Natural Playscapes.

Moving from California to Canada has gifted us a real backyard--the fenced-in, green-grassed, tree swing kind of backyard--the kind of yard that inner-city and beach ranch living just don't make possible. Any plans to settle into our backyard oasis last year were a bust. Just 6 months after moving in, the birth of Fern in late May combined with summertime travels put a kibosh on planting a garden, composting, rain barrels, clothes line, hammock hanging and any other kind of backyard cozy-up. We built a sand box, hung a tree swing, and that was the extent of it. But, since spring has met us early this year and the warm temperatures have lured us back out for patio dinners and long swing pushing sessions, we have begun to ponder once again all that we'd love to do with the space.  

Aside from all of the functional uses mentioned above, I have also been envisioning ways to incorporate inspired playscapes--something in lieu of the traditional purchased play structure--and imagining what I could do with stumps, limbs and branches and began scouting out viable sources for wood. Luckily, a neighbor of ours was in the process of removing a tree to make way for a garden of their own and offered the wood for my outdoor endeavor. It's still very much in the making, but it's a start and already a hit with Noah. Stump jumping, reading and snacking in the fort and constructing roads and towers with cut wood blocks has been added to his list of favorite backyard past times. The imagination and ingenuity that a natural playspace has the ability to encourage with its limitless possibilities of creation is what draws me in the most. I love its impermanence and fluid construction--the ability for it to be one thing one day and something entirely different the next. I hope to add large stones, a fire pit (for the family), tree house and perhaps large logs on their side for sitting, balancing, etc. It's clearly been as much fun for me as it has been for Noah.

Happy Playing!

Toys For Tots.

With the holidays ever-so-rapidly approaching and Black Friday just a sneeze away, it's never too early to start pondering what's going to adorn the underside of your tree come Christmas Eve. Since we are going to be celebrating both Noah's first birthday and Christmas 3,000 miles away in North Carolina, I have had to start buying and shipping any presents we'd like to give him already--we leave in just under two weeks--oie!

When you are shopping for your kiddo this holiday season, here are a few things to keep in mind while strolling the toy aisle:

• Try and seek out natural, wooden and green toys --they are good for kids and for the planet. Not only do they promote positive childhood development but they are made under sustainable practices.
• Buy toys that are made of reclaimed or recycled plastic using environmentally-sound practices--toys that are finished with vegetable or other natural dyes, polished with beeswax, painted with water-based and non-toxic paints, or retain their natural, unfinished beauty.
• Avoid toys overloaded with sounds, gadgets, etc. Natural, simple toys promote positive childhood development through play. They encourage children to think and use their imagination -- thereby stimulating their intelligence and natural curiosity.

While pregnant with Noah I did some research on why selecting natural toys is so important and I, of course, wrote a blog about it here. My photography skills weren't quite what they are now, but sans the photo, the info. is compelling enough.

Here are a few sites that has made finding beautiful natural toys on the internet a whole lot easier:

• Enfant Terrible: Incredibly French and oh-so-hip
  
• Oompa Toys: huge selection of green and wood toys, as well as, free shipping over $65.00
• Wild Dill: achingly cute organic and fair trade dolls and animals and a large selection of toys that encourage imaginative play
• Child Trek: large selection of wooden Haba and Plan toys
• The Little Seed: a local Los Angeles haunt of mine that has a great online selection too--and it's owned and operated by none other than Punky Brewster herself
  
• Plan Toys: a Thai-based company with incredibly made wooden toy instruments--the drum and xylophone are household favorites
• The Playstore: great selection of Waldorf toys
  
• MiYim: great for your littlest one--beautiful plush animals
• Camden Rose: incredible hand carved wooden toys--Noah has a rattle that remains a favorite teether
• Little Wonderland: large selection of wooden toys made in the USA
• Etsy: don't forget about this little gem--it's an internet marketplace for all things (not just toys) handmade right here in the USA by crafty people just like you and me
  

Happy shopping--and remember, less is more. Giving from the hands and heart is always more meaningful than from the wallet.

Why Wood Does A Baby Good.

We are asked the question, "Paper or plastic?" every time we go to the grocery store. And while paper may be the clear environmentally-sound option in this situation, foregoing plastic products in other aspects of your life may not be as obvious a choice.

One of the many reasons that we have not had a microwave for nearly eight years now, for example, is partly due to the way in which plastic breaks down during the heating process. Overtime, the chemical compounds used in the manufacturing of most all plastic products are released into the food you eat.

Now, think of the world of baby. Plastic rules the day--most highchairs, bottles, car seats, teethers, strollers and toys are constructed out of some form of plastic. While these products may be the more convenient and affordable option over "greener" choices, are the risks worth it? We considered the following information when choosing products for little Noah and thought we'd take this time to share what we've learned about the way most modern toys are made today, the materials that are commonly used, and the dangers that they impose upon the little growing bodies that use them.

What a child learns from a toy, though essential, is far from the only thing parents must consider when choosing toys for their children. Many toys on the market are manufactured with environmentally unsafe materials.

Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) is a highly toxic plastic used in many cheaply manufactured infant and children’s toys.

• From the time it is produced, PVC never stops releasing toxins, including dioxin, which studies have linked to learning disabilities and cancer.
• PVC also releases phthalates—chemical compounds that make PVC plastic softer and more pliable.

These toxic chemicals leach out of the plastic when children suck or chew on the toys that contain them. Health authorities express grave concern that exposure to PVC plastic may put children at risk for serious and irreparable damage.

What other toxic chemicals might be lurking in little Noah’s toybox? VOCs (volatile organic compounds) are commonly found in the paint used on children’s toys, but these days you can find a wide variety of manufacturers that use water-based and low-VOC or no-VOC paints.

We can also avoid exposing him to the residues of pesticides and fertilizers sprayed onto the fibers many toys (and clothes) are made of–or stuffed with–by choosing products made with:

• organic unbleached cotton
• bamboo
• tencel (an eco-friendly man-made fiber)
• wool

So, if you're pondering a welcome home gift for our, or any other little bundle of dimpled joy, please keep these facts in mind as you peruse the store shelves stocked with those brightly beckoning plastic puppy dogs and robots!