2009 December | Inhabitots

GREAT GIFTS FOR KIDS OF ALL KINDS!

by Desmond Williams, 12/08/09

Each kid on your holiday list has a different personality. There are the busybodies, the intellectuals, the sports nuts and the trend sensitive. And as if shopping for these types wasn’t difficult enough, there are also those who further confuse things by changing likes and dislikes as frequently as the wind blows. As such, the Great Gifts for Kids of all Kinds gift guide seen after the jump should help you navigate the tricky retail waters — gift receipts are always a good idea in case your gift recipient changes his/her taste between now and the New Year.

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7 Eco-friendly Stocking Stuffers for Green Kids!

by Jennifer Chait, 12/07/09

The stockings were hung by the chimney with care… stuffed chock full of great green toys and treats! We’ve got you covered when it comes to finding the perfectly sized, hugely fun stocking stuffers for green babies and tots. Here are 7 eco-friendly stocking stuffers that are sure to delight!

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GREEN GIFT GUIDE: Eco-Gifts for Tots

by Beth Shea, 12/07/09

The holidays are just around the corner, and we have compiled the ultimate green gift guide to help you find the perfect, eco-friendly gifts for all of the eco tots on your ‘nice’ list! Our amazing green gift guide for tots highlights treasures that will leave every tiny recipient wowed. From gourmet play kitchens, aromatic play clay and a sleek rocking chair to ‘outside the box’ offerings such as a zoo membership — there’s something for every teeny greenie on your list — so check out the green gift guide for tots now!

+ GREEN GIFTS FOR TOTS GUIDE

Adorable Mismatched Baby Socks made from Recycled Cotton

by Jasmin Malik Chua, 12/06/09

Life is too short for matching socks, says Vermont’s Sock Lady, especially if you’re less than 3 feet tall. Her colorful multi-patterned, mismatched socks, made in the United States from recycled cotton, are bundled in sets of five: two pairs and a spare. Available in sizes for babies 6 months to 2 years, the wee footies come in four color schemes, all of which will make post-laundry sock-matching far less of a chore for harried parents — and sock-wearing a great deal more fun for tiny toes.

+ Infant Socks $20 for five

+ Solmate Socks

Wooden Block Math Kit from Tree Blocks

We love Tree Blocks and all the innovative designs they use to turn trees into toys and educational tools. The Tree Blocks Wooden Block Math Kit will help teach your child mathematics in an engaging way with fun, hands-on learning. Like all Tree Blocks products, no trees were harmed to make this math kit. All Tree …

Upcycled Nautical Sail Stockings

Etsy artisan Katherine Rasmussen upcycles sailboat sails into totes, purses, messenger bags, pillows and accessories, all available via her Reiter8 Etsy shop. She’s adding sail stockings to her inventory for the holidays. Available in white canvas with red stars or stripes, we’re delighted we caught wind of these stockings to …

Picnica’s Reusable Tote Doubles as a Stuffed Bunny Toy

No matter how you hype them, a reusable bag is a reusable bag. Picnica’s lightweight nylon tote, however, transforms into an adorable stuffed rabbit when it’s not in use. Distract a fidgety tot with the bunny while you’re cruising along the supermarket aisle, then unzip its back at the cash register to enlist ol’ Bugs in some heavy lifting.

+ Picnica Bunny Tote Bag $30 at A+R Store

via Daily Candy

Inhabitots Link Roundup of the Week

Three Potato Four sings the praises of sweet music boxes handcrafted from classic vintage cheese crates.

Little Miss Heirlooms offers a decoupage frame tutorial using vintage book illustrations — a perfect DIY holiday gift!

Petite Planet shows us how to craft a ‘gingerbread’ house out of an empty milk carton and graham crackers!

Growing a Green …

Camp Twin Lakes Treehouse is a Green Utopia for Special Needs Kids

Camp Twin Lakes in Rutledge, Georgia, a non-profit organization which opened in 1993, “provides places and paths for children with serious illnesses and life challenges to experience the joys of childhood and grow in their confidence and capabilities.” A new, eco-friendly, majestic treehouse, designed by Amy Leathers of Lord, Aeck & Sargent was just added to the ‘Wild Side’ — a secluded part of the camp’s site. Here, immersed in rustic nature, camp goers may revel in twisty slides, climbing nets, a zip line and trap doors throughout the wheelchair accessible treehouse — while also learning about green living via the sustainably designed features inherent in the treehouse and in its Utopian woodsy backdrop.

‘Deep Into the Forest’ Game from Kid O

The deep woods adventure possibilities for Kid O’s Deep Into the Forest Game are endless — with several scene cards and a whole habitat of woodland creatures, all made from sustainably grown wood and recycled cardstock. The object is to determine which animal is placed deeper into the forest — great for honing kids’ spatial recognition skills. But more than likely, …

M112 Pod Shipping Container Miniatures by Paris Renfroe Design

Paris Renfroe Design offers interior design services and custom and re-purposed furniture with a focus on industrial modernism. Recently, a collection of diminutive dwellings for dolls has emerged from the design house — amazing shipping container miniatures with plenty of mod mini furniture pieces to outfit their interiors. The 1:12 scale replica M112 Pods are based on actual shipping containers that have been converted into green living spaces — in human, not doll-sized reality. Abandoned shipping containers are become a popular resource for green building, for use in condo, dorm, residential and commercial construction. M112 Pod tiny shipping container homes are an amazing way to highlight the coolness of shipping container living, and they are great, green dollhouses for children, as well as collectible items for adults with a penchant for cutting-edge green design.

Eco-Friendly Shadow Portraits Make Unique, Green Holiday Gifts

A sweet gift for birthdays, anniversaries, holidays, and anything in between, these one-of-a-kind custom silhouettes are the perfect way to pay homage to a cherished tot for someone you love. (You’ll have doting grandparents eating out of the palm of your hand, trust us.) Each print is hand-drawn, then digitally created on archival paper made from 80% post-consumer recycled stock. You can purchase your portrait as is or ready …

WIN IT WEDNESDAY! Win a Ladybug Wheely Bug Ride-On Toy!

Freewheeling tots love to be on the move, and we’re giving away the sweetest ride-on toy for your little cruiser — a Ladybug Wheely Bug valued at $59.99 from eco-friendly, one-stop shop for babies and children, Franklin Goose! Wouldn’t this festive little lady look sweet under your Christmas tree this holiday? The Wheely Bug is comprised of a PVC-free faux leather body which sits atop a base made of renewable plantation timber. Its multidirectional casters enable little riders to move unimpeded in every direction for endless fun! Enter to win after the jump!

Eco-Friendly Fabric Book Helps Green Kids Learn Their ABCs

Learning your ABCs is E for Easy with this eco-friendly fabric picture book by Pilosale. Embroidered with the alphabet on its 100% linen cover and lined with organic cotton, the pillowy tome sandwiches felt pages made from recycled soda bottles. Each page features a photo image (B for Bird, C for Cloud) that represents every letter from A to Z. We give it an A …

Kid & Eco-friendly LED Motherboard Menorah by Roni Kabessa

Kids and candlelight don’t mix — so thankfully the LED Motherboard Menorah by designer Roni Kabessa lets families ‘light’ the Menorah each night of Hanukkah without worrying about an open flame. A panel on the back of the Menorah controls each of the nine, kid and earth-friendly LED lights, which are powered by a 9 …