Down to Earth Toys

I asked Carrin from Down to Earth Toys, "What makes your site special?" It is the question that I always ask store owners.

She said "The thing that sets up apart from every other online toy shop, is that we are completely dedicated to supporting American toy makers and will NEVER carry anything that is Made in China. We are the only shop who's total focus is Natural and Wooden American Toys. We have been getting a lot of really great feedback from customers because of this, and I am very proud of our commitment. Ninety percent of the merchandise at Down to Earth Toys is made in the USA." One can specify "made-in-the USA" by clicking on the flag.

I don't usually review sites unless I've had experience with them. I have not actually purchased from this site, but I love that they feature well-made American toys. Some were familiar to me, and some were not; however, I look forward to browsing for treasures in the future. I especially like the "Under $20" section for finding gifts.



Felt Tea Bag ($3.99)

I will give a brief review of some of the companies that Down to Earth Toys features.

Holgate Toys are located in Kane, PA. This company has been making items out of wood since 1789, and toys since 1929.



Giant Lacing Beads ($12.00) This set of nine large (beads are 2" tall) beads on a cord is suggested for ages 18 months to four years. I could see Linnea really enjoying these beads. On the other hand, I could just as easily see her hitting her sister with them.

Willow Toys are Waldorf-inspired doll houses, play kitchens and play stands that are handmade in New Hampshire. Willow Toys are guaranteed for life and are just lovely. They have an optional lavender wood aroma-therapy finish.



Dollhouse ($180) I love the stairs! What a fun detail. If I can save up enough, I would love to get something like this for Arielle's birthday.

My Daddy Puzzles are made in Virginia of poplar grown and harvested in South Carolina. They are painted, or stained and sealed, with materials manufactured in Ohio. The puzzles were originally made for the designer's sons who wanted to build his children puzzles that would last.



Annie Alligator Puzzle ($25.00)

Whittle Shortline Railroad has been making The Little Engine That Could toy trains since 1930. All the items and components are made in the USA, and the trains are compatible with both Thomas Trains and Brio - and very cute.



The Little Engine That Could Set ($29.95)

Uncle Goose Toys makes beautiful, classic alphabet blocks out of basswood that can be used for both traditional block play and spelling.



Set of 27 ABC Blocks ($29.95)

Little Colorado makes lovely play kitchen items and play stands from knotty pine.



Play washing machine ($162.95)

Down to Earth Toys also features toys from favorites like Camden Rose and Maple Landmark; Amish-crafted toys; dolls and toys made by work at home moms; recordings by Smithsonian Folkways; fair trade toys from Yellow Label Kids and Jamtown; Putumayo Kids World Music, and toys and art supplies from European brands such as Bajo and Stockmar. Lots of great stuff!



Fair Trade Rebecca Doll ($19.00)

For the next 30 days, Down to Earth Toys is offering Free Shipping with the code MAMA08 on orders over $50. Otherwise, shipping is $4.95.

Be right back!

My husband had a surprise 10 days of leave (Yay!!!), so we've been playing with Daddy and not so much with toys. There are great things coming very soon. A review of Biofino play food at Petit Baby (very nice stuff) and, in honor of Earth Day, eco-friendly toys and art supplies. Also a store review of Down to Earth Toys (they specialize in made in the US toys), outdoor/sand toys, and other exciting stuff.
Just let me get my house clean first.

Organic Egg Dying

Sonya from A Toy Garden send me this link to instructions for Organic Egg Dying.

Happy Easter!

Mary' Softdough

When Arielle was two, we had a Play-Do party for her birthday. I covered the table with paper and Arielle and her guests had a wonderful time squooshing and mooshing dough, rolling it out and cutting it with cookie cutters. After the party, each guest took a container home. But, Play-Do stinks and has mysterious dyes and ingredients that can't be pronounced. It can't be good for you.



One option is to make your own dough.

1 cup flour
1 cup warm water ( I hear you can add Kool-Aid for color/scent, but that sounds messy)
2 teaspoons cream of tartar
1 teaspoon oil
1/4 cup salt
food coloring

Mix all ingredients, adding food coloring last. Stir over medium heat until smooth. Remove from pan and knead until blended smooth. Place in plastic bag or airtight container when cooled. It will last for a long time.



Or maybe it will just last until you really need a quick distraction. Then you find out that the dough has gone moldy or that someone has left the bag open and it has dried out.

Or maybe, you are just busy or would rather play than cook dough.



Mary's Softdough is a soft, natural modeling dough made in Eugene, Oregon. It is made of flour, water, salt, cream of tartar, soybean oil, food coloring (all stuff we have at home) and sodium benzoate (a food preservative that keeps it from getting moldy). It lasts a year when stored properly and comes in a variety of pretty colors (even glitter! and glow in the dark) and yummy scents. Prices range from $2.95 (a small tub of a single color) to $18.50 (for a play set with 4 colors, a roller and cookie cutters).

We received six small tubs of Naturally Scented Softdough ($3.25 for a small tub) and a dough play set (roller an cookie cutters - all made in Oregon) from Terrapin Toys, the makers of Mary's Softdough. The dough is nothing like Play-Do. The scents are delicious, strong (but not overpowering), and actually smell like peppermint (red), oranges (orange), lemons (yellow), lavender (purple), vanilla (blue), or - Arielle's favorite - rose (pink). And the dough has a softer, squooshier (scientific term!) feel. Definitely a more pleasing sensory experience.

While the dough is intended for ages three and up, toddlers love dough. I let Linnea play with the lavender and peppermint dough specifically because it did not smell like food that she eats (rose would have been OK as well, but Arielle is possessive). Linnea, who no longer sits still for anything, spent a happy hour squishing and mashing the dough. She really enjoyed taking it in and out of the cup, flattening it, and poking holes with her fingers.

Arielle played for with it much longer - at least a few hours each day since the dough arrived! Chef Arielle enjoys rolling out pizzas and covering them with toppings. She also enjoyed cutting squirrels with the squirrel-shaped cookie cutter and making them nuts and acorns. She sat in one place, chattering away happily, while I cleaned dried oatmeal off highchairs. Yay!!!

Speaking of cleaning, clean-up was easy. Little crumbs swept right up, no problem.

Mary's Softdough is available directly from Terrapin Toys and from many other of our favorite retailers of natural toys. Mary let me know that she also has 2oz tubs with a cookie cutter inside available ($1.75 each) for party favors or maybe for stuffing next year's Easter Eggs. Hmmm....

Another awesome store - Natural Pod

Natural Pod is a Canadian store (although they do ship to the U.S. - the rates depend on order size) located in British Columbia. I first became familiar with Natural Pod while I was looking for information about Bamboletta Dolls. Natural Pod is one of only a few sites that stocks these amazing Waldorf-style dolls.

Bamboletta Doll - Apple ($135 CAD)

As far as I'm concerned, these are the most beautiful dolls out there(although very pricey and probably worth every penny). Each doll is individually handmade using 100% cotton interlock fabric from Holland and stuffed with Romley lamb’s wool. Safely tucked inside the tummy of each one of the dolls are three crystals – quartz, fluorite and carnelian – minerals that are thought by some to help produce a calming and grounding effect upon children. The dolls have serenely neutral facial expressions that encourage children to engage in open play, reflecting back to the child whatever emotion is timely and appropriate, whether happy, sad, or somewhere between. Obviously, a lot of time and care goes into each doll.

But, I can't afford one yet. Fortunately Natural Pod has many wonderful and affordable toys as well :) Arielle reviewed a few of these.

Yesteryear Clothespin Set ($8.99 CAD)

Organic Everyday Apron ($29.95 CAD)







The Clothespin set includes ten very sturdy wooden clothespins and a 9' line in a little fabric bag. The apron is adjustable to fit ages 3-5, made of sturdy organic cotton with a gender neutral trim.

Arielle spent a few hours busily washing her doll clothes and hanging them up to dry. You'll love this -- I came by with my camera and she said "I am busy and have a lot of work to do now, Mommy. I don't have time for you to take any pictures." Hmmm... have I been spending too much time on housework?

If you are a nice mom with a waterproof floor, you might consider giving your child a few bowls of water and letting her really wash the clothes. Put down a lot of old towels -- we tried this today and had wonderful time, but it was messy. While Arielle washed clothes, Linnea scooped water with a ladel and measuring cups.

What a fun way to role play and work on motor skills.

Olden Days Iron ($13.99 CAD)



After the doll's clothes are washed, they must be ironed. A few weeks ago, I was ironing a few things and the girls were watching me like it was the most interesting thing they had ever seen. I don't iron very often. This iron is made of walnut and maple and runs on imagination, so it never burns little fingers. Natural Pod also offers a child-sized wooden ironing board ($26.99 CAD) although Arielle quite happily ironed on her table. The set would make an excellent gift for a three to five year old.

Crocheted Market Bag ($14.95 CAD)





Linnea got to help review this bag. She took it while Arielle was ironing and had a great time putting blocks in and taking them out. Arielle loves shopping bags. This one is 8"x8" and just the right size for shopping at the pretend market. It also holds plenty of pretend cupcakes (rocking horses love cupcakes).

Natural Pod specializes in well made natural toys that promote creative play. Other treasures available include Fagus trucks, art supplies, stacking toys and blocks, play silks, dress up clothes and many other wonderful things that inspire imaginations. A few of my favorites (on my wish list) are:

Fairy House Kit ($11.95 CAD) and Fairy Doors or windows ($14.95-$24.95 CAD)



Now that the flowers are coming out, you may want to attract a fairy to your garden. These kits have everything you need to make a tree or old stump into a perfect home for fairies or elves.

Cardboard Rocket ($73.00 CAD)



When Arielle was two, every bedtime story had to begin with "One day Arielle found a rocket ship..." and then she and I would make up an adventure for her. Imagine where a rocket ship like this could take you....


Wooden tool set ($28.00 CAD)



We live in a wonderful 19th century farmhouse, but it is forever needing fixing-up and repairs. In the fall when work was being done on the outside of our house, Arielle and Linnea dragged their play tools to the window and hammered along with the workers. This sturdy little toolbox has everything a little carpenter needs to get the job done and is much better priced than a similar set I saw elsewhere.

Thank you Bridgitte and Natural Pod! Natural Pod is offering our readers 10% off their first purchase at Natural Pod with code "sarastoybox10" until 4/30/2008.

Store Review: KangarooBoo

Every time I take a look at the KangarooBoo website, there is something new. A few weeks ago, it was wooden toys from Estia. And then, there were beautiful French dolls from Petitcollin. This made deciding what to write about tough.

But I definitely wanted to write! Aside from offering us wonderful toys, KangarooBoo donates a portion of every sale to child-related charities. This takes place automatically during the checkout process, and the customer chooses which charity the money goes. If no choice is made, it goes to a default charity.

Currently, the default charity is Alex's Lemonade Stand. The Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation (a registered 501c3 public charity) evolved from a young cancer patient's front-yard lemonade stand to a nationwide fundraising movement to find a cure for pediatric cancer.

Jennic, the site owner of KangarooBoo, is a cancer survivor in her 6th year of remission and a mom to two children, ages 2 and 4.5. She and her husband (who designed the website) feel very strongly about making a difference, however little it may seem. They believe that everything has to start from somewhere and are grateful to all those who advocated throughout the last many decades. They hope their own efforts will be amplified and multiplied with the support of others.

The site can be navigated in many ways - by category, brand, child's age, country of origin, new arrivals, on-sale, NOT Made in China, and also by tag.

Now for toys!

Haba Fantasia ($29.90)





Apparently, the greatest toy that I ever bought for Arielle is the Fantasia magnet game. On the day my order from KangarooBoo, I gave it to Arielle to play with while fussy, teething Linnea napped. Arielle spent a few hours talking non-stop about how it was the toy she always dreamed of :) It's basically magnetic pattern blocks with a metal board (the stick-on magnets need to be attached prior to playing), but there are cute Haba faces and patterns. It's been a few weeks, and it is still her favorite.

But what I really want to do in this review is highlight some brands that are not as easy to find.

Petitcollin dolls was founded in 1856 and offers a huge line of classic vinyl dolls (boy dolls, girl dolls, ethnic dolls) that are still being made in France, Many of the steps are still done by hand. Prices start at $32.00.



Marie-Francoise ($78.50) is a 16” tall doll whose limbs and body are made of vanilla-perfumed phthalate/BPA-free vinyl. Her adorable outfit and shoes are removable. She can be bathed and her hair can be washed. She comes with blonde, red or brown hair and the Easter Bunny is bringing a blonde one to Arielle. She is currently hiding in the laundry room where we have deep intellectual discussions about how best to remove blueberry jelly from pretty party dresses. She is even prettier in real life and the vanilla scent is very subtle. Her toenails are painted a very pale girly pink, so she is definitely a "big girl" doll. Arielle is going to be thrilled.

Estia is a small German company established about 12 years ago. Estia makes some of the toys themselves and also gathers toys from European Artisans in Germany, Czech Republic, Lithuania, Estonia, and Poland, and from a Thai company as well.

Arielle (of course) really enjoyed the finger puppets ($10.90 for a set of 3).




But, Jennic tells me that the threading animal games are very cool, as are the very unique push-along toys and pull toys. And that the airplanes are also very well made.

Push-along Hedgehog ($13.90)



Zid Zid Kids are the creation of a Moroccan & American husband/wife couple who established the company in 2003 in Morocco. Their designs capture the vibrant and rich colors of Morocco and are all handmade by local artisans. All of their items are handmade and very well done. The fabrics are thick and colorful. I love the animal pillows ($35.90) and have ordered a few to bring a touch of spring to our playroom.

Elephant Animal Cushion ($35.90)



Flensted Mobiles are made by a Danish company established in 1954. The company is still owned and run by the same owner/designer Christian Flensted, his wife, his son and his daughter-in-law. Flensted Mobiles are very well designed, light weight, and with ever so slight air movements, the mobiles turn and twist to create harmonic and balanced movements. No batteries.

They distribute parts to their employees every two weeks who then put the mobiles together at their own homes. At the end of the two weeks, a company car goes around to the 75+ employees' homes to collect the finished mobiles and to distribute new parts. They have been doing this for over thirty years, long before it was popular to be "green". It is estimated if each employee lives 5 miles from the factory, and each gallon of gasoline can go for 20 miles, then each year about 7500 gallons of gas are saved by the Flensted company's production method! KangarooBoo has one of the largest selections of Flensted mobiles on the web.


Piggie Mobile ($24.50)



Vulli: is another French company who's been making teethers and other toys since 1961. Many of their teethers are made from 100% natural rubber, and are phthalate-free, BPA-free, and painted with food quality paint.

Sophie the Giraffe ($18.90)



Jennic's enthusiasm for the toy is contagious. They have recently added Plan toys.

KangarooBoo has offered our readers 5% off their purchase with the code STB5. It expires 2 months from the date of this posting. Orders $75 or higher have free UPS ground shipping.

Toys from France at Comptoir d'Enfance

If you love French toys or classic characters such as Barbar, The Little Prince or Elmer the Elephant, you may be interested in Comptoir d'Enfance. This new internet store was started by Emma who came to California from Paris only last year and wanted to introduce French style to American children. She features Vilac Toys, decorative wall decals and stick-on chalk boards, French books, and organic babywear.

Wooden Barbar Dominos by Vilac ($30)


Wooden Bear Puzzle ($18)



Vilac train with blocks ($30)



What I really like are the large chalkboard wall decals - the elephant ($65) is the largest and priciest. The decals can be placed on any clean, dry, flat, smooth surface and then removed. Kids can draw on the walls and then they wipe clean. What a neat idea!



The other product that I really liked is the Princess Castle wall decal ($70). This decal is large enough to be used as a headboard and a different layout (without the Mickey Mouse head) is shown on the site. A very nice (and easy) way to make a princess's room special.


Emma has graciously offered us a coupon code. The code "Sara" can be used for 10% off until 3/31/2008.

Store Review: Easter at Quiet Hours Toys

One of my favorite sites to find a unique gift that is sure to be treasured is Quiet Hours Toys.

Carey, the mom-owner of this site, puts her efforts into finding beautiful and natural toys and children's items from around the world. These aren't the same toys that you see everywhere else. Many of these toys are limited edition items that are handcrafted by work from home moms, made by fair trade cooperatives, or are imported from European artisans and craft persons.

Because so many of the items are individually handcrafted, many of the toys at Quiet Hours are on the pricey side. Carey realizes this, so each item is of the highest quality and made to last. If you sign up for the mailing list, you will be alerted of both sales and new products.



I've been admiring these Matroyshka dolls ($25.00) which are handcrafted from cotton socks and colorful kawaii fabric. These are made with love by Denise Mollison and her children who have inspired her designs.


When I was a little girl, I received paper dolls for being brave when I went to the dentist. And, some of my best memories are of my mom making extra outfits for them. It really made me feel special and was our bonding time. These bunny paper dolls ($16.95) and their outfits are so adorable and old-fashioned. They'd be a perfect Easter treat for a little girl who has shown she can be careful with toys (and has no little sister to bite their heads off!).


Quiet Hours Toys also has a fabulous selection of handmade play food. I have a smaller set of knit produce by Jess Nicole ($46.00). These are made of plant-dyed wool and the pumpkin truly is as detailed and vibrant as it appears in the picture.

I've been wishing for Lilly Bean play food. It's made out of felt and very detailed. This Easter set ($22.00) would be a sweet (but not sugary) treat in an Easter basket.





Isn't the Princess and the Pea set ($90) just lovely?



Or these embroidered birds ($52)? This one-pf-a-kind set is made in Germany from vintage cotton and hand embroidered. It would be perfect in a girly nursery.

I could go on and on about the beautiful treasures at Quiet Hours Toys. It is a truly special site, but I always find it hard to make my decision with so many delightful options. And, I haven't even mentioned the shoes.....

Cabin Fever!!!

Although some of you are enjoying springtime, in the Northeast we've still got another 6 weeks of winter to go. And now that the holidays are over, the big kids are in school, and we have cabin fever. I brainstormed with Sonya of A Toy Garden about ideas for surviving indoor winter time with children:

1. Art

When they were younger, Merlin and Elfie enjoyed using modeling beeswax ($22.95) to form animals, flowers and imaginary creatures. The beeswax starts out hard, but is softened by the warmth of ones hands and it smells delicious. The beeswax is reusable and is both a therapeutic and calming activity for children. And, adults enjoy working with beeswax, too.

A variation on this is candle making. One can use the modeling beeswax to decorate store bought candles or roll your own candles with beeswax sheets ($19.95). If you don't have a wild toddler (Linnea thinks anything on the table is fair game), use their candles as a centerpiece for dinner time! Merlin and Elfie considered dinner by candlelight fancy (even if it was just soup and grilled cheese!), and would always be on their best behavior.

A pair of scissors and paper and some Stockmar Crayons ($10.95-$18.95) will provide hours of fun. Add some tape and glue and they could play forever! For a change, try drawing a story on a long roll of adding machine paper or decorating a cardboard box to use as a house, boat or spaceship.



Younger children can do arts and crafts as well. My toddlers all enjoyed tearing pictures of babies out of magazines and making collages - just stock up on glue sticks. Or, cut some scrap yarn into short pieces and let them glue hair on a stick figure baby or fur on a teddy bear.

2. Crafts!

Older children will enjoy needle felting, wet felting, weaving, pot holder kits, knitting, crocheting, basket making, paper cutting and shaping, paper quilling or painting. A Toy Garden has a large selection of craft supplies and kits. If you made the Forest Gnome Family Kit ($19.95), you could then make up stories about how they work hard to wake up the flowers and bring spring to to the forest.



3. Writing on windows

Sonya recently returned from a vacation to the snow, and the children with her (ages 4-12) all enjoyed playing with Window Crayons on the glass sliding door of her hotel room. We haven't tried this in winter, but we used this as an activity for children (ages 2 and up) at a family reunion, and even the adults joined in. There's something that just feels mischievous about writing on windows.



4. Puzzles

If you have both older and younger children, a magnetic wooden puzzle is fun and the pieces stay of the floor. This one ($35.95) comes in a tin box from Germany is great for quiet indoor use or travel as well. It is also ideal for those times that mom's hands are full of baby and she needs her older child to do something quiet for a while.



5. Books

We love books and stories on CDs. When everyone is hyper, I sit with a book and they all snuggle in to listen. One of Arielle's favorites is In a Nutshell ($7.95). It is a beautifully illustrated story about the life of a tree and how life passes from one organism to another.



Encourage pre-schoolers to do a play or puppet show with silks and a few finger puppets after they’ve read a favorite story. For this age, simple, repetitive stories like The Three Little Pigs or The Three Bears translate well into play. Get out the video camera and make it a movie.

6. Music!

Music sooths the savage beast -- or at least the rambunctious toddler. Ply along with a favorite CD, get up and dance (a good workout for kids and mom), or start a musical band and have a parade around the house.

7. Cooking

Children love cooking. Arielle makes a great chocolate pudding for dessert. The our Waldorf Kindergarten Snack Book or Waldorf Book of Soups have some great and simple ideas.



8. Tea Party

Invite some neighbor children or grandparents over for a little tea party with real yummy treats to eat and juice or tea to drink. Let the children make their own invitations for the party.

Or brave the snow, and bring the tea party to an elderly neighbor who can't navigate the ice.

9. Pretend Play

Use your imagination and play with Play Silks, Play Clips, and dress-up clothes. This is a huge favorite at our house. We are often princesses of pirates, or Star Mommy and Starielle who live in space and eat star-shaped toast for breakfast.


10. Blocks

Play with wooden blocks and a few wooden or felt animals and figures. Build a zoo or a rain forest or an animal train. Talk about the outdoor adventures you'd like to have in the spring.

11. Letter writing

Make Easter cards or generic “I’m thinking of you” cards for relatives! Or use some "real" stationary and write letters to Grandma (or Daddy). Make a mail box out of a cardboard box and write each other letters. Then the child can deliver them, and you can read them together.

12. School

Stock up on inexpensive workbooks, lined paper and pencils and play “I’m at school”.



Arielle loves this!

13. Indoor hopscotch (suggested by my friend Tasha)

Use masking tape to make a hopscotch pattern on the floor. You can find the rules here. Or, play indoor Hide and Seek (set rules about where it is OK to hide).

14. Clean the house

Play at housework. Arm the kids with a few rags and a spray bottle of water and clean the table. Let them pretend to wash dishes in the kitchen sink. Just put down towels first, so the floor doesn't get slippery.

I wish my computer wasn't being repaired because I have a great picture of Merlin doing dishes at 18 months that I'd love to insert here. You'll just have to imagine it.

15. Go to the movies

If children (or even parents) aren't feeling well, pretend you're at the movies. We set up the couch with blankets, drinks (in covered bottles) and snacks and watch our favorite stories on DVD. Scholastic has a wonderful selection of classic children's stories. This keeps everyone in one place and relatively calm.

I'm sure all of you have great ideas as well. I'd love to hear them.

Sonya has given us a new coupon, STB1008. It is for 10% off an order over $25.00, and good through 3/31/08 on all items, including those mentioned in this post. Thank you, Sonya!