Linnea's birthday gift: Baking Set

Happy New Year!

I hope 2010 brings you joy and love and lots of creative play.

I'm going to be reviewing my holiday purchases this month, but first, I need to review Linnea's birthday gifts. It is really hard to find a good big birthday gift for Linnea. Her birthday is in November, which is our busy month for reviewing toys. And, even with all the toys coming through here, I still want her birthday present to stand out.

Maybe because I love my Kitchen Aid mixer so much, when I saw this set, I knew it was something Linnea would love.

Honeybake Wooden Baking Set ($79.99)



The Wooden Baking Set from Le Toy Van is made in Indonesia. The wooden food mixer has a whisk that moves when a child turns the dial. The set also includes a cute rolling pin, a pretend play knife and baking tray, an apron made of gingham and canvas (and says "do not wash"), 4 cupcakes with interchangeable toppings, a sliceable Velcro roll-cake, a donut, a jelly cookie, a layered pastry and a cake stand. It was all really nice, except the apron which was pretty flimsy and seemed to have some kind of starchy finish. Compared to everything else, it looked like it was just thrown in.

Linnea did love it (and Arielle, too). The dolls have been treated to numerous tea parties.

A close up of the mixer and rolling pin.



Arielle bakes cookies.



Lilli loves cupcakes. She looks ready to dive in.



Cassie prefers yellow frosting. The frosting and the toppings come off and can be switched around, so every doll can have just what she likes.



Anna-Paola enjoys cupcakes, too. She's a little older and uses her spoon.



Mommy Linnea helps cut up the food. Using the "big knife" is a big deal. She feels so grown up.



And, then my camera battery died.

This is a very nice play set for little mommies and a fun addition to any toy kitchen. I thought it was a bit pricey, but the girls play with it daily. And, the dolls love all the treats.

LivingPlaying store review

I recently made my first purchase from LivingPlaying. Mostly, it was a birthday surprise for my soon-to-be three year old. It's a big secret until her birthday, but I'll review her gift after the big event.

LivingPlaying offers a variety of toys that encourage creative play. Some are made in Europe, some in the USA, and some in China. There is a section for eco-friendly and fair trade toys, and none of those toys are made in China.

My favorite part of the store is the section devoted to Waldorf and Montessori learning and play. I found this great puzzle, which is perfect for fall and perfect for Linnea.

Layered Oak Leaf Puzzle (on sale $17.99)



Linnea can do this because there is one piece at a time, but the layers make it challenging.Linnea has to figure out which is the littlest leaf left and then get it oriented correctly. It's just the right amount of challenge for her. The puzzle enhances sorting, spatial placement and manual dexterity skills.







Here's another puzzle that is fun and educational for toddlers.

Wooden Layered Hen Puzzle (on sale $17.99)



Although, some of the toys are made in China, I learned about LivingPlaying through my involvement with the Handmade Toy Alliance. Jennifer is very concerned about toy safety and is very thorough about making sure the toys she sells are safe and CPSIA compliant.

While Jennifer prefers to offer toys that are not made in China, the new CPSIA law is making that more difficult to do. Increasing numbers European companies have pulled out of the American market. Handmade toys are becoming scarce because few carters can afford the costs of testing. Many larger companies such as Plan Toys are passing the costs of testing to the consumers by raising their prices. I have heard these frustration from many store owners who are concerned about being able to continue to offer safe, high quality playthings. You can learn more here.

Jennifer's recommendation, Magnatiles!



Jennifer says, "This is by far my kids’ favorite thing to play with—all of them from age 4 through 8!" This open-ended building set contains 100 tiles: 50 small squares, 4 large squares, 15 isosceles triangles, 11 right triangles and 20 equilateral triangles. An instruction sheet with idea guide is also enclosed.

The toy teaches geometric relationships and encourages mathematical thinking, patterning, shape recognition, building and motor skills - not that your kids will notice. From what I hear, they'll be too busy having fun. Several of you have also written to tell me how much your children love this toy.

Magnatiles usually sell for $119.99, but use the coupon code LivPlayM100 for $10 off!

LivingPlaying wraps all of the toys in turquoise and lime green tissue paper for free, and also includes a hand written note (from Stubby Pencil Studio!) card with gifts.