Published on February 18th, 2008
Like this post? Subscribe to our RSS feed and stay up to date.
Last week, Kelli shared with us Green Valentines made by Stubby Pencil Studio. Stubby Pencil Studio offers 100% recycled (post-consumer) coloring, interactive cards, as well as eco-friendly art supplies for children and adults (see Victoria’s post on Crafting a Green World about toxic art supplies). Stubby Pencil Studio has graciously offered to give a “Green to the Letter” Stationery basket to one of our readers, a $60 value! Included in the basket:
6 packs of Color ‘n Kids cards (winner’s choice of styles)
5 Smencils (winner’s choice of scents)
Box of 24 Soy Crayons
Box of 12 Forest Choice colored pencils
To enter: Have your child write a slogan or poem about living green and post it as a comment to this post by Wednesday, February 27, 2008! Read the rest of this entry »
Published on February 14th, 2008
I miss the days of elementary school when Valentine parties were more about treats than potential love interests. I don’t miss the mass-produced valentines with tiny, flimsy envelopes, with glue that doesn’t stick properly and horrible pun phrases juxtaposed by cartoon characters. I’m pretty sure I gave out some awesome Duck Tales valentines at some point in my K-5 career…
Fortunately for kids (and grown-up kids) there’s a new eco-alternative. Launched in 2006 by Portland, Oregon’s Kate Rosenthal, Stubby Pencil Studios has created the Color ‘N Kids line of “interactive cards” made of 100% post-consumer recycled paper that are processed chlorine free and made with certified renewable energy. The cards are “interactive” because they are black and white and are designed to allow kids to color them in any way they desire. The words and phrases on the cards are made of dotted lines so children can practice tracing their letters.
Read the rest of this entry »
Published on February 13th, 2008
Emmanuel Tonggun of Uganda, age 15, described how heavy rainfall and too much sun destroy vegetation and decrease soil fertility. Read the rest of this entry »
Published on February 5th, 2008
I hate Barbie Dolls. These plastic, large breasted, out of proportion dolls create unrealistic images in children’s minds of a woman’s body. As Empowered Parents explains,
If she were alive, Barbie would be a woman standing 7 feet tall with a waistline of 18 inches and a bustling of 38-40. In fact, she would need to walk on all fours just to support her peculiar proportions. Yet media advertising, television and Hollywood would reinforce her message, influencing what would become the American ideal of beauty.
And what’s up with Ken being an eunuch? Leave it to artists to find a creative use for Barbie and comment on this cultural icon. Read the rest of this entry »
Published on December 18th, 2007
The big day ‘o gifts is fast approaching and every child I know is bouncing off the walls! (Of course in kid-world, time is dragging painfully slow!) If you are interested in creating a more sustainable future consider an annual observance of the winter solstice. This is a great opportunity to connect our children to the endless rhythms of nature.
For most of us, the winter solstice will be Dec. 22nd. There are so many ways to approach this pivotal moment in earth’s year: astronomically, historically, agriculturally, religiously/comparative religiously, anthropologically. For example, hundreds of years before Stonehenge, there was Newgrange – a massive structure in Ireland that captures the beam of the rising sun on the winter solstice. And this year, for the first time, you can view this event live via webcast! Read the rest of this entry »
Published on December 11th, 2007
When choosing Christmas gifts for your eco-child, check out the extensive collection of DIY kits for children. Kids can benefit from creative construction–they develop their fine motor skills, their creativity, and their ability to follow written directions. Plus, it’s just downright fun to make stuff and the sense of accomplishment that comes from making an actual functional item is addictive (just ask crafters!). I focused on kits that had some kind of eco or environmental spin, and all are available online.
1. Glee Gum has three DIY kits featuring edible projects: chewing gum, chocolate, and gummies. The kits come with all the ingredients necessary to create these treats, along with information on how those items are produced. For example, how do chicleros gather chicle in the rainforest? Actually, it’s quite sustainable. But you can find all that information on the origins of our favorite sweets in these kits. $13 each.
Read the rest of this entry »
Published on January 1st, 2007
Melissa and Doug’s Band in a Box is a combination of six musical instruments made from wood and metal. The instruments come in a wooden crate for storage. I love the wooden crates Melissa and Doug toys come in! These crates are sturdy and serve as packaging for the product and storage at home too. The amount of packaging for most toys is overwhelming, with every little part zip tied to a greater piece of cardboard surrounded by plastic. These toys are difficult to open and the wasted resources used for packaging is appalling. Melissa and Doug avoid this problem with their wooden crates that don’t readily end up in landfills. The instruments included in the Band in a Box are cymbals, maracas, triangle, tambourine, clacker, and a wooden percussive instrument (not sure what is called). The favorite in my house is the triangle. All of the instruments are well made and sturdy. My sister read a review in which a mother purchased several sets of The Band in a Box and gave away individual instruments as party favors. This is a great idea and much better than the bags of candy and dollar store junk that is usually given out at birthday parties. My children have started a marching band with these toys. It is really cute as they march around the house playing their instruments, taking turns leading the marching band.
