Here is an interesting article in today's New York Times about the prevalence of organic foods in mainstream America. You can click on the title of this post to get to the article, or copy and paste the URL into your browser. http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/03/dining/03crun.html?pagewanted=1&th&emc=th ... continue reading...
Magic Castle
The Ryan's Room/Small World Toys Majestic Castle and Mighty Knights is a big hit in our home. The castle is quite large and can be arranged in a square or straight line. Many knights come with this wooden castle, perhaps gearing the toy to boys. My daughter quicky added her toy princesses and the fun began! The drawbridge comes up and down by turning a wooden peg connected to strings. On a few occassions, the drawbridge string has become entangled and the bridge would not lower the whole way ... continue reading...
Band in a Box
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 ... continue reading...
Learning to Read
About a month ago, my daughter began reading. I searched and searched the internet for early reading books for her. I consulted my teacher friends, none of which knew of any good commercially available early reader books. As a former elementary school teacher, I knew that early reading experiences were important to buid the child's confidence and enthusiasm for reading. Shopping on Amazon.com, I discovered Bob Books. Bob Books were created by a kindergarten teacher. These books build upon ... continue reading...
Mini Silk Parachute
Available through Magic Cabin, the Mini Silk Parachute is a relatively inexpensive, simple toy. At a cost of $11.95, this is one natural toy that is affordable. Initially, I thought the toy needed to be dropped from a tall place (perfect for our loft balcony); however, through play we have discovered the parchute can be tossed into the air. Running on endless kid power, the silk parachute is a favorite in my household. Being made of silk and gauze, the parachute is somewhat delicate. The ... continue reading...