Tuesday, October 27, 2009

Five under $5 - All made in the USA or Canada

1. Stainless Steel Strainer ($4.99)



This perfectly-sized strainer is a versatile toy indoors and out. It's fun with water and sand, or it can be used to help in the real kitchen. It has a nice solid feel to it. Ours often seems to be filled with acorns. Eggs $7.99.

2. Eco-friendly Mini-Notebook ($4.50)



I have one for lists. Arielle and Linnea got them in their stockings last year. Linnea takes little scribbly "notes" and pretends hers is a checkbook. Arielle's is filled with bird drawings. Fifty pages means lots of space and I can see how their style has changed over the year.



Notebook are 3x4" and are madewith 100% FSC certified post-consumer waste recycled, acid free and processed chlorine free paper and fully biodegradable glue and vegetable based inks. Combine it with a cue, spring-topped pencil ($2.00).



3. Wooden Dice and Game Booklet ($4.95)



It's a boy thing. Boys just love carrying around little bits of useful things - and especially, dice. I don't know how many dice I've pulled out of Merlin's pockets, and I'm betting that he still carries them around. This set of three wooden dice is made in the USA and comes with a booklet with rules for seven easy-to-play games.

4. Fairy Wand ($2.95)



Who doesn't need a magic wand? These 12" wands are made in the USA and are finished with non-toxic colors. Just wave one, and "poof!" those little monsters jumping on your couch will turn into perfectly well-behaved children. LOL - only if you get the magic words right. Otherwise, the children can use them to turn each other into frogs. Linnea's favorite "Wubba wubba poof! You are in a tower with no doors!" Yes, I'm so proud, my daughter has a great future as Rapunzel's wicked witch.


5. Made by Me! kits ($3.99)




I've reviewed these before, and we still love them. I think the girls love using tools and feeling like grow-ups and of course, the result is a toy that they can play with.



Kate of Stubby Pencil Studio said that her kids make them every year resulting in a collection that grows and changes as they do. It seems we are doing the same thing. Can't you imagine saving them for your grandchildren?

Since many of us are on a budget this year, I'm going to try to do more posts about inexpensive gifts without resorting to the Big Box stores. That's just a few fabulous gift ideas under $5. Browse around the sites, there's a lot more. Next week, I'll try for 10 under $10 :o)

2 comments:

MommyLydia said...

When did your kid start making the Made by Me stuff? I'm trying to decide whether to start a tradition this Christmas. But my son is going to be 2.5

Sara said...

Linnea was just under two and a half when we made the first ones. She really enjoyed it. You just need a light weight hammer - even a toy hammer works.