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Plastic-Free Life With A Baby

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While at the library the other day, I picked up a copy of Beth Terry’s book Plastic-Free.

The information in it is, well, truthfully, pretty grim about how plastic has invaded our lives and since its not biodegradable, never actually goes away.

Aside from her endless ideas about how to reduce our usage, of course, I was most interested in what she had to say about children’s products. Here are just a few highlights.

While she confirms what I already knew about the enormous amounts of toys that are plastic, I was even happier to find her list of companies that are producing toys from wood and natural fibers. I haven’t looked them all up but I wanted to pass her recommendations along for your consideration.

Stuffed Animals: Aminals, Barefoot, Eco Leeko, Dress Me Up Organic

Dolls: The Earth Friends, Global Green Pals

Wooden Toys:  Maple Landmark, Heirloom Wooden Toys, Plan Toys, Tree Hopper Toys

Natural Wood Teethers:  Little Alouette, Ringley Natural Teethers

Online Children’s Stores:  Bella Luna Toys, Hazelnut Kids, Wild Dill, Mighty Nest

I was also grateful to her for bringing up children’s foodware. Looking back, I made a decision early on to not have plastic cups and dishes for my daughter. She has grown up using glass cups and ceramic dishes. Risky? Not at all. I held bowls to help stabilize when she was just learning to eat and drink and she learned and adapted as she grew. Spoons? Well those little stainless steel sugar spoons from my tea set are still her favorite. And we started using stainless steel straws, but then moved on to….glass straws! (they come with a lifetime guarantee).

Here is Beth Terry’s ideas for Children’s Foodware:

Baby Bottles and Sippy Cups:  The Glass Baby Bottle.

Baby DIshes and Utensils:  Life Without Plastic, Mighty Nest

Stainless Steel Popsicle Molds:  Onyx Containers

My two cents wants to add the line made from bamboo, Bambu and the glass straws are thanks to Glass Dharma, made locally in Fort Bragg, CA. (http://www.glassdharma.com). Check out the Smoothie size and Beautiful Bend!

May you find alternatives to reduce plastic in your life as well.

 

 

Why Are Puzzles So Important In Child Development?

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We are cleaning out. My daughter has decided to let go of most of her early childhood toys. I was waiting for this moment to purge, but held on waiting for her to be ready as well. What she clung to for so long, she is very willing to part with now. A sort of celebration of her moving on into puberty. The wooden kitchen and doll house are now in a new families playroom being enjoyed all over again. And there are boxes of toys collecting in the garage.

I didn’t realize how many puzzles we amassed. Reading this post (unfortunately it is an advertisement for a company which I know nothing about, so therefore am not endorsing it.) I revisited all the benefits that puzzles have and why they are so important in early childhood development.

So if you need any, we are having a HUGE sale at our place next weekend…

 

Know Any Dad’s To Be?

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Becoming a Father workshop…
This 2 1/2 hour workshop is offered on Saturday, December 14th
in Berkeley, Calif. 1:00PM-3:30PM.

Call (510) 644-0300

We live in a society and culture that does little to prepare men for the important experience of childbirth and the transition to parenthood. This two and half hour workshop is designed to help men understand how the process of childbirth and becoming a father may effect them. Come join us in this class as we discuss the emotional, and social adjustments men experience in the process of becoming a father.

At the conclusion of this class the expectant father should:
(1) be more confident about the childbirth experience
(2) feel reduced stress and anxiety about becoming a father.

Cost is $35
To register call the Fathers’ Forum (510) 644-0300
www.fathersforum.com

Tactile bowls and Musical Spoons

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I am a huge advocate for sensory play, but when the advertising world takes charge and uses it to sell more, um, well, beans, then I wonder if we aren’t going in the wrong direction. Why not just play with dried beans or experience a musical instrument, turn on some music and dance around?

Nope, not Heinz, look what they launched in the UK. (this is taken from Springwise)

“Tactile bowls and musical spoon provide complete sensory food experience

The Heinz Beanz Flavour Experience pairs five different flavors with matching bowls and a musical spoon for a synaesthetic effect.

alttext

Our relationship with food is often related to other senses beyond taste, something that London’s Edible Cinema picked up on with its movie-synchronized menu. Now another UK project has created the Heinz Beanz Flavour Experience, which pairs five different varieties of the food with matching bowls and a musical spoon for a synaesthetic effect.

The brainchild of food experience agency Bompas & Parr, the campaign was designed to launch five new flavors of the popular household product – Garlic & Herb, Cheddar Cheese, Fiery Chilli, Barbecue and Curry. For each flavor, a bowl with characteristics that matched the taste was created to enhance the experience for diners. For example, the Garlic & Herb version was matched with a bulbous bowl that is scratchy to the touch, while the Fiery Chilli has a spiky bowl. The group also made a spoon that when placed inside the mouth, sends sound vibrations through the jaw, allowing the eater to hear relevant noises and music. For example, the barbecue flavour spoon produces blues music combined with sizzling sounds.

The campaign combines visual, tactile and aural senses and adds them to the taste and smell of the food to create a complete sensory experience. Although designed to promote the Heinz Beanz brand, it’s easy to see how this idea could be developed into a business in itself – perhaps as a new product, restaurant or event? Plenty of inspiration here.”

http://www.springwise.com/tactile-bowls-musical-spoon-enhance-flavor/