Hand Made Toys and More from Challenge & Fun!

We were lucky enough to review several products from Challenge & Fun. One was the Tinti Bathwater Colors and the other some assorted fruits and veggies from Estia. If you like what you see here please visit their site for more fun, natural toys. Rob from Challenge & Fun has graciously given our readers a coupon code. Just type in "toybox" to receive 10% off your order.

Tinti Bathwater Colors

Made in Germany ($4.99 for three tablets)

The tablets have a very light and pleasant scent. In fact, I had to remind the kids not to eat them! ***Tinti are made to taste terrible and they do. I tried them! ICK! Still, if your silly kid gets over the taste and eats them they are safe to ingest. I wouldn't encourage this though. Think of the end result.***

Though the picture looks quite red the end result was definitely more pink than red. It happily fizzed away in the tub much to the delight of the kids. Very fun!

Then we added blue. Jackson used his hand for this and it was even more fun than watching it at the bottom of the tub!

I was so thankful for the teachable moment as the kids discovered that red and blue make....PURPLE! What a beautiful hue! Our tub is rather large so in a smaller tub the color may be more concentrated. For us it was just right. Gasps were heard from both kids. A good sign!

I think that Tinti would make a terrific stocking stuffer. Small, fun and safe! Perfect!

Next up is a set of assorted fruits and veggies from Estia. Though you will not see it pictured we also received a chanterelle mushroom. Alli decided not to cook with it. To each her own I suppose!

They are drop dead gorgeous, lightweight and perfectly perfect. Alli agreed and didn't put them down the entire evening. In fact, she placed them in her bed and played with them before her birthday toys the next day! A hit to say the least. They are hand carved and just gorgeous...did I say that already? Well it's true!

Eggplant, red and green chili peppers, chanterelle, pineapple, and orange.

Made in Germany ($2.95-$14.40)

Here they are being plucked from the "field".

A quick ride over to the kitchen....

and after a good rinse they were ready for the oven! YUM!

Needless to say I highly recommend any of the fruits or veggies. Again, the perfect stocking stuffer or a great gift to go along with a new kitchen or grocery cart. I am going to be picking up a few more myself. I mean, did you see the pumpkin?!?

Though we are saving this Labyrinth Balance Board for Christmas (shhhh) I just had to feature it now. The board is made in the US by Challenge & Fun. We will be purchasing the large board, suitable for ages 5 and up. Yes, mom, you can try it too! The Jr. Labyrinth Balance Board is better suited for beginner balancers from ages 3-5.

Labyrinth Balance Board

Made in the US ($85.00)

Jr. Labyrinth Balance Board

Made in the US ($59.95)

So what are you waiting for? Get thee to Challenge & Fun!!!

euroToyShop store review and coupon

If you are looking for European brands like Bruder, LEGO, Kathe Kruse, HABA, Siku, Ravensburger, or Schleich, then euroToyShop is the place for you. EuroToyShop sells European brand toys - both plastic and wooden, and some made in China (although most are made in Europe).

They carry an extensive selection of Selecta wooden toys. Unfortunately, because of the costs involved in labeling for the CPSIA, Selecta is no longer shipping to the United States so these toys have a rhino on their page. Like the rhinoceros, these toys are endangered and when these are sold, they are gone. Such a sad thing because Selecta makes especially lovely toys.


Variola Ball and Track System ($117.65)



Another favorite of mine is Kathe Kruse. In addition to cloth dolls and dollhouse dolls, euroToyShop carries Kathe Kruse vinyl dolls. The 12" bath baby can be taken in the bath and cared for by little mommies. This is especially fun for toddlers, but Arielle and Linnea love playing with dolls in the shower. They bring in a tea set and feed their babies, wash them and then wrap them in wash cloths and tuck them in bed.

Kathe Kruse Bath Baby $67.72




Ravensburger Puzzles are made in Europe. I have not bought any for Arielle and Linnea yet, but my older children played with them many years ago. They are cardboard, but well made and reasonably-priced, and there is a wide selection to capture the interests and abilities of any child.

Ballet class 43 piece frame puzzle ($6.65)



I had the chance to see some Bruder trucks recently. These are made in Germany of tough phthalate-free plastic. I especially like the snow plow as the snow plow is a daily part of our lives from December until spring. The snow plow is a big L 18.5 x W 6.3 x H 7.7 inches and the plow rotates to the left or right and can be raised and lowered. This would be awesome on one of our icky, sub-freezing days; I would bring a tub of snow in and let the girls plow it.


Bruder snow plow ($34.27)



EuroToyShop has offered our readers 10% off for early holiday shopping. "SARASTOYBOX" is good on all items until Thanksgiving (November 26, 2009). Enjoy!

Natural Pod, tree blocks and a coupon code

Natural Pod is a Canadian company offering beautifully natural toys for open-ended, imaginative play -- like Tree Blocks.

Tree Blocks ($29.95 CAD small set - $79.95 CAD large set, shown)



My older children, Merlin and Elspeth (now college students!), played with tree blocks when they were little. These tree blocks are made of kiln dried locally sourced alder with a wax finish. The ends are smooth, so no splinters. This set is unique in that it has half round pieces that work as beds, roofs, or bridges.

Even if you already have nice blocks, there is something about the natural feel of tree blocks that inspires a different type of more magical, nature-oriented play. They go well with animal figures or gnomes.

Gnomes ($3.50 CAD)



Natural Pod's tree blocks were just named one of the top ten eco-toys in North America.

Also, check out the sale prices on Fagus trucks!

Natural Pod has offered our readers 10% off until December 31, 2009. The code is "NPSaraTB09". Prices are in Canadian dollars, but Natural Pod does ship to the U.S. Currently one Canadian Dollar is equal to about 94 cents.

November Savings at Stubby Pencil Studio

Happy November from Stubby Pencil Studio. Until November 30th, they are offering 10% off with the code "HOL10". This code can be combined with our special code for free cards.

Stubby Pencil Studio was our Toy Store of the Year for 2008. I love their selection of eco-friendly art supplies perfect for gifts and stocking-stuffers. Here are a few suggestions.

Star Crayons ($8.95)

Made in the USA from recycled crayons. The National Crayon Recycling Program has prevented more than 45,000 pounds of old crayons from ending up in landfills. All crayons used must conform to ASTM D 4236 safety standards. I like the festive star shapes.

Do-it-yourself Kaleidoscope ($12.00)

This is an easy and fun rainy day project. We tried this last month. It is just challenging enough, and the result is a sturdy kaleidoscope that is fun to look through. Arielle and Linnea decorated their kaleidoscopes with Disney Princess stickers and count them as treasures.

Washable Markers($3.95)


Non-toxic, washable markers made in the USA with 25% recycled plastic. The packaging is 100% post-consumer recycled paper. These are the eco-friendliest markers around.

Yay!!! a Nico & Zoe Coupon Code

Nico & Zoe is offering Sara's Toy Box readers 15% off their holiday season purchases on orders of $50 or more. The coupon can be used in conjunction with the standard free shipping for orders over $100. The code is "sarastoys09".

Nico & Zoe specializes in offering uncommon and artisan toys from the U.S. and Europe. Some great new additions to the Nico & Zoe site are the Toys Under $10 and the Toys for $11-$20 sections. These are great if you are looking for gifts on a budget.

Little Scoot Flag Airplane ($7.00)



Bundle BeBe Handmade Doll ($13.00)



Fifty wooden block set from Plan Toys ($20.00)

My favorite part of the site are Zoe's, Nico's and Lil Sis's Pics. These sections offer toys chosen by the owners children as favorites for ages 5+, 3+ and 1+.

From Zoe's Pics for ages 5+, Sprig Toys Dolphin Explorer Boat Play Set ($30.00)



From Nico's Pics for ages 3+, kaleidoscope owls ($5.00)



I'm going to have to get a few of these for stocking-stuffers. The girls are fascinated by kaleidoscopes.

From Lil Sis for ages 1+, Bear Cymbals ($13.00)

Wood Toy Palace

Wood Toy Palace specializes in wooden toys. They specialize in toys that are high quality, educational, and environmentally responsible. Their brands include Melissa and Doug, Hape, Plan, ImagiPlay and Guidecraft. Some toys are made in China and you can read safety statements here.

They do have some pretty awesome toy choices.

Arctic Expedition ($26.50)




The ImagiPlay Arctic Adventure Set is made in Sri Lanka of local rubberwood. It has won several awards, including Parents' Choice Recommended Award; Dr. Toy "Best 100 Toys of the Year" Award; Dr. Toy "10 Best Socially Responsible Toys." We haven't tried it out, but Arielle loves toys with wooden figures.

My favorite toy on the site is the Toy Store in a Box ($135)




These blocks are also from ImagiPlay, and they are made of rubberwood. The set is inspired by blocks designed by architect Asta Berling in the 1950's. I love the bright colors and simple shapes. The biggest box is 9" x 9", and all the blocks fit inside. So they promote creativity, imaginative play, pre-math ability and store really nicely!

Wood Toy Palace has offered our readers a promo code. Get 10% off with the code "kid lovers". Shipping is always $9.95 within the U.S.

A Coupon from The Wooden Wagon

The Wooden Wagon sent us a new coupon to share. It is good for 15% any order during June. If the cute coupon isn't showing up for you, the code is "JUNE09".

Check out their New Arrivals for page for some beautiful new toys.

Sleepyhead Baby Doll ($29.95)

1001 Nights Building Set ($99.00)



Bird Tree Puzzle ($25.75)

Green Trucks

Green Toys Recycled Plastic Recycling Truck ($24.99)



Green Toys Recycled Plastic Dump Truck ($24.99)



We love our Green Toys Tea Set, but this year Green Toys really outdid themselves with their brand new Green Recycling Truck and Dump Truck. The trucks are made fom 100% recycled plastic milk jugs, are phthalate- and BPA-free, and are made in the USA. A recycled recycling truck? Can you get greener?

The girls were quite excited when the recycling truck arrived from Green Toys. It was just after Arielle had spent a week doing "Love the Earth" activities at preschool, and she was very happy to tell us about the importance of recycling, but I don't think she quite understood how old things could be made into new until she saw a truck made of old milk bottles. I think she was pretty impressed with seeing a real (and playable) product of recycling.

The trucks are solid plastic with backs that tip up to dump. Arielle discovered that a little Juicy Bug was just the right size to work as a driver. Everything in the cab is nicely sealed, so the Juicy Bug didn't fall in. And, the recycling truck opens in back, so all the recycling can be retrieved.

In Linnea's world, trucks kiss hello.


Dumping all the garbage out.


And, coming back for more.


Having a dump truck is very useful. A friend can take a ride.


Or, it can be used to haul important things -- like a load of dandelions. The great thing about Green Toys is that they go inside and outside and are so easy to clean.



These trucks are awesome. Each of my children has loved having a big truck to push around. And, it is nice to have a lightweight, eco-friendly and affordable option. It is tough enough to deal with everything a truck-loving toddler sends its way. I hope Green Toys introduces a few more next year.

Get 5% off Green Toys and other purchases at KangarooBoo with our coupon code "STB509" valid until June 30, 2009.

Thank you Green Toys!

I love these blocks!

Haba's new Eeny Meeny Zoo Blocks ($49.99) are my new favorite toy for toddlers.


I'm pretty sure they rank close to the top of the Haba toy cuteness list - and Haba makes a whole lot of cuteness. Linnea loved them, too. She went right to work as soon as Arielle gave her a chance to play.






The blocks are made in Germany and are stained with nontoxic stains. They are Haba, so they will last and can be mixed with other Haba blocks.

The blocks are available from Bright October who has generously offered our readers 10% off on any item with the code “sarastoybox" until 12/31/2008.

NMC Toys

NMC (Not Made in China) Toys has a new Green and Organic Section. They have given us a code ( "sarasbox" ) for 10% off that expires 12/31/08.

Actually, my favorite toy is this set of four safe-plastic tubs ($48.50). They are perfect for bringing messy play inside. We used them for water play during our long, very rainy summer, and I think we could also use them to bring in some snow in the winter, or play with sand indoors or run cars in cornmeal or rice, or just squish some glop.


The girls really enjoyed testing out my kitchen utensils, but we've also done doll laundry and given the dolls bubble baths.

Store Review- Kobold Toys

Kobold Toys is an online shop based in the US. Ana Eiras is the founder of the online store, and her partner Carmina Valdizan owns the brick and mortar shop in Panama. The two mamas are dedicated to bringing you toys that help spark a child's imagination. In addition, they offer gift cards and gift wrap that they import from Germany as part of their Very Busy Very Thoughtful program.

I found their website easy to navigate and full of beautiful toys and gifts. They have a robust collection of Plan Toys, one of my favorite brands. Some of my top picks are:

This Breakfast Menu ($17.50). It is the perfect compliment to your play kitchen collection. Who wouldn't love a little breakfast in bed?

I adore these Assorted Fruits and Vegetables ($19.99). I really like that they split open when cut with the beautiful wooden butter knife. Perfect!

Of course every child would like to push their groceries, books, or kitty around. This Shopping Cart ($55.00) is perfect for your tiny shopper.What I like about Ana and Kobold Toys is that they offer an array of toys, yet each toy is selected for its ability to spark a child's imagination. Ana believes that, "Imagination is perhaps one of the single most important skills humans can have because it is the one skill that will help one sort out new obstacles, solve new issues, and come up with responses to the many challenges life will have for them--as children and later on in life." I couldn't agree more!

Ana lists where each toy is designed and the customer can search for toys designed in a specific country. What I could not find was where each toy was made. Ana has a blog on her stance on MIC toys.

Though Kobold Toys is a new store, Ana was kind enough to send us the Daisy Girls Wooden Magnetic Dress-Up set. Jackson, age 5, played with it for one evening. Then we sent it on to his Pre-K class. The reviews were not mixed. The kids LOVED the dolls. Their teacher said that every child in the room played with it, both boys and girls, and that it was now the favorite center during free time. I was concerned that the magnets would slip but we found that the magnets stayed on very well. I can tell you that they are much easier to use than the cut out type I had as a young girl. This toy is MIC.

Ana has been kind enough to extend to our readers the following promotion code: C2NNF8 This code is good for a 10% discount on your next purchase from Kobold Toys.