.
Plus, it has a really cute monkey on it and is stuffed with recycled cotton. The brushed cotton flannel cover can be removed and washed, too.
What kid needs a chair when she can have a mini poof?
Looking for safe products you can use on your baby's skin and hair? The Environmental Working Group's excellent cosmetic safety base has everything you need before you shop or slather. It's compiled a list of ingredients to avoid as well as a list of the safest baby products around, from shampoos to wipes to diaper creams.
You can also print it as a pdf to take with you when you're in the market.
Pure Egyptian organic cotton blanket for baby. It's super-soft and super-healthy for him or her to be snuggling in every night and nap time. Also reversible, it has sailor stripes on one side.
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