10% off at Carl & Me

Looking for wooden toys for the holidays? Carl and Me: Exceptional Toys For Boys (and girls!)offers a selection of safe, woden toys from the USA and Europe suitable for children from babies to teens.

NIC Wooden Toys - Creamobil Little Men 'Pico' ($12.00)

Small Stacking Man ($24.00)

Scalino Bell Tower Set ($78.00)

Carl & Me is especially great for unusual construction toys - the kind my older son Merlin loved when he was in elementary/middle school (and still occasionally plays with at almost 21!).  If you have the kind of child who loves to build and make things work, definitely check out Carl & Me.

Sara's Toy Box readers can take 10% off through the holidays with code "SARA".

Free shipping at Down to Earth Toys

Down To Earth Toys is offering Sara's Toy Box readers free shipping on purchases over $10. Use code "SARA" at checkout. The code is good until 4/30/2010, so you can use it for Easter shopping.

Down to Earth Toys offers a large selection of toys made in the U.S.A. Personally, they are one of my favorites :0) because I know that everything they sell is natural and safe.

My latest favorite new arrival are the walnut castle blocks ($118.95 for the large set)



I think I'm going to have to start saving. Arielle just came over and said, "That looks like a fairy house!" I can just see little fairy dolls making a home with dandelion beds and daisy chairs.

Down to Earth also has a large selection of toys under $20. That's more budget friendly!

The Roy Toy earth Friendly Tree House($17.00) looks like fun. There are several sets of Roy Toys available. They are an updated and eco-friendly building toy similar to Lincoln Logs.



Our very favorite, of course, is the Organic Sock Monkey ($19.95) from Maggie's Organics. Linnea's monkey Poo-Poo is still her constant companion and still holding up to three-year-old love. I just took of Linnea and Poo-Poo watching "Super Why".



It looks like Poo-Poo needs another trip through the washer. Hanging out with Linnea isn't the cleanest job.

PromiseBrand: All Natural Wood Toys

Sometimes, when I have a few minutes, I do web searches on "natural toys" and "toys made in the U.S.A." and, of course, I find some favorites like Down To Earth Toys and Palumba, but sometimes I find wonderful new toys to write about

PromiseBrand wooden toys are so gorgeous, I had to share. Look!

Alphabet blocks $68


These blocks are big - 3"x3"x3". what a wonderful idea for a new baby gift. Picture blocks are also available individually ($6.50 each), so you could spell out a new baby's name.

PromiseBrand toys are made of just three ingredients: wood, edible linseed oil and eco-friendly, non-toxic milk paint. Very natural and very safe. Everything is hand made by a family-owned business in Bend, Oregon.

In addition to the large alphabet blocks, PromiseBrand makes building blocks, small square blocks, child-sized rocking chairs, a giant bi-plane puzzle and tic-tac-toe game. You can also purchase milk paint for your own projects.

Building Blocks from reclaimed juniper ($45-$95)



Check out all the beautiful toys at PromiseBrand.

I am sorry that the blogs been slow. I appreciate those of you that keep coming back and would like to welcome our new readers. There are more reviews coming soon. We are moving soon and half the toys are packed. Once we're settled in, the blog will be back on a more regular basis.

Keva Planks

Sometimes, we get all wrapped up in how cute a toy is that we forget toys aren't supposed to do the playing, children are. Fortunately, there are some wonderful toys that are so simple, the brain can't help doing the "work."



Keva Planks are like that. Keva planks are sets of American-made, maple blocks where each block is exactly the same size (1 in. x 4.5 in. x .25 in.) - the perfect size for building just about anything a child or adult can imagine.



I have to admit that I had some doubts when Kate of Blueberry Forest suggested this toy. It is suggested for ages 5 to 95, and Arielle is just five. I had visions of Arielle building complex palaces, and Linnea knocking them down, and everyone bursting into tears. But, Kate has five children between the ages of three and nine, and she said that her kids love this toy.

She also said that she sometimes builds a little house at the breakfast table for fairies and gnomes, and her children's faces just light up. That's so much like something that I would do. I love it!

I'll just say that Kate knows what she is talking about.


We reviewed the Keva Planks Set of 200 ($63.95).

Keva planks are available in different-sized sets ranging from 100 to 800 blocks. You can start out with a small set and keep adding as your child grows and his building becomes more and more complicated. Or, buy a huge set as a gift for the whole family. We all sat on the playroom floor and tried these out.

Arielle started out simply. She built a tower for Rapunzel the Rabbit. "Rapunzel, Rapunzel let down your ears..."


Then Linnea built this. Just kidding! That was me (totally fun for moms). But, Linnea was watching intently.


And, when I walked away, Linnea tried it for herself. Not bad.


Arielle took the geometric lessons that she learned from her first project, and tried them on a bigger scale - an octagon.



Linnea got frustrated.


She gave up on stairs and made a cat bed.


Arielle ran out of blocks, so she imprisoned Linnea's friend PooPoo. PooPoo didn't mind; she's smiling because she loves her little house.


So, the cat needed a house, too.


Hmmm..... what can I do with this house?



There's nothing better than a look of intense concentration on an almost-three-year-old's face. It's so much better than the tantrum face, right?

The blocks arrived on Friday. Today is Monday. Both girls have H1N1 and nobody really feels like playing, but these blocks have been out and been played with almost constantly (between naps).

So, thank you, Kate. What an excellent toy!

And, check out Blueberry Forest for many wonderful toys.

Twig

Blocks are serious play for Linnea, and she took to Twig ($49.95) right away.

Twig is different from other blocks. The consists of 72 wooden blocks in unusual, open shapes and bright colors.



The cool thing is that while the blocks can be stacked like traditional blocks, they are also hollowed out. This adds a whole new dimension to building as pieces can be stacked inside and through other pieces allowing all kinds of intricate structures to be built.



Still don't get it? Linnea will explain.

You stack,



But, then your pieces start falling through. Hmmm... what to do?



Put some cross pieces inside and you can resume stacking. Problem solved.



Arielle's approach was different. She tried to nest her blocks by fitting small blocks inside big blocks.





This open-ended and unusual set of blocks was the idea of a teacher in Canada. Matt Hiebert took the idea of a traditional block set and took out the insides. He prototyped his product and sold a few and then sold more. Fat Brain Toys licensed the design and they now produce the block set using sustainably harvested wood, non-toxic colors, recyclable packaging and fair labor conditions. They are CPSIA certified.

But, mostly they are fun! If you are looking for a Christmas gift or birthday gift for a three or four year old who loves to build, this is perfect. While they play, they'll be developing their mathematical, visualization and creative skills - just the skills a future engineer needs.



Twigs is the winner of many toy awards include:

• Parents’ Choice Gold Award 2009
• Creative Child Toy of the Year Award 2009
• Dr. Toy Best Green Product 2009
• NAPPA -National Parenting Publications Honors Award 2009
• 2009 Grandkids Superproduct Award

Twig is available at Fat Brain Toys.

Fat Brain Toys developed Twig and they sell Twig and a variety of other toys, including HABA, Plan Toys, Challenge and Fun, and many, many other brands. Check out the Organic & Green Toys Section.

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!

We've got a coupon for The Wooden Wagon

The Wooden Wagon has offered our readers a coupon code for the month of November. "STB1109" is good for 10% off your next online order through 11/30. With so many wonderful wooden toys and ornaments on their website, this is a great way to get started on holiday shopping. Here are a few suggestions, all made in Germany.

Pumpkin Rattle Doll ($25.00)



This is the very first toy that I bought for Arielle, before she was even born. Pumpkin Baby is a soft rattle that always sat in the corner of Arielle's bed. She was handed-down when Linnea was born, and now she lives in Linnea's bed. Pumpkin baby is made of soft, cotton terry that seems to be delicious to chew on and still looks good after many many washings.

Little Amsterdam building blocks from Haba ($72.00)



This is an awesome set of blocks. It's definitely not for babies because some of the figures are quite small, but it is a great set when your child is ready for something more complicated. And, it works well combined with the Haba baby blocks. The figures make it more than just a block set. This is Arielle's favorite. Mine too. I like building very modern buildings which Linnea knocks down. There's a total of 166 pieces, so you get quite a lot of blocks for the price.

Varialand Puzzle Tiles from Selecta ($28.50)



This is another favorite at our house. Varialand is a free form puzzle. Eighty tiles are printed with flowers, animals, building parts, etc. that can be combined in any way the child desires to form pictures. I like to have Arielle make up a story about hers, a great pre-reading (or any reading level) skill.

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.

Award-winning Rainbow Sound Blocks from Wonderworld

Wonderworld Toys are made in Thailand out of environmentally-friendly replantable wood from expired rubber plantation trees that no longer produce latex. Wonderworld works with farmers, the Rabbit in the Moon Foundation and the Thai government to plant two trees for each tree used. The colors come from non-toxic water-based paints and at least 70% of all packaging is recycled paper,

I first heard of Wonderworld Toys from some of you - our readers. I'm thankful to Toys and Games Online for allowing me to check out their extensive selection of Wonderworld Toys. The decision was tough, but I chose to review Rainbow Sound Blocks.

Rainbow Sound Blocks ($34.00)



The Rainbow Sound Blocks are part of the WonderEducation collection, a collection of learning toys for ages birth-5. The Rainbow sound Blocks are suggested for ages 2 and up. I chose them both for their learning value and for their creative play value.

You all know that I love blocks, and I love mixing in new shapes and textures. This is a cute little set of six blocks that can be used alone by young children and incorporated into larger sets by older children. Wonderworld makes an inexpensive 50 piece Basic Block Set ($25.00)

These blocks have been around for a while. They were the winner of the Silver Practical Pre-School Award in 2006, and National Parenting Publications Award in 2001, as well as numerous international awards.

The six wooden blocks come in a wooden storage case that is fun to pack and unpack. Each block is wooden with a translucent colored-plastic front and back. They are filled with different combinations and sizes of beads, so each has a unique sound when shaken.

The blocks can be used for stacking, matching, sorting and it's really fun to just look through them and see the world in a different color. I like purple :o)

Linnea liked packing and unpacking the blocks into their storage case - not an easy task as they don't fit if thrown in haphazardly. She also calls it a door. Maybe because of the shape of the storage case?

Here she is checking out the beads. She had fun shaking the blocks, but the enthusiasm was too much for the camera. I just got a pink blur.







Building a tower.


Wow! Everything looks "lellow".


That was my favorite part. I think Linnea knows her colors, but she loves to give the wrong answers on purpose. It's a two-year-old thing, just like the outfit. But, she was so distracted that she got them all right! Yay!

Beautiful Sevilla Blocks - from Moolka

I love blocks. Blocks were the first toy that Arielle and Linnea were really able to play with cooperatively. My older children played with their blocks until they were nearly in their teens, and neighbor children would come over to play with their block set which was embellished with wooden findings from craft and hardware stores. And, I remember playing blocks with my own siblings, spending hour and hours building cities and towns. But, our blocks weren't this nice.

Building Blocks SevillaBuilding Blocks from Haba ($59.99)

This set of 25 beautiful wooden blocks is inspired by the work of the Spanish architect Antonio Gaudi, who designed the Sagrada Familia Cathedral in Barcelona. These building blocks depict Gaudi's famous unique style and highly individualistic designs and cylindrical structures.

The blocks are made in Germany of beechwood and are stained with non-toxic, water-based paints. The bright colors and unique forms of these blocks allow for all sorts of building possibilities. Here is Linnea building a fairy house.

Like many Haba blocks, Sevilla blocks have interesting features like mirrors, magnifying glasses, tinted windows, bells, and prisms. Arielle is looking through the red magnifying block.


And she is building her own palace for fairies and unicorn and their friends.

"Pictures again!"





Of course, Sevilla blocks are compatible with all the other sets of Haba blocks for all kinds of building possibilities. Smaller block sets inspired by the work of Gaudi include Building Blocks Cordoba from Haba ($39.99) and Sakrada Building Blocks from Haba ($22.50).

Thank you, Moolka, for letting us try out these fun blocks!