More Treasures from North Star Toys

We reviewed a few of North Star Toy's wonderful wooden playthings last year, and we are back with an update and a few new favorites.

Camera ($23.00)



I'm a mommy who takes a lot of pictures. Picture for Daddy overseas, pictures for Grandma, pictures for the blog, pictures to preserve all those sweet moments... So, I shouldn't have been too surprised to see Linnea pretending a block was her camera. And, I definitely should have been prepared for Linnea to try out my camera.

When I unpacked the North Star Camera, there was a little fight about who would try it out first. Linnea went first, but fortunately she has a short attention span because Arielle is the one who really enjoys the camera.



Every week, Arielle cuddles with her 17 year-old big sister and watches America's Next Top Model. Not great TV for preschoolers, but bonding with a big sister before she goes away to college - that's way more important.

Well... after watching last week, Arielle grabbed her camera and ordered us to pose. "Now you look like real models."


The camera is made of wood with a button that can really be pressed down, a focus and lenses that turn to be adjusted, and a red strap. Say "cheese"!

Happy Hybrid ($16.00)



Linnea loved the People Mover ($25.00) that we reviewed last year, and this year we got to try out the new eco-friendly Hybrid. It's a compact vehicle with five rainbow-passengers that runs on energy-efficient kid power.

Last November, Linnea was just turning one, and she enjoyed scooting the people mover and was just trying to fit the people into the little holes. This year, she names the peg people after her and Arielle's friends -- Ross, Piper, Emma, Coral, Ari.... -- and she pretends to buckle them all into car seats. Instead of just "Brmmm... brmmm...", the little cars have destinations. They are going shopping or to school or to the beach.

We also talk about the colors of the rainbow people -- but in Linnea's world, they are all "pink!"






Sometimes, I find Arielle very quietly playing with the rainbow vehicles while Linnea is napping.

North Star Toys have been made in the USA since 1979 by the Long Family. They offer simple toys that stimulate creative, imaginative play and that are made in the most eco-friendly way possible. North Star also makes rattles and pull toys, toy telephones, rolling dinosaurs, play sets, magic wands and all sorts of vehicles.

Thank you again, Tim and Connie, for making such wonderful toys.