Sitting Still is Highly Overrated
At first glance, the shell-shaped plastic Bilibo seemed sort of odd to me. Is it a seat? A stool? Another container for junk?
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One-of-a-Kind Dolls For Kids Who are Pretty Unique Themselves
I have never seen my 12 month-old daughter take to a doll quite like the handmade cutie that arrived from Poot & Boogie. Mostly she's happy to entertain herself with blocks or turn things like paper clips and dog kibble into playthings.
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The Greening of Playtime
Okay so it's like that old joke about grandparents who look at your kids' video games and say VIDEO GAMES? Back in my day we played with twigs and rocks and we LIKED IT.
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Crafty Moms, This One's For You
Okay you mamas with the crafty gene. Now don't be coy, you know who you are. You're the ones who see some of the awesome handmade stuff we feature here and turn up your noses and say pfft, I could make that myself for THREE CENTS.
Sok-O: The Cabbage Patch Kid for the Next Generation
For some time now, we've been hearing about these $49 sock animals and we just had to see what it was all about. Cashmere socks with diamond chip eyes perhaps?
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BPA-Free Beach Fun
With Memorial Day just about a month away, I can almost smell the beach - or more like all the plastic toys that get crammed into our beach bags.
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What Is a Pajama Squid? No Clue, But I Think I Need One.
New Yorkers definitely think we have it made with kids boutiques, but I must say my sisters, these days I think the DC area is giving us a run for our money. The latest entrant: The Pajama Squid in Takoma Park.
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The Elfin Way
Maybe I'm a weirdo, but I was so happy the day I realized my baby was old enough to hold her own in a crib full of toys.
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Handmade Dolls for Your Little Doll
Until I got involved with CMP, I confess that I had no idea there were so many wonderful handmade dolls out there. I assumed that you either had a crafty grandma in the family, or your children were pretty much stuck with whatever was on the toy store shelves.
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Putting Stuffed Animals to Shame
If you are like me and think you don't need yet another stuffed animal, then you have not met Bla Bla Kids' newest addition to their cuddly family.
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Tax Day Splurge: Italian Tricycles the Grown-Ups Will Covet Too
Buying the kid's first tricycle was wrought with way more emotion than I had expected.
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The Least Raggy Rag Dolls Ever
It's been a while since we found some handmade dolls that we're really crushing on. After all, December isn't the only time we need great gifts for the special girls in our lives.
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Why Is This Finger Puppet Different From All Other Finger Puppets?
For those of you who have searched high and low to find a finger puppet in the shape of a piece of matzoh, you are in luck.
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When I Think Nursery Decor, I think Deer Head
When brainstorming decor for my daughters' room, the first thing that comes to mind is definitely Deer Head. Okay, so I'm not about to decorate my daughters' bedroom in a hunting lodge motif.
Déglingos: French for Toss the Teddy Bear
I often find myself gravitating towards European stuffed animals. There's something quirky and wonderful about a lot of them them, relative to our own tried and true teddies.
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Origami Mommy
I'm all for broadening my daughter's exposure to new cultures (Dora not included), and the art of Origami seemed to be a good way to merge craft time with cultural studies. Unfortunately I was doing all the folding, and the animals ended up looking like she was.
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Little Fingers For Big Change
Fable and Lore's beautiful, substantial, fair-trade finger puppets found at My Princess Closet are made from extra fabric scraps so no two dragons, wizards or knights are alike.
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Adoption Dolls: Take One Home. No Red Tape.
At Toy Fair last month, I was taken with the series of Jambo Kids adoption dolls. Founded by a mom/pop team who wanted to create something their adopted Chinese daughter could relate to,
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At Toy Fair last month, I spent wayyyyy too much time with the very enthusiastic music maker John Hayden of Reading For All
Nairobi's Knapsack features a nice little selection of stuff for kids with an multicultural bent. There's a sweet array of toys and dolls beyond what you'll find in the local Tarzhay, although what really anchors the shop is the virtual bookshelf.
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Don't Sit Over the Apple Tree With Anyone Else But Me
In our house it's called "the thingie with the round bead-y thingies on it." But now I've finally learned the proper term - Bead Maze! Who knew?
... [More]Toy Stables For Kids Who Aren't Horsing Around (Heh)
If there's no carpentry expert in your family, you can give your horse-crazy kid his own handcrafted stable from parent-run Streamside Farm.
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Chalk Talk
Eco Friendly Dolls That don't Look Like Eco Friendly Dolls (If You Know What We Mean)
When it came to finding that perfect baby doll for my daughter, I quickly realized that most of the traditional ones are mass-produced in China. While I'm not averse to Chinese-made toys as a rule, my standards have definitely gone up since the recalls.
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Idle Hands
My three-year-old must always be doing something with her hands. - coloring, painting, or her current favorite, going through my entire jewelry box. Twice on a good day.
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Easter Baskets That the Tooth Fairy Approves of Too
Not every mom is a fan of doling out the high fructose corn syrup or imitation chocolate treats on Easter.
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Matryoshka Dolls: Hard to Spell, Easy To Love
As a wee lass, I was obsessed with a matryoshka doll my parents had brought me back from Eastern Europe.
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Chocolate Bunnies Without the Sugar Hangover
The No Guilt Chocolate Easter Bunny found at The Silly Wagon is made entirely of felt - always a fantastic sugar-free alternative to chocolate.
Ground Control to Major Aidan
We joke that since the lead paint recalls, that we're all happy to let our kids play with cardboard boxes. But the reality is - kids like to play with cardboard boxes!
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Longing For the Days When We Wondered What the # Button Was For
I still remember my childhood fascination with our old rotary phone. I mean, they looked pretty cool and you could crush a coconut with it, although it did take way to long to dial a freaking phone number.
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Rainy Day Barrettes
I'm the type of mom who, when barricaded in the house by a torrential downpour, needs to get out of the rut of the paints- crayons -dvd routine.
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Tastes Like Chicken
Okay so they say that newborns aren't exactly ready for poultry. But when it's this funny little MiYim pink chicken rattle spotted at Essere Organics, I suppose you could make an exception.
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My Kingdom for a Horse
Okay so I know that most any child is imaginative enough to grab a broom or a Swiffer or even a paper towel roll, and turn it into a horsie.
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All Natural Teddy
I tend to avoid buying friends and family plush animals as new baby gifts. I figure that like me, the last thing they need is another stuffed bear to collect dust on an already full shelf.
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Give Me Liberty!
I'm always on the look out for something to do with my favorite pictures, other than frame them. Custom bags, jewelry - you name it, I've got it. But puzzles? Not until now.
Because Not All Great Gifts Come From Santa
My son has a birthday that falls right after the biggest gift giving holiday of the year, making it a bit hard to figure out what to get him that feels "special." Considering how well he cleaned up at Christmas, it's not easy giving the old guy in the red suit a run for his money.
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Ballsy
Thanks to the toy recalls, I am much more concerned about where and how the toys I'm purchasing for my kids are made. But it's not always as easy to get the backstory on your playthings as Fair Trade Sports makes it.
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Editors' Best of 2007: Dolls & Toys
DOLLSKristen: I'm still hoping that Santa will bring my daughter a Bamboletta doll. I'm not sure who will love it more -- me or her. Liz: The limited edition mod Gina dolls at Craftsbury Kids are more for older girls... ... [More]
Good Vibrations
With my son working on teeth numbers 7 and 8, I'm desperate to find anything that will keep him chewing on something other than me. You think I'm kidding. But with all the research on the effects of some plastics out there, it's tough to do better than a frozen bagel.
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It's a Bird. It's a Train...
We've got our first ever two-child plane trip coming up and I'd be lying if I told you I wasn't a little nervous. I figure if I can pack enough fun stuff to keep the two year-old entertained, maybe I can actually suck down a cocktail and relax.
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The Newest Teething Solution: Mushrooms
Continually asked for safe teething toys by parents, we're always quick to suggest Sophie Giraffe, Vulli's European fave for decades. But now the company has transitioned from the animal kingdom to the vegetable garden.
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Cute Bear ISO Good Home. Fingers Will Do.
All I can say about Cheryl A Smith is that she's a nut. A crazy, creative, crafting nut.
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Moving On From Macaroni Necklaces
My older daughter and I have finally reached the point where we can do crafts together that involve more than just dry pasta and pipe cleaners.
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No Bells, No Whistles
When I was a kid, we didn't have any animatronic plush animals with voice chips or virtual reality video games. We played with sticks and rocks and we liked it!
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Dieter-in-the-Box
Spurred on by one of our favorite readers seeking a not made-in-China Jack in the Box for her daughter this holiday, we went on a mad internet quest to help a mama out.
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Hey Kid, Paint Your Own Toys.
With all toy recalls, everyone has been joking about making their own toys. But considering I can barely make a complete dinner, I don't know that I can be trusted to handcraft a cool toy worthy of my picky 3-year-old.
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The Little Engine That Refused to Contain Lead Paint
In light of this year's recall of the Ubiquitous Licensed Cartoon Character Train Set Which Shall Remain Nameless, we've gotten an insane number of inquiries from cautious parents looking for other options.
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When is a Box Not a Box? When It's a Mansion
Like all parents, I've learned that indeed it's true, kids are often happier playing with the package a gift comes in than the gift itself. Of course it doesn't stop us from giving them more than cardboard boxes. Until now.
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Bring Home a Kitten for the Holidays
I am a little melancholy as I embark upon my first holiday season in close to two decades without my beloved, nasty, shedding, crazy, man-eating cat. But the trade-off means that I can justify bringing home these Little Dear Fatkitties from artist Aimee Ray.
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Yo. My Blocks are Cooler Than Yours.
So blocks are blocks, right? They're wooden, you build with them, you knock them down. Blocks. Yeah, well, not the Graffiti Blocks from Rockin' Blocks.
C'mon, Get the Kid a Pony Already
I honestly didn't understand the appeal of stick horses until I set my two year-old loose on a toy store display filled with them. My God, you would have thought they were real ponies.
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The Real Meaning of Christmas (And Also Toys)
Here's a story for the holidays we absolutely couldn't resist: A couple falls in love, gets married, she's diagnosed with cancer soon after, she survives (beautifully!) and goes on to give birth to two wonderful babies. Then they open an awesome toy shop to help spread joy to other kids, all while helping to support children's charities.
A Pillow Worth Grabbing
Everyone knows that babies love those blankets and pillows with the tags all over them, but not everyone loves the mass produced versions made from synthetic materials.
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Europe on $40 a Day
When I was little, I was lucky enough to go to this super cool place in Holland called Madurodam, an entire city done in miniature.
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Pieces of 14
If your child loves puzzles as much as mine, maybe you've got a collection (like we do) featuring boring animals and licensed characters that really have no business being called "a collection."
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A Rattle With Your Baby's Name On It
Ever since our Safer Toy Guide went live, I'm growing more and more into the idea of getting all the mass produced plastic stuff out of my baby's mouth. (Hear that, grandparents?) Wood and knit rattles were good enough for babies for decades and hopefully they're good enough for my girl.
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Click. Take a Pic.
I'm beyond tickled that my daughter has taken an interest at being behind the camera. But for now, I'm thinking the wooden version from North Star Toys is probably the safer bet than my Canon.
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Recently I mentioned having discovered that the beloved Lincoln Logs of my youth are now mass produced in China, and a savvy reader pointed me towards Safer Toys For Kids. You Know, The Unleaded Kind
For your browsing, buying, and drooling pleasure, we're happy to present The Cool Mom Picks Safer Toy Guide, featuring some of our favorite playthings for younger kids.
If You're Happy and You Know it Have a Tea Party
Is it me or are there an inordinate number of dolls out there with oddly sultry, sexy, or just plain vacant looks on their faces? When my daughter takes the time to arrange her stuffed friends around the table for a tea party, I want those friends smiling back at her, dammit.
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Here Kid, Fix My Hem
Crafty parents - we know you're out there with your embroidery floss and glue guns, waiting for the day that your kids will be old enough to start crafting alongside you. In the meantime, Nico and Zoe has the perfect little project to introduce your child to needlework.
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More Toys Not Deemed Hazardous to Your Health
On a recent trek through a big box store, I noticed that even the Lincoln Logs were made in China. Not sure how Lincoln would feel about that, but I certainly know how I feel about it.
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Toys That Won't Sit in the Closet for Three Years
I'm definitely not the person to count on for remembering what developmental milestone comes when so good thing I found ebeanstalk before I bought the poor girl a rattle for her first birthday.
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Me and My Shadow
I like to think I've got some cool tricks up my sleeves for rainy days. But I'm still open to adding to my repertoire.Take these adorable shadow puppets from Owly Shadow Puppets.
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Dolls Made in Not China
As I sit here, gazing at my four month-old as she sucks the end of a silver rattle, I know I'm doing the right thing in limiting the mass-produced plastic garbage that enters our house. And enters her hands. And thus, enters her mouth. My latest focus: Dolls.
The Bird is on the Wing. And the Ceiling.
Considering a mobile is essentially the centerpiece of your nursery, parents might consider putting as much thought into it as the bedding. But alas, most people just settle for the lame mass-produced mobiles that the big baby stores merchandise along with the cribs.
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Free-Range Rubber Duck
If you've always liked the idea of rubber ducks for your kids but don't like the idea of more plastic crap in your bathtub, here's a solution.
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"Who Effed Up The Toys???"
I can't take credit for the headline - it's was written by my friend Karen as the subject of an email she sent yesterday, alerting us all to yet another toy recall. I'm ready to just dump anything in the toy chest that wasn't made by hand out from virgin pine by monks.
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Penny Savers
I love that my daughter is getting into the idea of saving the loose change she finds.
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Chalk This One Up To Good Thinking
In a perfect world, every restaurant would offer crayons and a paper placemat to keep toddlers' attention away from the shiny, pretty knives. Or alternately, I'd remember to bring some myself to keep from having to let my daughter scribble on my checkbook.
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For The Tea Party of the Season
You can hardly sit down with my two year-old daughter any more without being asked to join her for a tea party. As long as you don't mind that Puppy gets all the food and Llama bogarts the dessert tray, I guarantee you an enjoyable time.
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70's Flashback! 70's Flashback!
Hear that squeal? That's me having just rediscovered only my favorite ever (ever!) toy from my childhood - the bouncy thing.
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Born With a Silver Rattle in His Hand
I never really got the expensive silver rattle thing until I had kids (like everything else, right?) and my dear friend gave me the kind that come in the pretty blue box. Either my kid has extremely expensive taste or he just knows a good thing when he hears it, but that rattle is all but glued to his hand.
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Like the Best Flea Market Ever, and No Tube Socks
Needless to say, I was thrilled to hear about Hyena Cart, an online community where moms can sell their handmade wares--and the rest of us, luckily, can buy them.
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Dream Dolls
If I were a designer, I would create excellent dolls that looked like turkey on rye. But thank goodness designer Esther Schuivens is Esther Schuivens, and her line of fabulous Esthex softies are inspired by a non-sandwich cast of characters.
Stuck on Stickers
My daughter has officially reached that very important developmental milestone known as the sticker age. If it's got an adhesive back, then to her it's the single greatest thing since ice cream--Scotch tape included.
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The Grand Canyon: Not Just a Big Hole in the Ground
I'm an old-fashioned kind of mom. You won't find tubes of yogurt in my refrigerator, licensed characters on my kids' sheets, or a portable DVD player in my car. I don't care whether we're driving five miles or flying five hundred miles - Dora is not my co-pilot.
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Heal the World Through Dolls
I remember, with some regret, the first doll my daughter was given. It was made from a heavy plastic and had a gigantic wobbly head -- certainly not something I'd like to cuddle up with in bed.
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Playing House. And Senate.
Don't be surprised if your little one starts asking why all the commercials on TV now have have scary, angry voices saying mean things about other people. It's just the start of election season.
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Breaking News: City Girls Wear Color!
For those of you under the impression that we urban dwellers have wardrobes consisting of black, black, and black...well, you'd be right. But according to the City Girls magnetic dress up dolls there are a few other options.
... [More]How Naughty Can They Be If They Don't Pee on Your Bed?
My sigOth thinks I'm mean when I tell him I'm getting rid of half of my kid's stuffed animals, but when she isn't yet two and the collection is are taking up more of the crib than she does(to say nothing of the living room and two toy boxes), I think it's time to start paring down. And then I come across these.
A Bicycle Built for Two Year Olds
It took me three years to figure out that my daughter doesn't care what the heck her ride-on toy looks like, just so long as it has wheels and she doesn't have to work them. As for me...well, I care.
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Here Kid, Darn My Socks
I've learned not to invest too much in craft supplies for every new project that strikes my girls' fancy. One moment you're bringing home fabric paints and the next they're like, "No mom, we want the Bedazzler!" Both of which, by the way, will end up in the back of a closet before you know it.
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Stuck On You
With all the bells and whistles - literally - that are the hallmark of modern toys, I'm always happy to find those that put a new spin on an old classic without the use of batteries--or the need for a bottle of ibuprofen for mommy.
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Toys Like They Used to Make 'Em
I'm a huge fan of choosing wood over plastic when it comes to kids' toys. My only gripe is that they often seem to be just for show, and not made to stand up to the drooly mouths and rough grips of actual children.
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Playing Like it's 1899
Kids today, they've got it so good. Back in my day, toys were made of plastic. We played with their semisynthetic choloride polymer parts, and no one complained. But now we've grown up and want something completely better for our offspring, something like our great-grandparents might have owned.
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Well Isn't That Spatial
Throughout my life, I've always leaned on the excuse that I just wasn't blessed with the spatial-relations gene, never realizing that this is actually a learned skill. Obviously as a kid I wasn't playing with the nifty Dado Cubes from modern kids emporium Mason & Matisse.
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Baby Gifts of a Different Stripe
I'm always stuck on what to get the newborn who has everything; particularly when that newborn isn't the first to hit the household. All I know is, another package of onesies or flannel receiving blankets do not top my list.
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How Do You Say ‘Awesome’ in Italian?
As a lover of all things multi-cultural, I am on the hunt for quality baby gear that is both inclusive and multilingual. I mean, I get the charm of diapers embroidered with ‘Oui Oui!’ but I’ve been looking for something a little more…classic.
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A-List Teddies
Sure, your toddler loves that ratty old blankie - it goes everywhere that he does. But did you ever stop to think about what that ratty old blankie says about you and your style...or lack thereof? I shudder to think.
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Getting All Felt Up
I love watching my daughter's imagination in action. She sets the table for five so her imaginary friend can eat too, and there's no end to the litany of cool animal pals that she describes as stopping by for a visit at bedtime.
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Gnome-in-the-Box
I always loved jack-in-the-boxes as a kid, but you've got to admit, there was something about that original "Jack" that was pretty creepy. Clowns are generally a little questionable anyway, come to think of it, let alone one intended to scare the bejeezus out of a preschooler by design.
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Maternity Clothes Guaranteed to Fit
Sucking Face
All hail the binkie, that great pacifier (pun intended) of babies, and best friend to sleep-deprived new mamas across the globe. However if I have one complaint about them, it's that they fit ever so perfectly out the crib slats at 3 am. I have more experience with this than I'd care to detail.
Let's Go Fly a Kite
I hadn't flown a kite since I was a little kid at the Jersey shore, but on a beautiful windy day at the beach last year, my daughter and I spent hours watching our little kite fly -- until it broke and we had to retire it way too soon.
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Buying the Farm
I generally laugh when I can hear strollers coming from two blocks away. Between the clip-on plush toys with rattles, jingly balls, and squeaky stuffed animals all tethered to the stroller bar--it's madness!
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Art You Can Climb All Over
A rocking horse is one of the essential staples of the traditional American nursery. But what if you don't have the traditional American nursery? If you've taken the time to pick out the perfect Oeuf dresser and Svan table and chairs, those little ponies with the synthetic manes just may not cut it in the junior bedroom.
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Mini Queens of Mod
Once upon a time, a doll featuring huge eyes, long lashes and skimpy skirts wouldn't call to mind tasteless mass produced slut dolls that enrage millions of moms; but rather hip 60s-era fashion icons.
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What's Under Barbie's Dress? Don't Know, But It's Not Human
I'm all for calling a spade a spade. Or the parts of the body by their proper names. And I'm convinced that the longer you delay the naming of certain organs, the harder it gets to talk about them with your kids.
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Shopping With a Conscience
I simply can't say enough about HandCrafting Justice, a partnership in which women from developing countries have an opportunity to better their lives by making and selling handmade items under decent working conditions for fair wages. The organization absolutely stole my heart with their mission of economic justice for women - to say nothing of the fantastic items they offer on the website.
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Anarchy in the Toy Chest
When I was a kid, like so many others, I was convinced that my toys came alive at night and had tea parties. I only wished that I could catch them, just once, and join in the fun.
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Two Heads are Better Than One
Anyone can bring a cute fluffy dog, bear, or if you're really fancy, elephant, to a baby shower or kid's party. But if you're going for the award for coolest aunt, uncle, or mom around, then I suggest grabbing a two-headed Squeakum from Devout.
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The Rhythm is Gonna Get You
With the abundance of battery operated musical instruments out there screeching out some bizarre electronic form of "Twinkle Twinkle," I find it totally refreshing when I stumble upon some really great instruments that kids actually have to play themselves.
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Promoting Truth, Justice, and Phthalate-Free Fun
There is hardly an American child alive who doesn't go through a superhero fantasy phase. When my daughter decides she wants to be Wonder Woman, or Super Girl, or The Amazing Flying Ballerina-Lawyer, I will happily indulge her. But not with those scary dioxin-emitting plastic costumes from the store.
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Baby's First Hallmark Holiday
I'm all about gifts that you can actually use more than one day a year. It sounds like common sense, but then you look at all the Christmas bibs and Easter tees and Fourth of July themed flip flops out there and you sort of wonder. That's why I love these handmade heart baby rattles from India y Luna.
Who's Your Daddy? (No Really...Which One is Daddy?)
My toddler is a visual learner, which is to say it's hard for her to grasp concepts she can't see right in front of her. Unfortunately, this means she knows her animals, but refers to her out-of-town grandparents by the toddler equivalent of "hey, you."
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We Don't Need No Stinkin' Barbies
Thanks to my mother-in-law, that 36-22-36 blonde doll made an unwelcome entrance into my toddler's toy gallery this holiday season. But that doesn't mean I'm giving in to all future Barbie requests so fast. It just means I'm going to have to find something ten times cooler than her royal plastic majesty.
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I Dream of Genie
Let's admit, there's been quite a bit of dvd-watching over the last few months. How else are you supposed to get the gifts wrapped, the holiday cards sent, and the cookies baked--or at least ordered through a handy toll-free number?
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We are the Knights Who Say "Maaa-aaaa."
My dear friend's son loves playing dress-up. Unfortunately, while his sister has a trunkful of beautiful princess outfits with handmade flower garlands and gauzy accessories, he's stuck with cheesy plastic costumes leftover from Halloween after-sales. What's a budding knight to do?
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You're Never Too Young To Accessorize
My daughter has reached the age where she must take at least three random items with her wherever she goes. And then, leave them in the car. While I'm not about to pick a battle with her every time we leave the house, I am going to try to find a compromise -- say by letting her bring as much as she can fit in one of the mini linen totes from Nubius Organics.
You've Got Doxie Kid!
I thought I'd seen a stuffed everything -- bears, phoenixes, horny toads...you name it, they've got it. You know, just in case you have a little one obsessed with flamingos. But dachsunds?
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A New Spin On the Old Pirouette
Mention music boxes to any mom, and undoubtedly she'll be able to recall with vivid detail the very one she fell in love with as a child. It's not hard, considering we all had the exact same one - it featured a spinning ballerina and played either You are the Sunshine of My Life or the theme from Love Story.
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Bagging Bears and Bunnies
If your kids are anything like mine, they have an obscene amount of stuffed animals and while I can't prove it, I'm almost positive that they multiply just like real rabbits because the pile never stops growing.
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Stop: Hammer Time
When I was in middle school, I should have failed Home Economics. I burned my banana bread in cooking class, and the blouse for my final sewing project might have fit had my head been the same size as my arms. But woodshop--now that, I aced. And Aunt Ginny loved her new birdhouse.
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Your Kids' Guaranteed Favorite Gift This Year
While it's not indicated on our calendars, every parent knows that candy season starts just before Halloween, progresses through chocolate turkeys on Thanksgiving, peaks gloriously on Christmas day, and then trickles to a close with nervous dental visits in early January.
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Battery-Free Fun. Is It Even Possible?
Battery: It's one of the first words kids learn, right after "NO!" and "MINE!" and "GIMME!" If a toy moves or makes noise or has any potential for fun whatsoever, then certainly it requires batteries. Or does it?
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Rock The Boat, Baby
One of the downsides of our charming New York apartment - our toys outnumber our square footage. I fear any holiday gift for the kiddo bigger than a breadbox is going to have trouble finding a permanent home here--except for maybe a breadbox itself. Then at least we could store other toys in it.
Only One Sheep Required
As an avid musician, children's toys and music boxes have all but killed my love for music--it's nearly impossible to find a nice nursery music maker that isn't bright yellow and blue and doesn't play a weird choppy version of Fur Elise. (You know, that awful Beethoven piece that you never want to hear ever again).
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Show 'Em The Battleship, Emma
They're the latest and greatest non-edible treat for kids: Temporary tattoos. Way cooler than character-themed bandages covering non-existent boo-boos, and with better results than freehand Sharpie drawings, temporary tattoos let kids decorate themselves (instead of the walls--key!) without consequence.
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Dollhouse Meets 2006
I know my daughter would love a dollhouse, however, I just can't give in to buying a huge pink plastic house with frilly shutters and a white picket fence. Just thinking about it gives me a weird sugar high. Plus, I'd love my next child (perhaps a son?) to be able to enjoy playing with a cool house without having to endure all the oozing girliness.
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Attention Holiday Shoppers...
Wouldn't you love this to be the year that you actually get your shopping done before the night before Christmas or Hannukah? 5 PM? As the shopkeepers are pushing you out the door and telling you, "come earlier next year?"
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Flash Me
Although I love form and fashion, I'm a sucker for function as well. In fact I nearly cried tears of joy when shopping for baby stuff and discovered a combination baby swing/high chair combo. That's why the flash card and mobile combination from Wee Gallery makes me happy as a clam.
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Premium Pow-Wow
The Christmas of my childhood generally consisted of a full stocking and one big gift, which we certainly preferred to the alternative of fourteen crappy plastic toys and a few itchy grandma sweaters. It was way cooler to get something like a ballet barre, a rocking horse, or a teepee.
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Rub a Dub Dub, No Toys in My Tub
There's nothing like anticipating that glorious, uninterrupted, naptime shower only to have to spend an extra ten minutes emptying out all the darn bath toys that are scattered around the bottom of the tub. And the net thing? Please. That holds one rubber duck and my scrub brush, if that.
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Masterpieces To-Go
Considering my daughter can spend upwards of two straight peaceful hours a day drawing and coloring, it would be great if I could find something to help us take her artwork on the go. Oh how much I would pay for a quiet restaurant meal!
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Back in Block
One of my favorite pastimes as a child was building mini kingdoms with my brothers' wooden blocks. There was something entirely gratifying about building big towers and castles – and then knocking them all down with one fell swoop.
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Almost Good Enough to Eat
What kid doesn't love Play-Doh? Let me clarify: What kid doesn't love to eat Play-Doh? Hey, I'm all for it, except for the fact that I have no idea what the "secret ingredients" are that's used to make it those lovely neon colors.
Oh Rats!
I'm not the most experienced parent in the world, but from what I understand, I have only a few months left until my daughter asks that inevitable question: Can I get a pet? Knowing her, it won't be any old pet; it will be a turtle or a snake or, help me, a rat.
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Ant Buy Me Love
Oh, the ant. The sweet, sweet ant. Yes, I love the little guys and in fact one of my fondest childhood memories includes my trusty ant farm. The memory could only be made fonder had the ant farm been instead the super-looking Antquarium.
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Balloon Animals
Ever since I got wind of the whole latex balloons are the devil stuff, I've been distraught. While I would hate for my daughter's birthday celebrations to be entirely balloon free, I also don't need to decorate the place with a bunch of colorful choking hazards.
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Fun, Cubed
While my home has seen its fair share of battery-operated toys that never want to turn off, I’m proud to admit that my daughter prefers her cute little handmade cloth block my godmother made for her first birthday.
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A Totally Organic Experience
I listened to my mother when she told me, "Never underestimate the power of the rattle." However, after three plastic shakers and a stuffed bunny that sounds like it's filled wtih a couple grains of rice, I was still faced with a screaming baby. I wish she had been a bit more specific about the kind of rattle.
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Play it Again, Bunny
When I was young, I had a beautiful wooden music box that featured a dancer pirouetting on a mirror inside. It was regaled to a high shelf in my bedroom except for the few times a year when my mom reluctantly pulled it down for me. I'm still bitter whenever I hear "The Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy."
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Thanks, Made it Myself
Whenever Hillary Lang posts photos of her crafty creations on her blog, Wee Wonderfuls, I sigh and try to imagine what it must be like to have that kind of talent. Mending a sock or sewing on a button, I can handle. Anything more complex gets outsourced.
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Even Better Than Being Made By Elves
We're suckers for charming handmade baby toys, doubly so when they're crafted from natural materials like recycled wood, and double that when buying them does a little good for humanity. Pastel Toys hits the Trifecta for sure.
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Take That, Atkins
As the old ad used to say, I love sweets but they don't love me. And then I discovered the carbs that love you back: The absolutely 100% calorie-free goodness of Heidi Kenney's felt creations at My Paper Crane Shop.
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Dino-Mite
Choosing gifts for boys can be a bit tricky. Okay, it's pure hell. While boys like what boys like, that doesn't mean you have to settle for a fleet of miniature metal cars that only end up under the sofa.
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The End of "Are We There Yet?"
Before you endure another rendition of The Wheels on the Bus on your next long family car ride, you might want to consider this nifty Travel Bingo Game instead.
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Knit One, Laugh Two
Back when I was decorating the nursery, I was not exactly in love with the cookie-cutter mobiles in all of the baby chain stores. Come to think of it, if they had actually been cookie cutters I'd have liked them way more than the cheaply assembled satin ballerinas or polyester barnyard animals hanging from plastic hangers.
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Get Twiggy WIth It
Crayolas Schmayolas. The coolest crayons are rough-hewn, organic and free from political bs (like calling a peachy-tan color, "flesh"). Inntrax Twig Crayons are certified non-toxic, and handmade in Poland from from discarded twigs.
Pick Your Man a PacMan
Ever struggle over what to get your husband for Father's Day because he just won't tell you? Fear not, adventurers: If your baby's daddy was a child of the 80's, he'll love receiving a video game from his misspent youth, one at which he can actually beat the kids of today.
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Build Your Own Blocks
We come across quite a few personalized products at CMP. Apparently if you put someone's kid's name on something no matter how useless or inane (monogrammed bottle sterilizer, anyone?) it's a surefire hit.
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Keeping Daddy as Close to Home as Possible
As a military wife, I've been fortunate to have avoided deployments. And while some days I wouldn't mind if my husband took a short trip across the ocean, I imagine it really stinks for the kids.
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Who Needs Paper?
My daughter has recently discovered the wonderful world of coloring. You name it - she is drawing on it, and sadly, it's rarely on actual paper. So instead of squashing her inner artiste, I'm thinking a Chalkboard Table from Sparkability might be just the way to go.
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Wood if I Could
Plastic, plastic everywhere. Argh, I'm going out of my head with all the neon plastic around our house! Er, what I mean is...anything for the kid.One place we can compromise is with these wooden blocks from Tree by Kerry Lee.... ... [More]
Get Your Own Derby
With today being the annual running of the Kentucky Derby, we tried to come up with something apropos for cool moms. But, quite frankly, we can't see anyone wearing a huge hat or taking the time to make a mint julep (I just pour whiskey in my coffee nowadays).
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Fat Has Taken On a Whole New Meaning
I have a tough time with the word "fat," mainly because since having a child, it's how I feel on most days. And quite frankly, I prefer it be used to refer to babies, the singing lady, and these new handmade stuffed animals I found by Jen at The Sweetest Pea.
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Where the Heck is Wyoming?
It seems I've got a little puzzle glutton on my hands. With a few handy 25-piecers, she reaps intellectual benefits and I get a good 20 minutes of quiet time. However, all that is null and void on car rides since, I'm pretty sure even a genius couldn't put puzzles together in any type of moving vehicle.
are stuck with the same old coloring book or your fancy magnetic art board. But thanks to Gretchen at 
Tastes Like Chicken
I have a great set of hand-me-down dishes from my childhood – plates, cups, teapots, silverware -- the works. However, there's one big problem when my girls try to have a pretend picnic or tea party: no play food to speak of.
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Even If You Have to Work, They Can Still Play On The Drum All Day
It is common knowledge that the toy drum is the arch nemesis of all mothers. No self-loving mom would ever give another mother any type of musical instrument, let alone an awful drum and mallet combo - those are traditionally the mother-in-law or friends-sans-kids kind of gifts.
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Put Some Funk in Your Junk
This funky rocker, called the Giddyup Ozlo, blows away those tired old wooden rocking horses that come in such exciting shades as tan and brown *yawn*.
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Something for the Swinger in All of Us
I never had a tire swing growing up. There's something that creeped me out about them. I remember always being concerned about the stagnant water that had pooled in the bottom and the dirt that would get on my clothes. Yes. I was that kid
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The Kind of Softy You'll Thank Me For Later
Don't get any sick ideas, dear readers. We've all seen our share of those softies and we certainly don't need a stuffed one of THOSE laying around the house. Heather who blogs over at MilesEtc started making these fabulous little creatures for her little one, and as you might imagine, a few people got a hold of them and she's decided to sell them to the masses.
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