Top 10 Green Kids Gifts Under $20

Green Gifts for Kids Under $20 | Eco-Mothering.com

Still have some last-minute shopping to do for the kids? Here are 10 fun and eco-friendly gift ideas that won’t break the budget. Save More Money: Receive 10% off your total purchase from the Ultimate Green Store now though December 31, 2013. Use the coupon code GREENLIVING at checkout. (This discount only pertains to items #1, 6 and 9 below or anything else you buy from The Ultimate Green Store.)   Recycled Cuff Bracelet Starter Kit, $19.95 Organic Bird Rattles, $10 Green Toys Recycling Truck, 19.99 Clementine Natural Modeling Dough, $9.99 CitiBlocs Hot Colors Building Blocks, $15.99 (50 pieces) AON BOX portable speakers, $19.95 (current sale price)   Make Your Own Winter Fairy, $17.98 Melissa & Doug Dinosaur Stamp Set, $9.99 Wire + Bead Kit, $19.95 Toddler Snail Measuring Tape, $18.50   This post is featured on Simple Lives Thursday, Small Footprint Friday, Simply Natural Saturdays and Natural Family Friday.  

“The Magical World of Sebella” Children’s Book

The Magical World of Sebella | Eco-Mothering.com

This fall I started reading the Harry Potter books to my seven-year-old daughter. Like me, she quickly fell in love with the wizarding world of Hogwarts. Unfortunately, we had to stop after book three because I feel book four’s child death is too heavy for her to handle. The reading has not stopped, however. Sofie is now getting her magic fix with a chapter book called “The Magical World of Sebella: The Magic Castle” by Thea Berg. Geared for children ages 7-11, the book is about a young witch named Sebella who lives in a house once owned by an infamous magician. Naturally, strange things happen in the house: a statue comes to life; secret portals are revealed; and an All-Powerful Magician requests their services. Will Sebella and her friends save the Magic Castle? I love magical books for children. They usually maintain the belief that anything is possible, that … Continue reading

Reading Fun on International Children’s Book Day

Children's Picture Books | Eco-Mothering

My sisters and I grew up with a love of books, and I seem to have instilled the same in Sofie. We’ve been reading together since she was three months old, and just this past year, she began to read on her own. That makes me a little sad, because I know pretty soon she might hole up in her room with a book for hours. And not need me at all. Apron strings aside, this is a wonderful thing. That she is so easily transported into another world through an author’s words and her imagination. I see years of reading joy ahead of Sofie. And that’s what International Children’s Book Day (ICBD) is about. Recognized on April 2 since 1967 (the approximate birthday of Hans Christian Andersen), ICBD is meant to call attention to children’s books. Each year, a different country chooses the theme, the message and poster. For … Continue reading

PRODUCT GIVEAWAY: Eco-Friendly Stickers That Turn Boxes into Toys

  These eco-friendly stickers from Box Play are made from 100% recycled materials, and they add a clever twist to household cardboard headed for the recycle bin. Turn toilet paper and paper towel tubes, macaroni boxes, milk and egg cartons into toys the kids can use (or bears, for that matter). Enter the raffle below for a chance to win some of these fun stickers. Want more ideas for eco-friendly toys this holiday season? View my Top 25 Green Gifts for Kids. Giveaway Closed Disclosure: Thanks to Microempowering.org for providing free samples for review and for a reader giveaway. As always, all thoughts and opinions are my own. To enter, follow the instructions above. Winner receives a pack of 4 stickers: binoculars, rocket ship, camera and tractor.

Top 25 Green Gifts for Kids

Just in time for the holiday season, here is my top 25 list of eco-friendly toys and goodies for kids. The items listed here range in price from $5 to $3,000 with most in the $15-$25 range. Almost all items are gender neutral with toys for infants up to age 10. From sliding boards of corrugated cardboard to dolls that give birth, today’s green gifts go way beyond simple handmade crafts. Check out the products below and you’ll see that nowadays, giving green can be pretty darn cool! ECO-FRIENDLY HEIRLOOM STUFFED ANIMALS from Rope Swing Studio,* $5-$35. Creator Elizabeth Swing scours thrift shops for gently used fabrics that she repurposes into uniquely designed stuffed animals. 90% of her animals are made from recycled materials and she’s aiming for 100%. Materials range from muslin to yarn to cotton to recycled sweaters! Each adorable animal has its own name and story; Elizabeth will … Continue reading

Dive Into Reading with These Eco Stories for Kids

Combining my love of writing with my environmental passions, I’ve been working on some ideas for green-themed children’s fiction. While nonfiction books on this subject tend to hog the spotlight, there are fiction stories to be found that incorporate eco-issues from recycling and global warming to pollution and energy conservation. Here’s a random selection of some books I came across as the result of my research, listed alphabetically by title. I’m adding many to mine and Sofie’s “must-read” list. The Adventures of an Aluminum Can: A Story About Recycling by Alison Inches (2009) – Told in diary format from the point of view of an aluminum can, this picture book shows the journey of the can from bauxite rock to manufacturing plant to garbage can to new life as a baseball bat. The author has two other green-themed picture books, including The Adventures of a Plastic Bottle. Ages 4-8. The … Continue reading

To Barbie or Not To Barbie? What’s an Eco Feminist Mother To Do?

I have a confession. Yesterday, I bought my daughter a Barbie. Once upon a time, I swore there’d be no Barbies in our house so that Sofie would be free from cultural feminine stereotypes and negative messages about her body. But lately, with Barbie Fever running rampant through her peers, I’ve been rethinking my position. Perhaps I’m melting under pressure of her soulful, pleading face as she suggests to me that maybe one day, when she’s big enough, she can have her own Barbie. Or perhaps it’s due to a vision of my anorexic, fake-blond adult daughter one day informing her therapist that all her body image issues stem from having never been allowed to own the coveted doll. There is some truth to that. I know that the forbidden object only increases in its desirability and, therefore, its effect. And similar to the toy gun issue … even if … Continue reading

ARSENIC AND OLD WOOD: Which Swing Sets Are Safest?

My husband and I have decided it’s time to get our daughter a swing set. Swinging is her favorite thing to do. If Sofie were in charge, we’d never leave the playground. At school, she spends much of her day amusing herself on the wooden play structures, inside and out. Just imagine the free time having a structure in our yard might provide us! I grew up with one of those metal swing sets that are abundant on craigslist these days. However they are merely that — swings and a slide. No climbing structure for agility. No clubhouse for imaginative play. Mike and I provide Sofie with much mental and emotional stimulation. Our chosen swing set needs to provide a good physical outlet to maintain her interest outdoors. So the next decision then is wood or plastic? My instinct was to assume wood was the greener choice, however, that’s not … Continue reading