Put your children to work... it's fun!

No, that's not Cinderella, that's Arielle in her apron ($17.99 on sale) from Palumba. She's singing while she sweeps up the dining room floor with her Arielle-sized broom ($19.99).



The Child's Apron is handcrafted in the USA by an Amish women's co-op established by Camden Rose. The aprons are made of 100% cotton and they are machine washable, so your child can paint or cook or clean without fear of getting messy. Best of all the aprons are adjustable at the neck to get the perfect length, so they will fit most children between the ages of 3-6.

There is also an organic cotton apron ($24.99).

The child-size broom is made of natural materials that are both grown and processed in the USA. It is sold as a toy, but it is built just like an adult broom ($54.99) and can be used for real sweeping. Or, for playing Halloween witch.



Linnea is wearing her apron to help in the kitchen.



She doesn't like anything "tight" and it is easy to adjust the straps to keep her comfortable. We are making baked apples. In September, we visited the local orchard and picked bags and bags of apples. We couldn't eat them all, so I chopped some up for the freezer.

When Linnea is in the mood to cook, I take out a bag of frozen apples. She puts them in the baking dish and sprinkles them with cinnamon and brown sugar. They go in the oven and when everything is hot and smells good, we eat baked apples. Thanks, Linnea. Baked apples are so yummy, the elephant wanted a taste.



Kids love helping out. It gives them a sense of accomplishment and pride and children are more likely to eat healthy food if they help prepare it.

If you need help getting started, The Waldorf kindergarten snack book ($12.95) is full of healthy snacks that can be cooked with children.

Thank you, Palumba, for letting us review the lovely aprons! They make helping out extra fun.

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.