A few months ago, Eco Dad bought this humongous truck against my advice to wait for more fuel efficient models or for Toyota’s plug-in hybrids to be released. He needs a full size pick up for work, so this was the answer. My point was that now is not the time to buy a vehicle. I predict in the next 5 to 10 years, something has to change in the car industry. But then, Eco Dad proved me wrong and started running biodiesel in the big rig! We are lucky to live in an area where there are two local gas stations selling 99% pure biodiesel. The price for biodiesel has fluctuated from 
costing a little more than regular diesel to costing a little less. I won’t pretend to be an expert on peak oil issues, but I think that using biodiesel is something that we can do right now while we wait and wait for our government to do something. Biodiesel is not the answer to all our problems, as land is converted to grow crops for fuel rather than food. Reports of deforestation to grow biofuels are surfacings, as well as Fidel Castro has come out against its use. If you own a diesel vehicle, you can switch to biodiesel without doing anything to your car/truck, as long as you buy it from a gas station. No longer is it necessary to make your own by collecting oil from restaurants. The original diesel engine was designed to run on soybean oil, then oil was discovered in North America. The rest is history…..Even Willie Nelson has gotten into the biodiesel action with BioWillie (which is only 20% biofuel based). You can even rent biodiesel cars in LA and Hawaii from Bio-Beetle. For more information about biodiesel, click here. You can also read more about biofuels and deforestation here.
One of the things we have lost in our modern culture is the teaching of fiber arts to our children (unless you adhere to Waldorf philosophy). Traditionally, mothers and grandmothers taught children to weave, sew, and knit. I had to go to college to learn how to weave! I was so excited when my sister bought this Leave It To Weaver Kit from Land of Nod. A similar loom is available through Amazon. This frame loom is of high quality and works well, unlike many other looms I have seen designed for children that are frustrating to use. The right tool is important for good results! The only draw back to this loom is the yarn it comes with is acrylic; however, it is very nice yarn and future projects can be made with natural fiber yarn. The loom is rated for ages 7 and up, but my 5.5 year old daughter has no problem weaving on the wooden loom. Weaving, as well as finger knitting, is a great activities for fine motor development.
by Jennifer Lance on March 29, 2007 · 1 comment
Magic Cabin’s Doorway Puppet Theater
is affordable and attractive. I absolutely love the fabric! You can hang the all cotton theater anywhere in your home, and it comes with curtains and pockets for the puppets. It also rolls up neatly into a storage bag. We have had our Doorway Puppet Theater
for over a year, and it shows no signs of wear and tear. Symbolic, pretend play is important for facilitating the development of a child’s cognitive skills (Cook, 2004). Puppets allow children to develop such dramatic play as their stories take on literal elements. My daughter’s first puppet show was about the hiccuping princess who could not find a prince, because she could not stop hiccuping. Characters, the setting, the problem, and the resolution were all present in her story. Somehow, a puppet theater brings the storytelling to a new level, rather than simply playing with puppets alone. It formalizes the experience.
Buying natural toys does give a parent some peace of mind; however, sometimes even natural toys are recalled. The Peek-A-Boo Ball is one such natural toy, and the ecochildsplay family has it! We purchased our Peek-A-Boo Ball through Ecobaby, not Hearthsong. This fun wooden toy was recalled, because the wood can crack, allowing the small wooden people to fall out and pose a choking hazard. 22,500 Peek-A-Boo Balls were sold between 2001-2004, so we can’t be the only family affected. I plan to keep our Peek-A-Boo Ball, but I will inspect it often for cracks. My son is not very oral anymore, so I feel we can keep this great toy.
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by Jennifer Lance on March 27, 2007 · 1 comment
Yesterday, I attended a presentation by a commercial publisher for a preK curriculum. It was the sort of “cookie cutter” package that takes the creativity out of teaching and assumes anyone can be a teacher by following the script. The presenter held up a card of a child in a park throwing away trash in a receptacle. The card had printed questions on the back for the teacher to ask the children. I asked the presenter, “Where is the recycling bin?”. Her response, “That is more of an advanced skill.” The teachers shook their heads in disbelief. In my opinion, recycling should be taught from the start.
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Children’s music can be appealing to parents and children, and Jack Johnson’s Curious George Soundtrack
fits this description. Sing-A-Longs and Lullabies for the Film Curious George features Jack with many other great artists of our time. My personal favorite tracks are the “The Sharing Song” and Ben Harper’s “With My Own Two Hands”. Also, the version of an earlier Jack tune “Three is the Magic Number” about of a mother, father, and child is transformed to the “3 R’s”,where Jack tells us, “You got to reduce, reuse, recyle.” Jack got his start creating music for surf films, and he transitions to animation beautifully. If you like Jack, www.archive.org has 199 live Jack shows you can download or stream for free. I personally recommend any show that has his rendition of “How a Pirate Looks at Forty”. I want to thank ecochildsplay reader Molly for suggesting we review the Curious George Soundtrack.
Download your favorite music from iTunes
Many parents do not feel comfortable giving their older infants glass bottles, but there is a BPA-free plastic alternative. Born Free makes BPA-free plastic baby bottles, training cups, and sippy cups. I have not tried out these products, but it is nice to know there is an alternative for parents who feel plastic is the best option for their child. According to Greenfeet, “It doesn’t take much. As little as one to three servings of food with unsafe BPA levels may expose pregnant women and infants to harmful levels of the toxin.” Born Free baby bottles have an inner valve and air vent system that help prevent ear infections and gastro problems. In addition, Born Free products are made in Switzerland. As I’ve stated before, breast is best for babies and toddlers; however, some families use bottles for breastmilk and water. My daughter never used a bottle, but my son used one while he was in the hospital for heart surgery. Pumping round the clock isn’t fun, but the benefits of breastmilk outweigh any mother’s discomfort.
We live in a small cabin, so when grandparents want to buy the children something big, outdoor toys are great. The Austrian Sand Box, available through Magic Cabin, is one such gift we have thoroughly enjoyed. Children love to play in sand, and such sensory experiences are good for their development. They can explore all kinds of physical concepts while playing in the sand. The Austrian Sand Box is made of spruce and comes with a vinyl cover. The cover can be cranked up to provide shade for children and protection from the sun or light rain. When the cover is lowered, the sand inside the box is protected from wandering animals that may want to use if for a litter box. The sand box is large enough that four children can comfortably play inside it.
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costing a little more than regular diesel to costing a little less. I won’t pretend to be an expert on peak oil issues, but I think that using biodiesel is something that we can do right now while we wait and wait for our government to do something. Biodiesel is not the answer to all our problems, as land is converted to grow crops for fuel rather than food. Reports of deforestation to grow biofuels are surfacings, as well as Fidel Castro has come out against its use. If you own a diesel vehicle, you can switch to biodiesel without doing anything to your car/truck, as long as you buy it from a gas station. No longer is it necessary to make your own by collecting oil from restaurants. The original diesel engine was designed to run on soybean oil, then oil was discovered in North America. The rest is history…..Even Willie Nelson has gotten into the biodiesel action with BioWillie (which is only 20% biofuel based). You can even rent biodiesel cars in LA and Hawaii from Bio-Beetle. For more information about biodiesel, click here. You can also read more about biofuels and deforestation here. 
