To celebrate the relaunch of Eco Child’s Play and move to Simple Earth Media, our friends at Natural Pod are sponsoring a green toy giveaway! Just by leaving a comment to this post, you could win a wooden rocking boat and stairs handmade in Canada valued at $224!
Children enjoy rocking back and forth on the rocking boat just as though they are rocking on the ocean waves. Turn it over and it becomes a sturdy set of stairs; children as young as two especially enjoy climbing up and down the stairs, having great fun while they develop coordination and motor skills.
It can also be easily placed on its side and pushed against a wall where it can double as a book shelf or display shelf when it is not in use for boat or step play. We have also seen children turn it into a a play store counter
We have a wooden rocking boat and stairs toy at my preschool. I discovered it hidden away in the attic of our county office of education, and this sturdy toy has withheld decades of play. The plethora of imaginative play this toy inspires abounds. From a bridge for the Three Billy Goats Gruff to a fishing boat, a day does not go by in which the children are playing cooperatively on this versatile toy.
To enter the green toy giveaway celebrating our relaunch, please leave a comment to this post about Eco Child’s Play. You can describe what you like about our blog, what you would like to see in the future, suggestions and ideas, etc. We want to hear from you, our readers! A winner will be selected randomly from the comments on Friday, December 11, 2009. Good luck and thank you Natural Pod for supporting Eco Child’s Play!
What a wonderful toy. Does it come fully assembled or is there “some assembly required?”
I’m so glad to see your relaunch! I love getting ideas, news, recall info, and plain old support that I’m not the only one parenting like this. 🙂 It would so rock to win this awesome classic toy for my little girl.
I love any chance to become more informed when it comes to the health and safety of my children….that is what I love about this blog. Keep up the great work – you are touching the lives of so many families. Thank you!
I don’t know about the assembly, but I imagine some is required because it is such a huge toy.
I enjoy reading this blog a lot. I always enjoy the reviews, but would like to see more activity ideas to do with your kids. Thanks for putting your ideas and information out there.
Love the rocking boat! I wish they made them bigger so that I could rock too!
This is a VERY cool toy. So organic and something I would have LOVED as a child. Wish they made them for adults. 🙂 It would be a blast. I’d love to see more organic toys for adults…literally something like this but sized bigger for older kids and grownups. I’ve worked with kids off and on and LOVE playing with them but often the toys aren’t bit enough for adults to actually get in and be part of it with kids. Trampolines are great that way, because an adult can get on bounce with kids.
Great toy it looks really sturdy not many companies make toys like this anymore
Seeing this gave me flashbacks to my childhood! I would be so excited to win this for my daughter in Portland! Great blog, always, glad to see you back in full swing!
my older kids LOVED this toy at their pre-school, my youngest would absolutely love it as well.
Thanks for all the wonderful comments, we love it also!
Andrew: The Rocking Boat and Stairs is shipping flat packed, to help with the green foot print with shipping. There is minimal assembly required, more simple than IKEA!
Our kids have been using theirs since they were 6 months, first starting with crawling up and down the stairs, then walking. At 1 they were starting to slowly use the boat. Now they are 7 and 4, it has brought them so much joy. Especially in the colder months, they can use some energy in-doors, when it is warm we take it outside. My personal favourite is when they turn it on it’s side as a shop counter!
I also want to add that this is a toy adults can use. Although I find it hard to sit inside the boat, as I am tall, when it is flipped over as stairs, any size human (or canine) can play on it.
I have been searching for that boat / mountain/steps toy since my daughter was a baby and we’d go to the Waldorf School winterpark playgroup. It is amazing! I also have been looking for the balance board that is just like a really large wooden curve for climbing or rocking in.
Love it!
Sadly, I have never seen one of these before. Looks really cool.
I am grateful to have blogs like this that introduce me to eco-friendly toys and kids stuff that I have never been exposed to. Many thanks!!
Great toy! I’d like to win!
I like to see reviews of the latest in natural toys, natural cleaners, . . . and I’m looking forward to learning more about Simple Earth Media. As a former preschool teacher, I know what a wonderful durable toy this is. I would love to win and donate to a program for young children.
We have one of these at a play group we go to and my 1 year old just loves it!!! I love this site Santa is bringing my son a few of the toys you’ve had listed on your site thank you so much for letting me know I’m not the only one concerned about things like this all my friends think I’m crazy. Its nice to come somewhere with like minded people.
My husband and my son would love this toy! And I am not kidding when I say that I am not sure if the big kid would even more enjoy it than the young one. They both loves my son´s building blocks equally… 🙂
I love this blog because it introduces me to so many eco-friendly toys and ideas for kids that I might not have encountered otherwise. This particular toy looks like a LOT of fun!
I like the information about food and toys especially!
I would loved this boat for my daughter!
I’ve been reading ECP for a while now and I can’t help but see that posts became more and more … heated over time. I’m kind of hoping that we can look forward with a bit more optimism in the future.
wow – seriously lovely! I am so tired of all the plastic – in and out of the classroom. I often think if the world went “poof” there would be a bunch of plastic playhouses and kitchens in outer space. Would love to see some articles about affordable wooden toys.
tvollowitz at aol dot com
I really enjoy this website which I only recently found. I appreciate all the stuff I’ve already discovered. I’m interested in ways to make baby food – that would be interesting. And how to freeze it safely would be nice as well – also – freezing breast milk safely?
My son will be home from Haiti in a few months and he would love this toy! He just turned 2 and I’m adopting him. Thanks!
I’d like to see more snippets on ecofriendly products. I struggle with finding new, environmentally friendly toys.
I love discovering “green” and safe ,not to mention fun ways to raise my child.
This is such a versatile and wonderful toy! We have had one but it is falling apart, been worn out by children loving it. I would love to win this one!
Wow, I’ve always wanted this! Wood is the best!
Love to keep up to date via facebook 🙂 This toy was on my kids Christmas list and we’d love the opportunity to surprise them!
My brother’s kids would love this!
Love this, my little one would have great fun with it 🙂
Wow, these boats rock & what a lovely gift for my family with it’s many many uses. Thanks and keep up the great work!
This is such a great toy! I have always wanted one for my first daughter and now I have two that could rock with each other…countless hours of fun…inside or out! And you can’t get better than a Canadian made wooden toy!
I like reading about all the cool new eco friendly toys and products on this site. Keep it up!
This item is built to last many families with it’s superior wooden structure contrary to many current cheaper constructions. A neat toy that also subs as furniture. Keep up the ood work!!
I think what you have here is terrific. I am constantly looking for alternatives to the mass-produced plastic junk toys for our little one. Anything to do with “green” toys interests me. Thanks for the chance to win.
This is the kind of simple toy my kids would just love…like their favorite big cardboard box, but now it rocks!
That’s a cool kids toy! If I had more time I’d love to build one, but winning one would be much easier.
It is nice to have a resource for good green toys for kids.
I like the reviews of eco-friendly toys.
Darling! My daughter would love this.
That’s wonderful. I know two little boys whose father recently left who’d love this.
I like see toys in a variety of price ranges. I just wish more companies offered similar products!
This is a favorite at my kids’ daycare – would be great to have at home as I begin my SAHM odyssey! Love this blog, would like to see more green/re-use diy/crafting activities/other things to DO with our kids that are green 🙂
Wow! My little girl would love this!
I like ECP’s pro-breastfeeding articles and resources- I’d like to see maybe less product reviews (they seem like ads) and more ideas about using what we have to raise our kids. For example, instead of reviewing a $30 lunch kit, giving us ideas about how to compile/make our own.
Thank you for this very cool giveaway. I would like to see articles on an issue coupled more with things we can do: for example, maybe an article on the latest research on parabens, and perhaps either store-bought or handmade alternatives.
This is one of the most favourite toys at our preschool. How fun to have one at home!
I love finding new ideas and links here on Eco Child’s Play.
I also love crafty, outdoorsy, sustainable activity ideas. I appreciate a positive and productive spin on things. If a report is only frightening, it’s paralyzing rather than transformative. Thank you!
I homeschool my children, and my third is only 8 months, this would be great for her. We are building an earth sheltered home with sustainable power. thanks for the opportunity
What I like about you? I enjoy knowing about healthy living and I have kids. In particular I think your articles scratch deeper than regular news outlets do that follow mainstream living.
Fingers crossed for me!
I’m expecting our first child in March and this website has been an amazing resource for me as I educate myself about giving my child as wholesome an environment as possible. And this classic wooden rocking boat is adorable!
Thank you!
Warmly,
Baraka
Enter us, please! I like learning about new things to do with my daughter, but I’m not always so keen on the product advertisement posts.
I love everything green, everything organic, and everything related to a natural childhood… so of course I love this blog! Waldorf-related things are also really interesting to our little family as we are getting more and more into this pedagogy and way of raising kids. We’ve eliminated all conventional, plastic toys from our home in favor of wooden, cloth and natural toys. I’ve been dreaming about this rocking boat/stairs since my daughter was born! I wish she could have learned to climb stairs on it. She would now love to sit and rock and create imaginary situations with it. Thanks for this blog, and thanks for this contest!
Wow, this is such a neat rocking boat. I love the fact that it is all natural as I strive to live a green lifestyle not only for myself, but for my family. My son would also love this when we gets a little older and I can already picture him wanting to play on it and dragging me along, hehe:)
As a mommy-to-be and as someone who is trying to green up her life, I love having a great resource like Eco Child’s Play to learn about eco-friendly toys, cleaning products, and other items for children. And I want that boat. I remember both my kindergarten classroom and the nursery at church had one and it was also a classroom favorite. Such a fun and totally versatile toy (it made many an appearance in short plays as well done by older students).
I am so impressed! Yeah, an outside toy that can hold up to the… well, the outdoors! We would be very happy to have one for our home!!!
My favorite section is the Food & Recipes area. This is an area I am constantly trying to overhaul in my own life, as well as those of my family. I would love to see more recipes, certainly, especially time-saving recipes like vegetarian crockpot recipes.
I love that you are concerned about Green living and Lifestyle and I also like Your Cool Mom Picks!
I like your tips on green home and green cleaning. I am always looking for gentler cleaning products!
smchester at gmail dot com
I am a grandmother of 6. Reading this site keeps me in the loop of what is current. The boat/stairs that you are giving away is the perfect stimulus for a child’s imagination. I worked in a preschool for children with special needs, and we had one of these items. It is durable and the kids love it.
Thank you Eco Child’s Play for introducing our family to safe and responsible products for our little one!
I love all of the recipes here. I love cooking and am always looking for something new and yummy to try out!
I have recently made the switch to “going green” and could use any tips on anything that you have. I am new too your blog. and look forward to reading it in the future. thanks so much for the chance.
Being a grandmother of 16 and advocate of green living, your articles are very uplifting and filled with valuable information for parents (and grandparents) of today. I became involved with having a non-toxic home 16 years ago and found that taking chemicals out of our environment made a tremendous difference. It is very inspiring to see that so many parents today value a green home and follow such blogs as yours. I have retweeted many of your articles because the content is so helpful to all of us. Thanks for all the research you do.
I found your site via another article you wrote regarding the new African Ocean.
I’m so glad I found it. We try to be very organic and natural in our family, from cooking organic meals to my making cough syrup at home for my daughter. I’ve been perusing many of your articles and am just amazed. I LOVE the idea of the personalized santa sack for gift giving. We’ve been recycling old newspapers and coloring pages but this is VERY nice. Thanks for the idea!
Oh, and please do enter me into the drawing. My daughter would love it!
I like your tips on green home and green cleaning and my grandson would love to win this wooden rocking boat.
I try to help my family be a little “greener” every day. Slowly but surely we are coming along. Any info and tips we can get, like the ones you provide, help us along the way.
I love that you are about getting back to the basics.
I’m pretty new to your blog, but so far I’m loving reading all the posts to get ideas for my holiday shopping and crafting. I’m hoping to make this year an all natural Christmas and have vowed to buy nothing made in China. Your suggestions are really helping with this.
Thanks
LOVE YOUR WEBSITE. 4 GRANCHILDREN AND 1 MORE ON THE WAY. WOULD LOVE . WOULD LOVE THE WOODEN ROCKING BOAT FOR THEM.
love the rocker my granddaughter comes over here and sits on my knee and rock to sleep i will bet she would never want to get off of it
Would love to see a post explaining ways to be eco friendly and yet stay on budget
what a fun toy, and a great Web site!
I like the food and recipes area. Thanks for the chance.
mogrill@comcast.net
like your tips on keeping our green home
You have a wonderful blog that is very informative and interesting.
The one product that I would really like to have put to the test is the Activeion. It sounds great but does it really do what it says it does? Is it worth the money?
http://www.activeion.com/default.aspx
I love that your blog provides ideas for safe and earth friendly toys…your recommendations have never let my family down:) Thanks!
What a terrific toy!
I just had a baby so this has been a big plus for me
I really support family living blogs that promote slowing down, seeing green as more than a fashion, and that simply promote a lifestyle with LESS.
The thing that is great anout this toy is that it is so open ended it will span children’s entire childhood from the baby experimenting with climbing stairs to imaginative little pirate play, to enacting The Three Billy Goat’s Gruff.
My 9 year old saw it and said “That would be great as a lemonade stand on it’s side!
My two kids would love this boat!! They live playing together and definitely would have a blast!
Well, I love the info provided on the site, as well as the heads up about companies that I might be interested in.
Thank you for always sharing good green living info, and a little bit of yourself, as well. It feels good to see other folks out there that are striving toward an eco-friendly lifestyle.
I just came across this blog when searching for some eco friendly toys for my 1 yr old. Great resource. Thanks! We would love to win this boat. I’ve used one like it with kids in daycare and they all loved it!
The boat is adorable and I can see my lils having so much fun with it. I appreciate the green information this site has to offer. I think all parents and their children would benefit from visiting this site.
Wow, I’ve never see a rocking boat! Too cool. That’s what I love about your site.. you’re always full of useful and new information 🙂
Isn’t it refreshing that the simple things that can last generations still bring joy to children! Just like this refreshing site, it brings joy!
I love that I’ve found you! I have a two year old girl who would be delighted by your wooden rocking boat. Thanks for helping us all make better choices for a better planet.
Awakening Mom
I love to read about new natural products for my daughter and for myself. It is refreshing to read about ways to prepare healthy whole foods and in the same place find information on green play things, such as the one listed in the giveaway. Thank you!
I like knowing how to keep my baby safe while also providing fun and stimulating activities for him! I like having a site I can trust to point me in the right direction for environmentally-safe products.
I’m a new dad, and I’m happy to find a website where I can find information on eco-friendly toys like this rocking boat. I’m staying at home with my son for his first year of life, and am having a blast playing with him.
I love the whole idea of finding eco friendly toys for my children.
What a wonderful boat rocker and steps! We were looking for something similar for our daycare, and had just about given up because everything we found was plastic. Even if we don’t win the giveaway, we will likely be constructing something very similar.
Way to go, Natural Pod!
I love the recipes!
I like this blog for following non mainstream parenting ideas and eco friendly happenings. I would like if you noted when your reviews were for items you were given for free or paid to review.
This site inspires me! Every time I visit I learn something new to share with my family and friends. Thank you!
@Maria
We never accept payment in exchange for writing a review of a product, only free samples. We want our product reviews to be authentic, so we will never take payment or feel obligated to give a positive review on a product that does not deserve one.
My son and daughter play with the boxes more than toys it seems. Such imaginations they have. I can imagine them playing with this in so many ways ( a boat on a sea, a rocket ship, car, spaceship, etc.) They flip the top of our sandbox and pretend its an ostrich nest!
thank you for all the information you provide!
I love that the best banana bread recipe I’ve ever made is from your blog! And I’ve been making it for at least a year and a half. YUM.
OOhh the rocker/stairs is awesome. A good friend of mine has one, and my 2 year old loves it. We would so enjoy having one in our home! 🙂
this is the first i’ve seen of the blog, but it looks good to me
I’m rededicating myself in 2010 to living a more green lifestyle and plan to spend more time on this site to help me on my journey! My kids would love to have this in our backyard!
So cute and versatile! I think my daughter would really enjoy playing with this. Thanks for the chance to win.
I’d love to see at least one toy spotlighted a week that I feel completely comfortable getting for my child. No chemicals, sustainable and awesome! Thanks! thebubbledies(at)gmail(dot)com
I love that this toy is appropriate for multiple age groups and is built to last!!
We love this blog. There are many reasons to buy sustainable products and non-toxic items for ourselves and our children, but one of them is because it provides long term financial savings. I’d love to see more articles and reviews focusing on financial savings!
What I like about this website? Probably the variety of things posted – recipes, arts and crafts, tips, suggestions, etc! Thanks for this awesome giveaway!
I really enjoy reading about your eco-friendly toy reviews. It is hard to find safe things for kids these days – and this is usually my top source of ideas! Keep them coming!
Thank you for doing this giveaway. I really enjoy reading your gardening posts.
I have not seen a wooden rocking boat like this in close to 30 years! I am so happy to see more natural toys available. Thank you for introducing me to Natural Pod.
I love ecochildsplay and have you in my rss reader. You do great posts and inspire me to think greener and question my assumptions.
I love all the interesting information on the blog as well as the ideas and some of the recipes too.
i would love to read more about how to determine if green products and toys are realy as earth friendly as they claim.
jennielee226(at)gmail(dot)com
I just happened to google the wooden boat and I came across your website. It’s a great site so far and I will add it to my favourites. I’m always looking for good ideas for my green family. Your giveaway is a great idea, I’d love to score one for my little boy!
Really love your blog! I read a number in my attempts to act as an informed resource for fellow parents, and yours is a blog I’m always reading- so thanks! So glad to see the connection with Natural Pod- awesome awesome folk and fabulous toys… our two girls would cherish the rocking boat and stairs, such a great multi functional creative yet oh so simple piece- love it!
I love a website devoted to green play. I have a child on the way and will love to get ideas from you! Thanks!
I liked your blog look but think it could use more color to attract the eye and hold interest. I’d like to see more things involving handicapped children or ones with disabilities
lighthousee27(at)gmail.com
That’s a simple toy, yet so good for fun outside!
I like the varietyand would like to see ways to be eco friendly AND save doing it.
Thank you, this is such a geat and generous giveaway. Hannah would just love this!
🙂
I love that you have recipes and pregnancy information. Thanks!
That looks like FUN! my baby and his friends would love it!
I like the recipes.
I like that this toy looks sturdy and will last a long time!
I would love to see more on organic foods for babies, reviews, options, companies. Thanks! I look forward to reading more.
great website….my kids would love the rocker!
Love more giveaways!!
great website, and a very generous giveaway!
I like the recipes
I like the eco friendly toy reviews. With two little grandsons I am always worried about their safety. I appreciate all the help I can get.
I like that they have eco friendly toy reviews and durable toys.
As a grandparent of 2, the oldest “almost 7” and the youngest “almost 3”, we made the promise a long time ago to only buy them eco-friendly toys. No plastic or trendy toys, only non-toxic and well made wooden toys and rag dolls. This is something that was not in vogue when we had our kids, but we are more than happy to contribute to the organic lifestyle that my daughter has set up for her children!
Its built to last
I love that your blog is clean and uncluttered. It is also very informative. I would love to see more reviews of “green” items.
I also love how clean your blog is. The colors are good, there’s no piles of Flash or buttons all over the place to slow the loading down, and it’s very easy on the eye!
I love that your blog has a focus.
Many blogs just talk about everything, but yours has a purpose so its easy to find
what your looking for and not a whole lot of other nonsense.
This would be such a fun toy for my son!
I like your blog’s header. It’s very classy! I’d like to see recipes and blogs about cooking. I enjoy the “green” tips also and reviews about green toys.
digicat{AT}sbcglobal{DOT}net
I like recipes! Keep em coming. 🙂
We would love the chance to win the rocker/stairs. I am also committing to a more green lifestyle. Thanks for your work!
I have a friend who purchased one of these in the past and their kids LOVE it. They even use theirs as a check-out counter when they play McDonalds.
I am just a little green, and I love how helpful your website has been in my strive to make a small difference.
I like the clothing and fashion. I like to look for eco friendly things and your blog helps
zachsgran1 at yahoo dot com
I really like your Gardening and Food and Recipes sections. I get so many great ideas from them. We are trying to live a more natural lifestyle and are really enjoying getting back to the basics. Eventually, I would love to see us get at least 50% of our needed food from our own land. thanks!
sherri419 at gmail dot com
i love this website.just great giveaways.happy holidays.
what a beautiful boat! classic. we’d love to win that!
I learned it is a simple toy, but it is fun to play with.
This is the first time I have come across your blog, but after looking around I can say that I like the Children’s Books & Literature posts!
Thanks!
I love all the arts and crafts ideas you have! Thanks so much for all your help!
I love that i can come here and find eco-friendly toys and activities that I feel good about.I am doing my best to teach my children to be eco conscious.Thanks!
I hope that in the future you review some natural clothing products, I have a hard time finding reasonable organic and natural clothing.
Oh my gosh, what a priceless gift! The boat is gorgeous! I love your blog for all the natural toys and fun play ideas!
i like crafts and gardening posts
I would like to see more ideas centering around the kitchen. Recipes, products, ideas that are useful, etc.
I like the beauty section. I’m concerned about the chemicals we put on our faces with regular products and I love the info I get here
tmc480 at yahoo dot com
i love reading how-to tips and demo’s and anything that has to do with gardening or flowers 🙂
fabulous prize!
Eco Child’s Play is very interesting and filled with really intense articles that are filled with good information. I think you cover things that others don’t and that is refreshing. I would like to see things like how to create things like homemade paints to paint walls with, and how to decorate using things you already have-like vintage linens or cloth, how to reuse old things and remake them. I would like to learn how to make my own soaps for clothing and personal use-things like that that are safe and cost efficient.
I’d love to see more green toy giveaways!
Great site and great giveaway
I especially like to read about products for my family that are green/non-toxic – toys, cleaners, bath products etc.
What a fabulous giveaway!! I love Eco Childs Play for the wide variety of information provided in all areas of parenting. I have young chikdren so I am mostly drawn to posts relevant to them.
I like the education category. It’s a wonderful source for homeschoolers
rjs682 at yahoo dot com
i like that you all cover the ways to make my childrens’ home environment more natural and less toxic
the boat stairs looks like a lot of fun!
I like the clean layout of your blog and I reallllly love green toys. We had a very similar rocker in my kindergarten classroom and that is getting close to 40 years ago! It’s classic!
I like all the arts and crafts:)
Glad to see your site around. Would like to see more of the elementary teachers emphasizing eco friendly things. This might be a new area for you.
What a great gift for some of the very young ones here. Congratulations on the move to Simple Earth Media!
This is my first time here! I Love the site! Especially the Arts and Crafts section! I LOVE the Windsurf board! Thank you so much for the giveaway! lanemarinab@aol.com
wow
THANKS FOR THE CHANCE
ID LOVE TO WIN!
I love your food and recipes! I’m always looking to make something new 🙂
i like crafts and gardening posts
We are all for going green and we love these natural products. Love the site!
I like the recipes and I’d love to see more! 🙂
I would love to see more contests on your blog. ;0D
I like the arts and crafts ideas. Such fun!
The Wooden Rocking Boat and Stairs looks like a lot of fun! A DIY plan that a father and son(s) or daughter(s) can follow to build at home as a family project would be nice.
Anything with wood is great for children – especially with all the recalls out there. That is why I like reading Eco Child’s Play!
Oooh, my daughter would love those!
Love this toy – had one at church. We always had a ball playing with it. My son (2 1/2) would love this too. His new fascination is stairs, and he’d love the boat part too!
Love this toy. My husband actually made on of these for our daughters to play on when they were toddlers. I had forgotten about it. They spent many a wonderful time using it in every which way! It really brought back memories!
Great website! I have never seen one of these ‘boats’ before. I think my son would love it!! We have a small space so I love how multi-functional it is.
This looks soooo fun!
Wow, how timely as I was just looking into this for my goddaughter for Christmas! Congrats on your new launch!
Wend, I hope you notice this contest is closed.
I remember these from my childhood. What a great basic toy!
I positively absolutely LOVE this idea. I am always looking for unique ideas and this is wonderful. Keep up the good work!