If bobblehead dolls have taught us anything, it's that adults can now play with toys in public. Hence my complete lack of shame in adoring the simple yet amazing hand-painted peg dolls from mooshoopork on Etsy. Especially the sassy pirat…
You know, you think a block is a block is a block. Then something like Tegu comes around and suddenly those regular blocks your kids play with just seem you know...like regular blocks. If you haven't heard of Tegu, they're the eco-friend…
In theory, I love getting breakfast in bed on Mother's Day, but nothing sends my nerves into overdrive like seeing a toddler wobble into my carpeted bedroom with a tray full of orange juice, sticky syrup and things with crumbs. Instead, …
Long ago when my parents would drag us on a 10 hour family road trip to Hilton Head, South Carolina, my brother and I would occupy ourselves with all sorts of fun travel-friendly activities, none of which included a DVD player. Imagine t…
Passover isn't exactly the giftiest of holidays, although if you were invited to join us in devouring my mother's matzoh ball soup, you'd think that was gift enough. Still, I'm intrigued with this adorable little 10 Plagues Bowling Set w…
I spent so long reading the instructions on a card game yesterday that I finally gave up and took my kids to the playground, where they invented a game that involved dumping sand on each others' heads. This morning's bath was grittier th…
I really hate losing an hour of sleep to Daylight Savings Time, but I'm also thrilled beyond belief that the season of Throwing the Children Outside to Play is nigh. And I'm pretty sure they will stay out even longer if they have somethi…
I am in the market for a cool, eco-friendly baby play gym for my 5-month-old boy. Let me know if you have any suggestions. I am willing to spend around $100. Thanks much. -Jennifer C. Finding what we would call a cool play gym takes a li…
I'm not very good at math, so I can't tell you precisely how many different forms and figures your child can create out of 25 wooden blocks, but I'm going to say it's approximately a gazillionthousand. The ShapeMaker wooden block set by …
It breaks our heart when our favorite shops go out of business, for whatever reason, as with Quiet Hours Toys which is shutting its doors this spring. We've featured them so often over the years, always a fan of this mom-run shop's exqui…
Our love for the creative handmade wooden teethers from Little Sapling Toys runs deep, and this adorable American Sign Language "I love you" teether is no exception. And just in time for Valentine's Day to boot. Using reclaimed or FSC ce…
We love wooden toys, but let's face it, there's often more room in our kids' hearts (and hands) for those that are cuddly, plush and less likely to leave a mark when you fall asleep on top of one. Evidently the eco-minded designers of No…
You don't need us to tell you about the latest Elmo toy or Hannah Montana guitar, so we work hard to point you towards toys and other playthings from small companies or independent artists that you might not know about yet. After a year …
I've long been a fan of the wooden, pedal-less early rider bikes which get kids more confident and more able to ride a real bicycle than anything I ever had back in the Stone Age. But the prices? Holy heck. And by heck, you know - I don'…
When we made the move to suburbia, one of the first purchases we made was a wagon. But like most people, we were limited to what we could find at our local chain store, which was definitely about functionality and not at all about sleek …
Automoblox have taken over more than a few toy chests in the last few years, and it's not surprising - these modular, creativity-inspiring toys cars and trucks inspire imaginations, while still delivering the joy of vrooming a car around…
Next week is Thanksgiving, and if you're like my family, that means lots of little kids around. The cousins are all getting to the age where they can entertain themselves (hallelujah!) which means we're stocking up on craft supplies and …
Considering my youngest is getting all her molars and eye teeth in at the same time (no kidding), the super smart Ringley teether, a mom-invented natural wood and organic terry cloth teething toy , is in regular rotation around my place.…
My kids can play "birthday" pretty much every day. We have a ridiculous number of play cake sets, and if they're not around, my girls are happy to crumple up a piece of paper, stick a Q-tip in it and belt out Happy Birthday anyway. So wh…
My mom would like to get my 14 month old daughter a wooden nativity set for Christmas--something she can actually play with but something sturdy, cute, and made to last. - Cara It's funny you should ask this Cara, because I was just look…
We all know that babies usually get the short end of the stick when it comes to Christmas presents, mostly because they'd just as soon spend hours chewing on a big red bow than playing with a bunch of expensive toys. So this holiday, let…
Ever since we got a Nintendo Wii, my kids have been hooked on bowling. Okay, try completely obsessed. But I figured instead of having them beg to play the virtual version every day, they could do the real thing right at home with the ret…
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Let's say you've got a mid-century modern design freak on your holiday shopping list - you know, the kind of person who has everything already, and what he or she doesn't have, you probably can't afford. Now let's just say you were to ha…
If you're looking for a fun Halloween gift for a child that sidesteps the cavity quotient, I think this black cat push toy is just adorable. Or, as the toymaker calls it, the "Scaredy Cat - Not Scary Cat Push Toy." Important distinction.…