'Go Play Outside' Guide!

Olivia becomes a different person in the great outdoors. She springs to life and is joyful in ways that transcend the barriers of enclosed spaces. (As seen in the jubilant photo above). I was the same way growing up. I LIVED outside from dawn until dusk, and was only lured back indoors by my mom yelling, "DINNER!" out the front door.

I think it's vital that we give our children the same experience we had in our youth of the outdoors and nature. While the days of innocence -- where we could let our kids roam free, unchaperoned in the neighborhood for hours on end may be gone, sadly, that doesn't mean we need to clip their wings to a childhood of remaining inside playing video games.

Grandparents.com has a wonderful guide: Go Play Outside featuring 97 ideas for outdoor fun. Go download this guide for simple, sweet ways to experience nature and the great wide open with your kids.

As evidenced today on a walk from our car to the library, a child had drawn a simple hopscotch chalk drawing on the sidewalk, and Olivia gleefully hopped on it and counted the squares. Kids love the simple things. Now get thee outside!

NEW! Non-Toxic Teethers from AVENT

Teething goes on for years... literally. We have bought Olivia more teethers than we can count, and the one thing they all have in common is that they don't provide relief to specific areas of her teeth and gums. For instance, those giant O teething rings that you refrigerate are pretty useless. When Olivia put them in her mouth as a tiny baby, it was nearly impossible for her to maneuver them into the right spot to find some relief!

That's why I am thrilled with AVENT's new line of teethers... and I wish we'd had them sooner. Each teether is designed to target a specific area in a baby's tiny mouth: teeth in front, teeth in the middle, and the teeth in the back. The teether pictured here focuses on baby's two front teeth, and you can imagine how easy it is for a wee one to hold it just so for a nice, relief filled chomping session.

Philips AVENT teethers are BPA-free, they may be cooled to help soothe sore gums, and they vary in texture to help stimulate baby's senses. These teethers are available in both a Classic (seen/discussed here) and Animal collection. Available at Babies R Us, Amazon, and Target.

Outdoor Hideaway Made from Old Windows!

What I would give for a backyard! And I'd be even more ecstatic if said backyard featured the super cool, super eco hideaway seen above! A Design*Sponge reader submitted the masterpiece shown above, which is made from a pile of old windows she was left with after having new windows installed. I love that instead of trashing her old windows, she created this lovely haven, ideal for reading or enjoying drinks at sunset! Or, it even looks a bit like a situation room where couples could go to solve a problem or devise a master plan in solitude. Or, perhaps you could just go in there and scream at the top of your lungs, taking a break from the insanity of the day? Whatever the case, I want one.

Nina and Tom Family Fashion

I am loving Nina and Tom Family Fashion. They have an adorable selection of organic cotton clothing for the entire family. The ABCs organic T-shirt seen above would be so perfect for any tot... they can sing their ABCs and look no further than their little belly to learn upper and lowercase letters.

I'd like to wear their 24 .7. 365 = Mom organic T-shirt. How appropriate is that?

But my absolute fave has to be their, "I'm This Many Birthday T-shirt." "The Original Number Birthday T-shirt, since 2005. An unique and special lap-t or t-shirt for a special child. Comes in ages 1-5. A great birthday present (or to warn the world LOL)"

Ha ha, some days a "2" on Olivia's T-shirt is all the explanation one would need...

A Sausage Dog for Vegetarians

How cute is this handmade Dachshund, made from original, vintage 1950s atomic age fabric? If your tots are begging you to get a pet, let them try this little guy from Alice Apple on for size. He's hip, stylish, housebroken, and so suitable for loooooong snuggles.

Happy Father's Day

Happy Father's Day to my husband and all great dads.

The Butter Flying: Handmade Pink Raindrops Mobile

The lyrics "rain, rain go away, come again another day" have an entirely different meaning when you reside in a cloudy, precipitation filled climate. Alas, if you can't beat the raindrops, you may as well incorporate them into your lifestyle. The Pink Drops mobile, from Etsy shop, The Butter Flying, is handmade from a found branch, recycled paper and paint chips. Artist, Sylvie makes an array of delicate, whimsical mobiles that would make refreshing decor for a child's bedroom or in any room in your home. I like that she celebrates rain in her creations, making it cheery and colorful, like splashing in puddles instead of running for cover.

Eco Lips - Organic, Edible Lip Balms for Kids

Remember all of the fruity lip balms you inadvertently gobbled up as a kid? 'Mmm, root beer flavor,' you'd say, as you licked your lips before re-applying another gloppy, generous coat. Now that we're more aware of the need for pure, non-toxic ingredients in our personal products, we should make sure our little ones are swiping only the best across their sweet little mouths.

Eco Lips has a wonderful line of organic, 'Pure & Simple' lip balms in fruity flavors kids will love: grape, kiwi-strawberry and coconut. Their ingredients are 100% edible. Not to say we should encourage our kids to bite into a rolled up stick, but it's nice to know that whatever they naturally ingest from wearing Eco Lips is safe.

The Pure & Simple line contains the following ingredients:

organic sunflower seed oil, organic beeswax, organic flavor and Vitamin E (D-Alpha Tocopherol). They never contain carmine, lead, gluten, lanolin, petroleum, GMOs, hydrogenated oils or any other ingredients that compromise the health of consumers or the environment. All products are cruelty-free, and each tube costs just $1.99.

Eco Lips makes much more than safe, yummy lip balms for kids. Be sure to check out their handy Face Stick with SPF 30, which comes in a tube with a clip to easily tote on outings.

They also make a great medicinal organic lip balm containing an "effective herbal blend of organic tea tree oil, lysine, organic calendula and organic lemon balm which are known to aid in the healing of cold sores."

Eco Lips has your kids mouths covered... now if only we could get what comes out of their mouths to be so pure and sweet!

500 Pieces of Prudent Advice for My Baby Daughter

I happened across an amazing blog I had to share with you. 500 Pieces of Prudent Advice for My Baby Daughter is filled with the loving kindness and hard earned wisdom that moms are so good at passing on to their children. Every piece of advice makes me smile. This will become part of my daily reading, since I am still growing up every day and need to learn as much as I can on this crazy, wonderful journey called life... to be a better person and mother for my own daughter. I hope your heart smiles at this site as much as mine has.


image credit: Ed Ruscha 1976

BPA free, Non-toxic Children's Plates from Smiling Planet

I can still remember a bowl I ate cereal out of as a young child. It had a picturesque scene of bunnies running around at the bottom, and the rim was lined with tiny animals. When I saw the BPA free earth friendly plates from Smiling Planet, I was immediately reminded of that sweet bowl from my youth.

Smiling Planet plates contain no lead, phthalates, and no toxic inks. I like that their whimsical designs will encourage kids to eat everything off of their plates, to reveal the hidden picture or message. One of them even says, "Make Your Mother Happy." And yes, if my darling Olivia ate everything I put on her plate, I would indeed be happy.

Kid Bean's Livos SALIS Natural Hemp Finger Paints

Olivia's love of art continues to blossom, and we're constantly looking for eco-conscious ways to introduce new mediums into her repertoire. The Livos SALIS Natural Hemp Finger Paints Set for Kids is hands down (literally) the best finger painting set you can buy for your tot. They'll have a blast leaving their finger, hand, and footprints all over the place (well, hopefully just on designated surfaces!) with these paints, the planet won't have to pay a price for their masterpieces, and they are totally safe and chemical free.

With Father's Day approaching, a wonderful gift idea would be to have your baby or tot decorate a canvas, or Father's Day card with his or her hands and footprints. Another great use for finger paints: buy recycled paper reams and have your child decorate them with hand prints, then use the paper with a personal touch for gift wrapping throughout the year.

Here are the exemplary attributes of Livos SALIS Natural Hemp Fingerpaints:

• Made from biodynamically-grown German hempseed oil
• Colors are made from natural mineral pigments
• Use on paper, glass, stone, or wood
• May be applied with fingers, brushes, sponges, cotton swabs, string or other applicators
• NO VOCs
• Lead-free
• Packaged in a recycled paperboard box

The set includes 1.7 fl. oz. glass bottles of paint in shades of black, blue, green, red, white, and yellow. Recommended for children 3+.

You may purchase these paints from Kid Bean.

GREEN FATHER'S DAY GIFT GUIDE

Wondering what to get your hip, eco-conscious dad for Father's Day? Check out our resident cool dad, Desmond's top picks over at Inhabitots!

Recycle Block Styrofoam Packaging!

Block Styrofoam packaging is a real monster - just see the photo above. It serves its purpose of buffering electronics in boxes, but how many of us try to break it down, then deal with tiny bits of Styrofoam flying everywhere, all while shoving it into the trashcan to end up in a landfill?

That's why when I heard the good news, that two facilities in Portland recycle block Styrofoam packaging and use it to create building materials, I had to pass along the information!

Pacific Land Clearing and Total Reclaim will recycle your clean, block Styrofoam.

I guess it's reasons like this that make Portland the greenest city in America!

NEW! Stonyfield Yobaby Yogurt Gets a Boost

You may have noticed that Yobaby yogurt has a new look. Celebrating their 10 year anniversary, Stonyfield has decided to upgrade their Yobaby yogurt line by reformulating it to include Vitamin D and zinc: both boost immunity and promote the development of strong bones and teeth.

In addition to being an extremely picky eater, Olivia won't drink cow's milk, or soy milk, so we have been making sure she gets her calcium intake from Yobaby yogurt since she was six months old. She consistently devours every flavor of Yobaby, so it has been a foolproof go-to snack for us to give her. Yobaby is certified organic and made with milk from cows not treated with antibiotics or artificial growth hormones. Another great thing about yogurt is that it's easier for babies to digest than straight cow's milk.

Additionally, Dr. Sears, our guru pediatrician endorses Yobaby and feeds it to his own children.

Click here to sign up to receive coupons for Yobaby yogurt. Your kids will love it!

Eco-Cutey Photo Contest on Inhabitots!

Do you have the cutest 'green' baby in the whole world? Enter him/her in the Inhabitots Eco-Cutey photo contest, and show off your earth-loving tot! Click here to find out how to enter!

Seventh Generation Natural Fabric Softener Sheets

I stopped using fabric softener sheets a long time ago, when I realized they were a detriment to the environment. You can tell we don't use dryer sheets in our house, because we often walk around with a serious case of hair-raising static cling. But, I figured that was a small price to pay to help take a baby step to protect the planet.

Seventh Generation now offers Natural Fabric Softener Sheets: chlorine free, unbleached brown paper sheets made from plant derived agents. They are biodegradable and recyclable or compostable after use. Choose from their Free & Clear variety or their Blue Eucalyptus and Lavender variety. Both work really well, but I prefer the Blue Eucalyptus and Lavender sheets because they leave clothes smelling like you just left a spa visit, and couldn't we all use a little Zen wherever we can get it?

I love that Seventh Generation is always finding ways for consumers to continue using the products they love while also managing to leave a lighter footprint. I guess my future antics won't be so hair-raising.

Payless Zoe & Zac Eco-friendly Shoes

By now, you know I'm a huge fan of mainstream companies going green. Payless ShoeSource, you know, the place where you used to buy white satin pumps before dyeing them to match your prom dress, has gone green with their new(ish) line: Zoe & Zac. Their entire women and girl's collection is filled with eco-friendly, sustainably made shoes that cost under $30.

Temperatures are soaring, and with summer right around the corner, this justifies the purchase of some new, cooler kicks. The Zoe & Zac line has cute ballet flats, wedges, fancy flip flops, and lightweight sneakers. The shoes are made from green materials including: organic cotton, recycled rubber, water based, non-toxic glues, hemp, nickel free hardware, elastic made from recycled plastic bottles, and jute.

Go visit Zoe & Zac and treat yourself to some new eco shoes!

Holztiger Handcrafted Toy Elephant

It's no secret that we love elephants, and this figurine by Holztiger would enable me to put one of these giants in the playful palm of Olivia's hand. Made of maple wood, it is hand painted with non-toxic water based paints, and all sharp edges have been softened. Buy one here and satiate your pachyderm penchant.

Nordic Naturals: The Best, Tastiest Omega-3 Supplements for Kids!

I'm a huge fan of Dr. Sears and a subscriber to his online newsletter. He's always touting the benefits of omega-3 essential fatty acids, DHA and EPA for the healthy development of children, so I scoured the market for the very best of these supplements to give Olivia. Nordic Naturals is top notch and their children's line of supplements is sure to please the palates of your children. There's no need to look any further than Nordic Naturals, as I've done the research for you!

A vitamin or supplement is only going to work if your child will actually take it. Mention "fish oil" and they'll typically go running, screaming in the other direction (so would I, quite frankly). But Nordic Naturals actually taste delicious, (the gummies taste like candy), so kids will eagerly pop them in their mouths to reap their benefits. They are also gluten free, and free of artificial colorings, flavorings and preservatives.

A few of the many benefits of omega-3s DHA and EPA:

• Fish Oil is linked to improved learning, memory and spelling ability
• DHA & EPA (omega-3s) support normal brain development, cell membrane flexibility, visual and nervous system function, and they help improve focus, mood and disposition
• Nordic Naturals supplements provide the safest way to ingest omega-3 fatty acids without having to worry about mercury levels in fish

Another thing I love about Nordic Naturals as a company is their sustainability practices and environmental awareness. They adhere to the strict fishing policies of the Norwegian government, and they only fish from abundant waters, utilizing species of fish that are flourishing. None of the fish species they use are endangered: sardines, anchovies, Norwegian Arctic cod. Their fish oils are 750 times purer than fish, so they provide all of the health benefits of omega-3s with no risk of toxicity.

In addition to promoting the wellness of individuals via their fish oils, Nordic Naturals donates to over a dozen organizations including La Leche League, Toys for Tots, Autism Speaks, and Save Our Shores.

As members of the 'green' movement, we should all support companies such as Nordic Naturals, which go above and beyond in their production of the highest quality products, while making sure to protect the planet with their business practices and ethics.

Kids benefit greatly from omega-3s, and there are many shoddy supplement options on the market, but with Nordic Naturals, you can rest assured you're getting the very best for your child.

Visit the Nordic Naturals site to find the age appropriate supplement for your child. While you're there, be sure to check out their entire product line which includes great fish oil supplements for pregnant and breastfeeding women.