2011 December | Inhabitots

DwellStudio’s Zoo New Shape Sorter Combines Cute Animal Cut-Outs, Bright Colors, and Green Design

by Marni Fogelson-Teel, 12/07/11

DwellStudio’s Zoo Shape Sorter will perk up any nursery and any baby’s imagination. Made from engineered and recovered wood and colored with non-toxic dyes, the zoo shape sorter is also lead-free and phthalate free. Playing with the shape sorter helps tots learn to match shapes and colors and promotes coordination and exploration as well as imagination. The punchy colors and smooth lines on the whale, elephant, bird, giraffe, and rhino also make this toy a visual stand-out on the playroom shelf as well and are easy to see when doing the end-of-day toy round-up!

+Zoo Shape Sorter $32.00

+DwellStudio

Fort Standard’s New Balancing Blocks are Funky and Eco-Friendly

by Marni Fogelson-Teel, 12/07/11

These new balancing blocks from Fort Standard may not look like they belong in Daddy’s old hand-me-down set, but they are destined to become classics for the young and the young-at-heart. The handmade blocks are crafted from repurposed hardwood, culled from furniture shops around the company’s Brooklyn-based design studio. Each set comes in either zen white or hip multicolored hues and contains 10 different sized blocks, all sealed with a non-toxic finish. We don’t know about you, but we have visions of creating Stonehenge and the leaning tower of Pisa dancing in our heads…And yes, we’ll let the little ones join in too.

+Repurposed Hardwood Balancing Blocks $85.00

+Fort Standard

5 Ideas for Memorable Non-Store-Bought Gifts

by Damaris Santos-Palmer, 12/07/11

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7 Arts and Crafts Projects for Kids That Encourage Recycling and Reuse

by Julie Seguss, 12/06/11

Need an idea for a new craft project? Look in your recycling bin. See an old juice carton? You can turn it into an organizer for crayons, markers and other art supplies. Got a cardboard box? Create a stage for puppets to perform in. Your kids will be amazed by what you can do with old newspapers, cereal boxes, coffee cans, and milk jugs. Plus, by working on these recycled craft projects together, your kids will have the opportunity to see the power of recycling and reuse first hand. So take stock of what you have on hand in your home recycling center and follow our easy how-to instructions to make something great, and green, with your kids.

This post is sponsored by Glad. We’re taking small steps to do our part and want to help you waste less too. Visit GLAD.com for more information.

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Harmful Levels of Arsenic Found in Rice

Ah, the arsenic saga continues, with researchers now reporting high levels of arsenic in rice and rice products. Seriously? Wasn’t it about three seconds ago that we reported on the latest batch of arsenic-infused apple juice?! And now rice. Pretty soon there won’t be safe food left to eat. But I digress. According to Consumer Reports a new study led by researchers at Dartmouth’s Children’s Environmental Health and Disease Prevention Center has found a link between rice consumption and urinary arsenic. The study, conducted with pregnant women, shows that elevated levels of arsenic in urine suggest that many in the U.S. may be exposed to potentially high and harmful levels of arsenic via rice consumption.

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Wooden iPhone Toy by Kyle Bean is a Clever and Safe First Mobile for Kids

Don't want to let your kid play with your iPhone? What about this minimalistic, radiation-free version? Brighton-based designer Kyle Bean crafted this wooden iPhone, which features 12 wooden block apps. While kids won't get the same touchscreen functionality with a wooden gadget, the puzzle piece-like apps can be slid in and out and repositioned on the toy, adding a fun powered-down play element to the phone.

My Little Otter’s Christmas Scented Playdough is Fun for the Holidays

What’s red, green, and white, can take on any shape, and smells like pumpkin, fir trees, and peppermint? My Little Otter’s seasonally scented playdough. The homemade wheat flour based dough is the perfect keep-em-busy pre-holiday gift or a perfect stocking stuffer. Kids will love making Christmas trees and candy canes that smell like the real thing. This set comes with three 2-ounce jars of playdough for a creative way to ring in the season.

+ Scented Playdough Set $6.75…

HOW TO: Make Organic, Homemade Butternut Squash Ravioli

Sometimes finding new and creative ways to incorporate more vegetables into your child's diet can be tricky. Especially when you're trying to get your children to try different vegetables for the first time. We recently picked up a butternut squash from our local farm. Since it was the first time my son had tried butternut squash, I decided to try using it as a filling for handmade ravioli. Ravioli is fun to make with children because there are so many times throughout the process that children can help, including mixing the ingredients, rolling out the dough, filling and crimping the dough pockets and carefully dropping them in the water. Read on to learn how you can made a batch of organic, homemade butternut squash ravioli with your children.

Would You Buy Sperm off the Internet?

Internet sperm may sound like some weird MythBusters episode, but it’s a very real issue here in the U.S. and in other areas of the world. Last year, in a first time ever court case, two UK men, Nigel Woodforth and Ricky Gage, were convicted of providing online sperm without a license, reportedly making £250,000 from women while doing so. The men, who got suspended jail sentences, had zero licenses allowing them to sell sperm. Too bad for them, because a license is required under the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 1990. The defendants claimed they did not need a license as they acted only as an introduction database, however, according to the Guardian, their website did offer women a “life-changing opportunity towards motherhood.” It’s not just the UK though. According to Canada.com, women are so desperate to have children that many have turned to unregulated, and possible illegal internet sperm. In fact, Canada.com points out that Co-ParentMatch.com and FeelingBroody.com, sites where people can shop for sperm, are so popular that they’re getting more than two million hits each month. Members of sites such as these pay monthly subscription fees for the privilege of looking for sperm. If so many people are using these sites, they must be safe right? Is unregulated internet sperm a super risky way to get pregnant or a grand plan?

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Spread the Cheeky Holiday Cheer with Mimosa’s Organic Cotton Yeti Tees and Onesies

If you can’t imagine yet another holiday card with the kids dressed in reindeer garb or snowflake-patterned gear, but you want to capture the spirit of the season (perhaps with tongue-in-cheek), try one of Mimosa’s cuddly and cheery Yeti tees and onesies. Cozy in a snow globe, this sweet yeti (aka the abominable snowman) rejoices in holiday spirit all winter long, and so can your kids. The bright colors make for a refreshing …

Let Your Little Artist Go Wild With eco-kids Eco-finger Paint

The fun part about finger painting is making a big mess and getting colorful, gooey paint all over your hands. If you’re not crazy about letting your kids dip their digits in chemically concocted hues (we don’t blame you!), opt for eco-kids eco-finger paint instead. The powder-based paints are handmade with natural pigments from fruits, plants and vegetables such as curcumin, beets, spinach, carrots, red cabbage and purple sweet potato. Each set of finger paints includes 5 4-ounce containers. The …

Light Up the Night in a Flash with Vintage Cameras Turned into Nightlights!

Nightlights are a quintessential gadget for every kid’s bedroom. We’ve seen some pretty cool variations on the comforting beacons in the night, but these repurposed vintage camera nightlights by Jason Hull captured us with cheesy grins at their thoughtful, savvy design. Hull transforms cameras from the 1950′s and 60′s by “removing the shutter, film transport, and as much extra plastic as possible to make …

Best Eco-Friendly Dollhouses from Modern Design to Whimsically Waldorf

Looking for an eco-friendly dollhouse for your child? We put together a list of amazing, sustainable, and impressively designed scaled-down homes ranging from modular options with rooms that stack to solar-powered abodes with recycling bins and rain barrels. Take a look through the options and pick out the perfect first home for your little one.

Brinca Dada’s Edward House Dollhouse is Inspired by A. Quincy Jones

Brinca Dada always amazes us with their beautifully designed dollhouses, and their latest introduction is no exception. The Edward House follows in the footsteps of the company's biggest hit -- the Emerson House, which is sadly now discontinued. Like the Emerson House this new modern, minimalist abode designed by Tim Boyle was inspired by Neutra's Kaufman House and Gary Coopers home, both designed by architect A. Quincy Jones.

Consumer Reports Agrees: Too Much Arsenic in Apple Juice and Grape Juice

Way back in July of 2011, we first told you about told you about the the extremely high levels of arsenic found in Mott’s Apple Juice. Then in September Dr. Oz and his team, ran their own tests and found that it was true; most apple juice brands contained more arsenic than the EPA deems safe in drinking water. Those first two rounds of tests encouraged Consumer Reports to run their own testing and just this week they found that, yet again, far too many juice brands contain unsafe levels of arsenic. Consumer Reports notes that this newest round of testing has prompted the organization to call for government standards to limit consumers’ exposure to these toxins. Right now, there are set federal limits about how much arsenic and lead can be in both bottled and drinking water but there are absolutely zero limits set when it comes to juice. Consumer Reports is concerned because a recent poll they conducted showed that juice is a mainstay of many children’s diets.

HOW TO: Make a Seasonal Side Dish Using Beets

Do beets always show up in your CSA bag every week? At home we always find ourselves with more beets than we know what to do with. Usually I just grate them, put them in a bowl and sprinkle some sea salt and lemon juice on top and call it a salad. My kids love carrots and because beets are similar to carrots, crunchy and slightly sweet, they'll usually eat my quick raw beet salad. However, lately the kids are asking for variety. No, they don't say "mom please give us variety" they just say "mom please" in that tone that sounds like a "puh-lease" as in "yeah, no way am I eating that again." Kids have the strange ability to love something and then immediately un-love something, especially if that something is related to food. So I decided it was time to create a new beet dish, one that has oranges, and a touch of brown sugar to help caramelize the beets. What you end up with is a simple warm side dish that's perfect for the winter months and happy kids.