1. BABYBJÖRN BPA-Free Baby’s First Cup

Transitioning baby to his/her first cup is an exciting time.  Many parents go straight to a sippy cup, hoping it will prevent spills.  Neither of my children took well to sippy cups at first, as the sucking action required was quite different from breastfeeding. When home, I preferred to simply transition them to a real cup.

BabyBjorn’s BPA-free plastic cup comes with a wide, non-slip base, and it is designed for easy grip of little hands.   It is suggested this cup be used with children eight months or older.

Developed in close collaboration with pediatricians, industrial designers, parents and children, the BABYBJÖRN Cup safely teaches children 8 months and older to drink naturally and comfortably from an open glass. The cup’s unique design helps minimize spills with a low center of gravity, wide base and rubber stripping on the bottom. A rimmed edge at the bottom of the cup also prevents it from falling over easily when bumped and pushed. Additionally, the ergonomic design helps little hands comfortably grasp the cup.

Would I buy this product? No. There is nothing wrong with this cup. It is a great learning cup; however, I think $15 is too expensive. It still requires supervision, unlike a sippy cup that can be banged around, and thus I think a normal glass could serve the same purpose. If you are concerned about breakage, this plastic cup is ideal for you if you don’t care about cost.  Of course, BPA-free plastic is a must of any plastic your child uses.

2. Haba Wooden Arranging Game Corner to Corner (Legespiel Eck an Eck)

This three-dimensional game is not a game in the traditional sense, but it provides children with tiles they can combine in endless variations.  62 pieces come in a variety of colors in a variety of interlocking shapes.  The shapes are pretty small, so they are definitely designed for older toddlers and children.

Of course, since this toy comes from Haba, you can completely rest assure it is safe and made of high quality materials.   Haba’s factory in Germany uses geothermal and solar energy, as well as a biomass boiler fueled with forestry byproducts.

We received our Corner to Corner game from Maukilo.com.    I discovered Maukilo when searching for quality wooden toys for my first child. This is absolutely the best online retailer for eco-friendly toys.

Would I buy this product? Yes.  Sometimes I think Haba products are overpriced, but these blocks cost about $35. I think that they are reasonably priced for the sustainability and safety record of Haba.

3.  Colored Citiblocs!

We’ve reviewed Citiblocs before, which are a favorite building toy in our home.  In fact, we’ve even gone so far to make our own in order to supplement our set.

Citiblocs are high quality wooden construction blocks which inspire both traditional building and modern design. The secret behind Citblocs is that every piece is exactly the same shape and size. Each block is precisely cut from Grade A Radiata Pine from certified renewable forests in New Zealand. Citiblocs Building requires no glue, no snaps, no connectors and no magnets: just gravity, balance and imagination.

Recently, we discovered colored Citiblocs!  They come in:

• Citiblocs Cool Colors Precision Cut Building Blocks
• Citiblocs Hot Colors Precision Cut Building Blocks

Adding colors to the blocks creates a new design element and challenge to these great blocks.

Would I buy this product? Yes.  I think that they are very affordable ($24 for 100 blocks).  The hours of entertainment and creative play they inspire in my children (and their dad) are worth every penny. Currently, my children are building a whole town with their Citiblocs, which involves planning, problem-solving, and negotiation.

4.  Tom’s of Maine Anticavity Silly Strawberry Toothpaste for Kids

Before I begin this review, I should state that I do believe in fluoridated toothpastes. I do think that they help prevent cavities and strengthen teeth. I do NOT believe in fluoridated water, including nursery water, or in any other systemic application.

Tom’s Silly Strawberry Fluoride Toothpaste for children has been the product we have used with our children since those first little teeth emerged. The flavor appeals to children, without the harshness little ones feel from mint flavoring adults crave for fresh breath.

This toothpaste do use sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS), which I tend to avoid.  Tom’s response:

As formulated for cosmetic use, SLS has not been found to cause cancer in any recognized scientific research studies. When used in our toothpaste, SLS has limited contact with the gums and is then rinsed out. In the body sprays, a very low level of SLS is used, just enough to disperse the fragrance oils. And to ensure consumer safety, a clinical study was run on the body spray to verify that this level of SLS in the product did not cause irritation when left on the skin. At the levels used in our products, SLS has no known toxicity—not even when ingested.

Still, I wish Tom’s would make an alternative kid’s toothpaste that is SLS-Free, like they do for adults.

Would I buy this products? Yes. It is affordable and readily available in almost every store. I do trust Tom’s, and I hope more and more of their toothpastes will soon be available in SLS-free versions, despite the company’s stance its toxicity is a “sham” and a “hoax” (quoted from Berkeley Wellness Newsletter).  At least Tom’s does disclose every ingredient in its products.

5. Gdiapers Biodegradable Gwipes

I tried making my own baby wipes when cloth diapering, but I found I didn’t really have the time, nor were they really any better than ones I could buy.  When I would run out, I would simply use a wash cloth to clean those little buns.

gDiapers produces biodegradable gWipes that are gentle yet durable.  Whether you believe gDiapers really offers a good solution to disposable versus cloth diapering (I don’t), the wipes are useful for “head-to-toe softness”.

At gdiapers we love babies and the planet. gwipes are hypoallergenic and just right for sensitive skin. they’re fragrance-free, alcohol-free and all-natural. gwipes clean gently with a touch of aloe vera and vitamin e. wipe up messy mouths and sticky fingers. clean up dirty feet and wet bottoms. use them on every part of your baby. best of all, gwipes are biodegradable.gwipes can be home composted (wet ones only, please) or thrown away. put the poop in the toilet and toss the baby wipe. you can breathe easier knowing that a gwipe will break down much faster than other disposable baby wipes on the market.

Even though I no longer have diapering babes, I do find wipes are handy to keep in the car for clean ups on the road.  Since I do use them around my children’s mouths and noses, natural and scent-free is crucial.

Would I buy this product?  Yes, but I do think you can get away with simply using a wet washcloth for diapering and clean ups to end your disposable, single-use habits.

Disclosure:  The products described above were sent to us as free samples, unless noted differently in the review.  Prior assurances as to the nature of the reviews, whether positive or negative, were not given.  No financial payments were accepted in exchange for the reviews.  The reviews reflect our honest, authentic opinions.