Here at Eco Child’s Play, we LOVE Stubby Pencil Studio when Kate Rosenthal, mama of twin girls started her quest for safe art supplies, she found a wonderful niche to fill. I had the opportunity to meet with Kate a while back and see her in action. We spoke about her quest for safe products, the new CPSC/lead regulations, and how one person’s vision has turned into a busy home business.
With Easter coming, we have baskets to fill and my first thought was of Kate and her wonderful shop. So hop on over to Stubby Pencil Studio and order up some of these fabulous eco friendly art supplies and toys (If you are in the Portland area, you can arrange pick up). You’ll feel good knowing that your children are getting safe, sustainable products and our Earth will breathe a bit easier as well.
Start with your choice of basket or packaging (Stubby Pencil offers two basket options this year and also carries Envirosax). If you already own baskets (or buckets, bins and bags) reuse those of course. If not, opt for a container that can get lots of reuse (and you know your world best, so pick: a galvanized metal bucket, a cloth shopping bag, a wicker basket, a hat turned upside down, a kid sized wheel barrow, etc…
Some of our favorite basket filers: [read the full article...]
Last month, we shared with you a folk art eco-friendly lunch pack by Print*Pattern*Paper. This month, we are featuring a green giveaway of a signed 5″ x 7″ folk art print by Print*Pattern*Paper founder, CEO, artist, and designer Rebecca Peragine. To enter, simply visit Print*Pattern*Paper’s art page, select your favorite print from the 30 prints featured, and leave a comment to this post with the print’s name. On Wednesday, March 11, 2009, a random winner will be selected from the comments, and the lucky person will win the print of their choice! This contest is limited to residents of Canada and the United States. [read the full article...]
by Jennifer Lance on January 21, 2009 · 0 comments
Editor’s note: The following post was originally published on Green and Clean Mom. “Green & Clean Mom can inspire you to try a little harder, be a catalyst for change and to offer you some new tips and news on how to be the green, sexy and sassy mom…I know you are!”
Using nature to help children understand the environment and the world around them, it’s fun and crucial. Children learn through experimentation. Doing, feeling, smelling and experiencing the world around them is the best way for them to make connections and learn. This spring when the green grass begins to show itself I plan to use this fun activity that I’ve used dozens of times as a preschool teacher. I will make paint from green grass. [read the full article...]
by Jennifer Lance on January 16, 2009 · 1 comment
Editor’s note: The following post was written by Michael D. Nolan and was sent to me by the Community Arts and Murals Blog. This is something I strongly believe in as a teacher and artists, and I love the idea of a Green Arts Corps.
The National Campaign to Hire Artists to Work in Schools
By Michael D. Nolan
Some of our nation’s greatest artists will join Barack Obama on center stage for the historic presidential Inaugural on January 20. Yo-Yo Ma, Aretha Franklin, Itzhak Perlman and poet Elizabeth Alexander will lend their exceptional creative talents to an event financed to a large degree by Hollywood artists like Tom Hanks, Oprah Winfrey, Sharon Stone and Steven Spielberg.
Ironically, these great artists grew up in environments which fostered the arts in the schools.
Today, when it comes to national policy and Congressional appropriations, artists are relegated offstage. Just about every major civilized country has a Ministry of Culture functioning at a Cabinet level. Our small National Endowments of the Arts and Humanities are lucky each budget cycle if they can survive decimation or demise. [read the full article...]
I am a firm believer in minimalist living. That said, my kids like so many others have WAY too much stuff. We are working hard to change this and focus on what actually makes sense. The phrase, “I’m Bored” is never to be uttered in my house. I get this from my darling Grandparents who had a large hand in raising me. There is NEVER an excuse for boredom and if you do find yourself bored, there are always chores to be done. It always amazes me what bored minds can come up with when given the alternative of scrubbing the bathroom.
I have a huge problem with how so many toys on the market today have one use. The toys tell you how to use them (this even goes for planned building sets). I want my children to use their imagination and to not be hindered by what a toy is suppose to be for. (And don’t get me started on all the idol/hero worship, dolls who look like streetwalkers and massive amounts of fighting toys.)
So, what does a child really need (other than love, shelter, clothing & food): [read the full article...]
I decided that the kiddos would make these fabulous decoupaged canisters. We would then fill them with all kinds interesting things.
Idea #1: Fill with little love notes or notes of inspiration and gift, the receiver gets to draw a note out to read anytime they are feeling a bit blue.
Idea #2: Makes adorable wrapping and the receiver can then use the tub to hold all kinds of nifty things.
Idea #3: The kids can use them to store collections of rocks, stickers, leaves, play jewels, whatever…
Idea #4: Two words: Time Capsule
Idea #5: Sharing tub- fill it with a surprise (love note, treasured toy, gift, etc…) then pass it on to a sibling who will do the same in a weeks time. Keep it moving.
Idea #6: Your Ideas? Share in the comments!
How to make these fabulous little tubs- [read the full article...]
by Jennifer Lance on December 10, 2008 · 5 comments
Editor’s note: The following post was originally published on Green and Clean Mom. “Green & Clean Mom can inspire you to try a little harder, be a catalyst for change and to offer you some new tips and news on how to be the green, sexy and sassy mom…I know you are!”
Markers dry out and then what, they end up in our landfills. Children love them and if they are washable and non-toxic, parents and teachers love them. I know how to recycle and reuse crayons but markers? I’ve never known how to recycle them and even when I tweeted about it and did some research I couldn’t dig up much on the recycling of markers. One of my favorite sites, Earth 911 couldn’t even help me. Disappointing. The best answer I could come up with came from Yahoo answers. Yes, Yahoo answers. What I learned is this, there is no green way to dispose of child friendly, non-toxic, washable markers. Sorry. I wish that there was. The plastic is just not recyclable and it won’t bio-degrade…that I know of. I’d love to learn otherwise and I’m sure my readers would too. If you know something share but I’ve written to the companies and I’ve gone to the store and there are no tips on the packages for recycling.
In the meantime, I’m going to make sure the caps are kept on the markers last as long as possible. I’m also going to promote reusing the markers and the caps on the markers. How? [read the full article...]
