A barn for your animals and 25% off at Rosie Hippo

First of all, if you have Christmas money to spend, Rosie Hippo still has 25% off all toys through January 1.  Even better, Rosie Hippo is supporting RoomtoGrow.org  by donating one toy to a child born into poverty for each order over $100; however, this ends at midnight December 31. A great opportunity to stock up for birthdays.

Now to the toy review......

Creche or Little Barn ($40.00)

I have been admiring this wooden toy barn for a long time and was so happy to be able to review this toy.  Earlier this month, my children had seen the play "Charlotte's Web" at our local high school and they were having fun playing "pig on the farm" with their Holztiger animals.  The barn reminded me of the set of the play.

This was supposed to be a pre-Holiday review.  Unfortunately, poor barn went to my old address (oops!) and arrived a few days after Christmas.  I apologize profusely if anyone is saying "Darn! That would have been the perfect gift!"  But, birthdays, Valentine's Day, Easter, feeling down, and snow are all good gift giving occasions.

Santa loves to bring us Holztiger, so the new animals were happy to have a new home.  In fact, here are the animal families all lined to ask Santa to bring them a new barn....

I have to laugh because we spent a lot of time at the mall in a very similar line. 

So the happy animals got their new barn and the girls did play "Charlotte's Web".  I dug up a plastic Halloween spider to be Charlotte.

So, Wilbur and Charlotte spent some quiet time together while Arielle dug out the rest of the farm animals.

They all agreed, it is a nice barn.  The wood is smooth.  It's easy for children to get their hands in.

Look, Fern is a princess!

And, everyone played nicely together.

The barn arrives packed flat and does require some easy assembly - but, a child can do it. There are no screws or nails, so if you are short on storage space, it quickly comes apart for storage.  But, it would also look really cute set up on a dresser or shelf.

There is an optional star, so it can be used for nativity scenes (or to hold a rooster).  It would be adorable with dollhouse dolls.

I know this barn will be used a lot.   Thank you, Rosie Hippo. And, everyone else, check out the sale and help a good cause.

Ooooh... 15% Off at Rosie Hippo

Ready for holiday shopping? Rosie Hippo has given us a code for 15% off purchases until the end of the year. Just type in "TOYBOX10" and it is good until 12/31/2010.

I plan to use the code to buy Holztiger animals for stocking stuffers.  Santa brings a few every year, and it has added up to a nice collection. Girly-girl Linnea will love the little pets like this <>kitten ($9.00).

Arielle is interested in exploring Australia.  So, I'm choosing Australian animals for her, like <>Mama Kangaroo with a joey in her pouch ($15.00).

And this big, 10 1/4 inch long <>crocodile ($18.00).

Rosie Hippo carries a large selection of natural, organic and Earth friendly toys.  If you are looking for a toddler dream gift, check out the <>rocking dory ($195 on sale) that Rosie Hippo donated for our <>Holiday Giving Auction.

Thank you, Rosie Hippo!

20% off at Rosie Hippo

I just posted a coupon code good for 20% off purchases at Rosie Hippo. The code "STB20" is good until the end of the year.

Check out Rosie Hippo for great holiday gifts.

Holztiger animals make great stocking stuffers and will be played with for years. Arielle asked Santa to bring her birds. She says that wooden animals are the best toys in the world.

Swimming Swan ($10.00)



Linnea thinks dolls are the best toys ever. And pine cones. This beautiful German-made Kathe Kruse fairy doll could flutter through the pine cones.

Flippippi Fairy Doll ($65.00)



Young knights will love the knight set. It's made in Germany and includes a tunic, sword and shield.

Knight Set ($52.00)



Your future scientist might appreciate a moon ball. OK, it's really me that wants a moon ball :0)

Moon Ball ($10.00)



Anyway, Rosie Hippo has lots and lots of wonderful toys. And, with the coupon, you'll get a great deal!

This month, for every purchase over $100, Rosie Hippo is donating a toy to Room to Grow. Room to Grow is a non-profit dedicated to enriching the lives of babies born into poverty throughout the critical first three years of development. They provide one-on-one parenting support and essential baby items.

So you get a great deal, and you can help someone else.

A bird tree!

Not a partridge in a pear tree, a sparrow in an apple tree! And, a blue jay and a robin and a titmouse and a flying yellow songbird.

Birdies in an Apple Tree ($79)


I've told you before about how much we love our Holztiger animals. These wooden animals from Germany are a favorite with my girls. Each year, I buy a few more at Christmas or on birthdays or for Easter, and the girls are getting a pretty nice collection. They are played with all the time. And, when they aren't being played with, they look very cute on a shelf or dresser.

Lately, Arielle's favorites have been birds. When ever she saves up enough money, she buys a bird... one at a time. When Arielle saw the bird tree, her eyes lit right up. And Rosie Hippo was so kind to let her review it.

The tree has a stand to help it stay up on carpet, but it can be used without the stand.

There are plenty of flat spots for the birds to perch. Hmmm... where will this bird go?

Some other animals heard about the juicy apples.

Yummy.



Like all Holztiger figures, the tree is beautifully made and finished with non-toxic colors. It's a great addition to a play story. And, it is available separately for $24.

There really is nothing like Holztiger for open-ended, imaginative play. And, there is nowhere like Rosie Hippo for Holztiger. They have the best selection.

Check out all the wonderful European and American toys at Rosie Hippo.

And 10% off at UrthChild!

It's our lucky coupon day. UrthChild is offering our readers 10% off with the code "STB09". Happy holiday shopping!

UrthChild has a great selection of natural toys. Our favorites are the Holztiger animals. I bought a few for each birthday and Christmas since Arielle was two, and now we have quite a collection.

Holztiger zebra ($14.99)



The girls play with them alone, in combination with dolls or blocks, or invite them to tea parties.

These little sapling blocks ($18.99) would make a nice gift. How simple and how beautiful!



Little Sapling Toys are handcrafted in Idaho out of natural wood - maple, cherry, and walnut - and are finished with bee's wax and organic jojoba oil.

And, UrthChild sells the Mimi the Sardine Splashmat ($29.95), which you've seen in the background in many of our messy art posts.



The mat is a big 36"x46". I originally bought them to put under Arielle's highchair. I used them for Linnea as well, and now we use them for messy art. They go through the laundry over and over and over.... I highly recommend this; you'll really get your money's worth.

Here's Arielle painting salt-dough ghosts and pumpkins.




Check out all the great toys, natural clothing, art supplies, and baby care needs at UrthChild - all PVC, phthalate and BPA free. One percent of your purchase goes to support the Nature Conservancy and The Rocky Mountain Institute. And, gift wrapping is available - in a reusable cotton bag!

My latest toy crush - Holztiger

I think I'm in love. And,I think Arielle is as well. Every nap time, I've been catching her curled up in her chair reading the Holztiger catalog. She looks at the pictures and makes up stories about the animals and the things they do.

Holztiger animals are my favorite stocking stuffer. Santa jump started our collection last year with three little pigs. Three absolutely adorable pigs.

Holztiger Wooden Pig ($8.49)




Holztiger Wooden Piglet($5.99)



I just love their happy expressions.

Then we did a few more as birthday gifts. First, some dinosaurs... because we love dinosaurs.

Holztiger Wooden Tyrannosaurus rex ($11.49)



Next, some fun wild animals.

Holztiger Wooden Zebra ($14.99)



And, I've heard from the elves that Santa is planning a Christmas goose.

Holztiger Wooden Goose, Small ($6.99)



So, Arielle and I were very excited when Urthchild offered to send a few for review.

Holztiger Wooden Carthorse ($12.49)




Holztiger animals are a good basic toy that will be played with for many years - an open-ended staple like blocks and playsilks that can be played with in endless ways. And, they can be combined with blocks for zoos, or farms or stables. Or, they can graze on a playsilk for a totally different experience. A few small animals in a backpack can be friends on a long car trip, or a collection can take part in a complicated game of make-believe. Ours often visit the dollhouse.

We have no theme. I choose them because I like their simple forms and sweet faces, and that means that Arielle's imagination gets a good workout.

The sizes range from itty-bitty geese and chicks (1 1/2 inches) to great big giraffes and dinosaurs (7-8 inches) and prices range accordingly.

Holztiger toys are handcrafted in Germany from maple wood and are finished using non-toxic water-based paints and lacquers. I love that the wood grain shows through the paint as a reminder that the toy came from nature. The figures are free from harmful chemicals, lead, and heavy metals and are safety verified by German supervisory authorities

So, have I convinced you yet that these are the greatest toy ever? Here are the toys in action.









T. rex loves to snack on Elmo crackers. The figures are appropriate for children who no longer put things in their mouth (the small ones could be a choking hazard) and who can play gently. They are made of natural wood, not flexible plastic, so little details like horn and ears can break off if banged around excessively.

Urthchild has a very nice selection and they arrive beautifully packaged. I wanted to mention the wrapping, and I wish I had pictures to show you. They use 100% recycled Kraft paper with raffia ribbon to wrap up items. They always opt for recycled, eco-friendly options whenever possible. For example, their gift bags are 100% recycled cotton gift bags that can be used as grocery bags. (But they also offer 100% recycled, soy-based ink paper wrap for people who like traditional gift wrap). UrthChild has offered our readers 10% off with the code "STB1208". It expires 12/15/2008.