Safe, Educational Toys Under the Tree

I am sure you are all busy with your holiday shopping. Some of you may be done already. Some of you may have been up at the crack of dawn on Monday waiting in lines for the best deals of the year. Not me- I have only done that once, and that is all it took for me to decide that I would never do it again. Others of you may be like me and just now thinking about it. So what now, you are starting to think about it, but where do you start? I went online today to a major toy store to search for musical toys...there were almost 8,000 choices. How overwhelming. I clicked off the site without looking at even one thing. Who has time to look through 8,000 toys and then try to determine if they are safe? Like most of you busy parents I have a very limited time to do anything on my computer, so when I find something I like I try to share it with other people who I know are just as busy as me.

Here is a list of some of my favorite toys that are American made:

Calliope: Great pull toy - and a great music toy with removable wood whistles that can be blown to make 3 distinct sounds. 7" long. Selected by Toy Tips and Early Childhood News as Best Toy. Made in USA. http://www.gigglefliggle.com/Toddler_pull_toy_p/gf-134.htm

Animal Dominoes: Matching games help build mental ability. Children 3 to 8 can sharpen their color-matching and pair-matching skills with a set of animal dominoes. Made from hard maple with non-toxic colorful finishes. Each domino is 1-1/4" wide, 2-1/2" long and 7/16" thick and comes in a clear reusable tube—great for storing. Instructions included. Made in the USA. http://www.gigglefliggle.com/product_p/gf-50406.htm

Dado Cubes: Dado combines art and science as you explore architectural principles . . . proportion, balance, structure and color. A new twist on classic building blocks, Dado engages your imagination as the slits on each cube are interlocked to create an unlimited number of three-dimensional structures. Constructed horizontally, vertically or nested together, Dado invites visual spatial development and problem solving through design-centered, attention-grabbing fun! Made in USA. http://www.gigglefliggle.com/Dado_Cubes_combine_art_and_science_p/gf-024-0.htm

Giant Castle Blocks: Kids will spend hours building life-size castles and fortresses with these sturdy blocks. Constructed of lightweight corrugated cardboard, if the blocks tumble, no one gets hurt! In addition to our award-winning basic blocks, these sets contain arch pieces, castle door/drawbridge pieces and turrets. The blocks are printed with non-toxic inks and with their water-resistant coating are strong and durable for years of creative play. Ages 18 mos.+ Adult assembly required. Made in USA. http://www.gigglefliggle.com/product_p/gf-2032.htm

Math Puzzle: Designed by a teacher, this clever area-based puzzle teaches addition with just 10 pieces. Note that the "two" piece is twice as big as the "one"? If the two and the one are laid atop the three piece, they match the size and shape of the three, and so forth. All the combinations work. Made in USA. http://www.gigglefliggle.com/Math_Puzzle_p/gf-1352.htm

Color Cube: This 2-1/4" cube is our colorful version of the classic Soma Cube puzzzle. Stuff a holiday stocking or carry a surprise in your pocket for your favorite young puzzle-master. Pieces are made from maple and colored with a non-toxic stain. Recommended for ages 6 and up. Made in the USA. This is even fun for adults, and is a lot harder than you would think. It will keep your kids busy for a while and once they get it back together, they probably will not be able to get it again right away. http://www.gigglefliggle.com/product_p/gf-50240.htm

Kids will have fun matching the blocks to the holes in our shape sorter. Twenty hard maple blocks come in four primary shapes and colors and fit into hardwood top mounted to rugged screw-top plastic jar. Overall size approximately 6" high x 6" diameter. Made in USA. http://www.gigglefliggle.com/product_p/gf-73030.htm

Join Zack Hammer in South America as he builds a truss bridge to help villagers reach their town and doctor and build dome-shaped homes to provide warm, strong shelter for everyone in the village. You can use your Zome pieces to create your own shapes. This 10-page booklet explains 2 different activities you can complete using the 51 Zome pieces attached in a drawstring pouch. Ages 6+. Made in USA.
http://www.gigglefliggle.com/product_p/gf-z72.htm

Let's Count Our Blessings- American Made Toys

Here we are the week before Thanksgiving. This is my favorite time of the year. The leaves have changed colors and the air is crisp and next week our homes will be filled with friends and family enjoying a Thanksgiving feast.
As we gather around the dining room table we will all take a moment to be thankful for the many blessings in our lives. Then we will cut that turkey and the craziness will begin. The kids will start fighting about who gets the wishbone before the first piece of turkey even hits a plate. "He got more than me" comes next. "I don't like that" (he has never even tried it!) And before you know it the dinner that you worked on all morning is over in what seems like minutes. Then we all rush off to either watch football or take a nap..hey who is going to do the dishes?
After a long day of cooking, eating, napping, eating, football, eating (you get the picture) we all wake up at the crack of dawn for all the holiday sales.
Wow, what a scare that can be, not just because people can be really scary at 5am after standing in line to get into the big sale, but how in the world are we supposed to know if the toys we buy our kids are safe??? Last year it was lead and this year it is phthalates (found in plastic toys). Are these people serious? What is going on here?
We decided last year to buy American made products whenever possible especially toys for our son. It was really hard for us to find American made toys last year. They are out there you just have to look for them. We became so dedicated to this effort that we launched a website selling American made toys for kids of all ages (http://www.gigglefliggle.com/).

Even when buying American made toys you should still keep in mind the following safety tips:

Make sure the toys you are buying are appropriate for the child's age.

Avoid small toys for children under three. The rule of thumb is if a toy will fit through a toilet paper roll it is a choking hazard.

If you are buying at a second hand store check the recall list at http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/category/toy.html

Read lables- some lables will say "made in America with imported parts". You can even go a step further and call the manufacturer and ask them if everything on the toy was made in America.

Play with your kids- we all know how much our kids love to play. It is so fun to play with them and watch them as they learn through their play.

One more thing...enjoy this season. It goes so fast so don't rush to clean up after your Thanksgiving dinner. That bird can stay out a while without spoiling.