2011 October | Inhabitots

The Switch Witch: Solving the Halloween Candy Conundrum

by Pamela Alma Weymouth, 10/31/11

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6 Scary Home Air Pollutants to Avoid This Halloween

by Jennifer Chait, 10/31/11

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Hans Andersson Builds Clever Time Twister LEGO Mindstorms Digital Clock

by Desmond Williams, 10/31/11

Though the Mindstorms sub-brand of the LEGOLAND empire is specifically intended to catalyze complex thoughts in the minds of young builders, adults love getting in on the game. And this Time Twsiter clock, with its self-solving Rubix algorithm designed by Hans Andersson, is a prime example of grown-up trigonometrical tinkering at work. Click through to see a video of the masterpiece working.

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Plan Toys Wooden Baby Activity Gym Collapses to Save Space

by Julie Seguss, 10/30/11

The average baby activity gym is a large, cumbersome and bright-colored plastic plaything, which often takes up residence in your living room for months on end. Hello eyesore! Plan Toys Baby Activity Gym on the other hand is minimalist, wooden, and collapses so you can easily stash it under the couch or in a closet after playtime is over. The mirror, rattle, and bird and bee grasping toys make it equally engaging however. Plan Toys is one of our favorite eco-friendly toy makers – their offerings are made from renewable rubberwood and non-toxic paints and finishes.

+ Baby Activity Gym $79.99

+ Plan Toys

Amy Butler’s Little Daisy’s Big Nap Pillow is a Perfect Playmat

If you’re skilled on the sewing machine, check out this whimsical pattern from Amy Butler. The artist and designer known for her beautiful fabric prints, created this sweet giant flower pillow pattern that is sure to grow with your child from babyhood to toddlerhood and beyond. Little Daisy’s Big Nap Pillow has a Peek-a-Boo pocket in the back that’s home to a spider plush toy. We suggest making the DIY playmat pillow from scrap fabrics or old t-shirts and linens …

Judge Blocks Cell Phone Warnings in San Francisco

This week, Judge Alsup blocked most of a San Francisco ordinance that required warnings about cell phone safety risks, saying it violated the First Amendment. In his ruling, U.S. District Judge William Alsup blocked provisions of the ordinance that mandate large posters with warnings stating in bold that “studies continue to assess potential health effects of mobile phone use” and also disallowed warning stickers on in-store displays. Alsup did say that customers may be given “fact sheets” to discuss possible risks of cell phone use, but is insisting that some changes be made to the fact sheets so that they don’t mislead consumers into believing that cell phones are dangerous As of right now, there’s an open door (until November 30th) for San Francisco to update the fact sheet to the point where the Judge is happy with it.

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HOW TO: Make Easy Organic Candy Corn Cookies for Halloween

Homemade organic candy corn cookies are an easy Halloween treat to throw together, even at the last minute. These festive, colorful and fun cookies are simple, but kids will love them and adults will think they're clever. Whip up a batch to hand out to trick-or-treaters or make some for your child's Halloween party.

HOW TO: Make Reusable, Eco-Friendly Halloween Window Silhouettes

One of the reasons that children find Halloween so exciting is because there is something unusual and unexpected behind every corner. Once the trick-or-treaters have strolled past your homemade, recycled yard cemetery and meandered up your coffee bag Jack o' Lantern lined sidewalk, greet them with super-spooky window silhouettes that you made yourself. Our 30-minute project is made using nothing more than a roll of recycled paper and eco-friendly paint. Another plus: these window silhouettes are reusable. Simply remove them after Halloween, roll them up and store them until next year. Read on to learn how to make these spooky Halloween silhouettes with your little ones just in time for Halloween night.

Live Audience Watches Marni Kotak Give Birth to Baby X in Brooklyn Gallery

We recently told you about performance artist Marni Kotak’s latest exhibition- where she planned to give birth in a gallery in Brooklyn. Well, the performance has been completed. Twenty gallery visitors witnessed the miracle of life on October 25^th, when “Baby X” was born.

HOW TO: Make Homemade Halloween Face Paint

If your kid's Halloween costume calls for a painted face this year, take caution when considering the stock at your local Halloween store that's likely loaded with toxic ingredients. Instead make your own Halloween face paint, using two simple ingredients that will neither harm the planet or your precious little goblin. What's more, you probably have both of these ingredients in your cosmetic bag already. Read on to learn how to make a fun selection of face paints for fright night.

Green Snack Review: CLIF Kid Organic Zbar Crispy

If you've got the time, healthy homemade snacks are the way to go. That said, families today are busier than ever, and sometimes homemade snacks, even quick ones, are too much to manage. At times like these, you need a grab-and-go snack that's nutritious and so yummy that your kids will actually eat it. Enter CLIF Kids, makers of all sorts of delicious kid-friendly snacks that are healthy and ultra portable, including the new CLIF Kid Organic Zbar Crispy.

Star Trek Enterprise Feeding System is Out of This World

Trekkie parents, dinnertime just got out of this world! Get geeky with this Stark Trek Enterprise Feeding system. A space ship spoon with LED lights will get your little explorer interested in Operation: Peas and Carrots! The set is BPA and phthalate free – and a lot of fun.

7 Healthier and Safe Halloween Treats for Babies and Toddlers

Babies and toddlers enjoy Halloween as much as the next kid, but as a parent, you do need to take special precautions when it comes to Halloween treats. Most Halloween treats are packed with sugar, artificial colors and flavors and other icky stuff your little one doesn't need. Plus, many Halloween treats pose a very real choking hazard for young children. Your baby or toddler should not have hard candies, gooey chewy taffy-type candy, caramel apples, popcorn, gum, small candies (jelly beans, etc), gummy candy, pumpkin seeds or chocolates or cookies filled with nuts, peanut butter or honey. Also keep in mind that candy wrappers can be a choking hazard as well. Keep your eyes on your older child's loot - it should be kept out of reach of younger kids. Now that we've gotten all Grinchy on you and taken away all the "official" fun treats, what to do? Easy - your little one can still have yummy Halloween treats, just make sure they're safe. Keep reading to see some delicious and safe Halloween treats for babies and toddlers below.

Victoria van der Laan Crafts Beautiful Cloth Book of the Month Club

Victoria van der Laan has been making gorgeous custom cloth books and selling them through her Etsy store Ex Libris for a few years, but now she's working to produce multiple copies of six amazing books. Her new line of cloth books will be released monthly and available for purchase as a cloth book of the month club subscription for 3, 6, 9 or 12 months, or individually.

HOW TO: Make a Coffee Bag Halloween Jack o’ Lantern

Spending a weekend afternoon crafting spooky decor to entertain your friends, family and neighbors is much more fun than taking a trip to the Halloween store. Luckily, DIY crafts don't have to be complex to be cool. Take these simple Halloween Jack o' Lanterns for example. You can make them with items that you already have in your home, helping to save the planet, while building memories with your children. And, you can whip these up in no time to be ready for Halloween night. Read on to learn how to make these spooky lights using an empty coffee bag.

HOW TO: Make a DIY Baby Owl Halloween Costume

Aren't these owl baby twins a hoot? Last year, Shannon Stoughton turned her twin girls, Karsyn and McKinley, into eco-friendly little owls, earning the family second place in the 2010 Inhabitots Green Halloween Costume Contest. The two girls are wore hand-knitted owl beanies, and homemade wings and layers of handmade felt feathers that could be Velcroed on and off of their onesies. You'll need patience to create these adorable DIY baby costumes, but they don't require sewing skills. Read on to discover the secrets of making these owl Halloween costumes.

BPA Exposure Linked to Behavior and Emotional Problems in Young Girls

Yet again bisphenol A (BPA) has been linked to health problems in kids – only this time, research shows that BPA is affecting young girls in particular. The new study, conducted at Harvard School of Public Health and published at Pediatrics online, shows that BPA exposure in the womb is linked to later behavior and emotional problems in young girls. Young boys were affected as well, but minimally compared to young girls. Lead author Joseph Braun and his colleagues collected urine data from 244 mothers and their 3-year-olds and detected BPA in over 85% of the urine samples from the mothers and over 96% of the children’s urine samples. After surveying the mothers and adjusting for possible contributing factors, gestational BPA exposure was associated with pronounced behavioral and emotional problems among 3-year-old girls, including hyperactivity, aggression, anxiety, depression and poorer emotional control and inhibition in the young girls.

HOW TO: Make a DIY Cardboard Box iPhone Costume for Halloween

Jewelle Khan and her husband created the clever iPhone costume for their son last Halloween using a recycled cardboard box, some paint, sticky aluminum foil, and of course some printed pictures of the famous iPhone apps! The couple had a lot of fun making the costume, and not surprisingly, their son loved it and got tons of compliments! The cardboard box iPhone costume was a finalist in the 2010 Inhabitots Green Halloween Costume Contest. Read on to see how to make your own.

Five Less Toxic Halloween Face Paint and Nail Polish Options for Kids

Your child doesn't need to use toxic face paints and other cosmetics this Halloween. Sometimes an awesome costume can stand alone. You can choose a colored wig for your child vs. actual hair color or try wearing a cool face mask add-on vs. make-up. You can even make some homemade, safe face paint. That said, not all parents have the time to whip up homemade supplies, plus some of us have little ones who are way into the glam look, which is fine, as long as you're aware that most face paints, cosmetics and nail colors aren’t safe for kids or very eco-friendly either. Luckily, for kids who like to go wild on Halloween, there are some safer spooky and sweet Halloween cosmetic options out there. Keep reading to see some of our favorite safe Halloween cosmetics for kids.