Eco Toddler | Inhabitots

HOW TO: Make a Sponge Ball Water Toy

by Jennie Lyon, 05/08/12

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Make Bedtime Eco-Friendly With Skylar Luna Sleepwear

by Julie Seguss, 05/08/12

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Loll Designs Loki Playhouse is a Recycled Plastic Paradise for Kids

by Julie Seguss, 05/02/12

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Star Wars Fans Build a Cardboard Box Millenium Falcon for Toddler

by Julie Seguss, 05/01/12

From amazing costumes to fun puppet theaters, the possibilities for crafting with cardboard boxes are endless. We recently stumbled upon another brilliant display of box recycling – a Millenium Falcon replica complete with a cockpit sized perfectly for a toddler Han Solo. Die-hard Star Wars fans, the Karpiuks, parents of little Liam shown above, spent four months crafting this amazing cardboard box art. Keep reading to see how they did it.

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This March of the Penguins Bowling Set is Ready to be Knocked Flat

Eco-friendly bowling sets are one of the best ways to get even the youngest tots moving and active. There are a lot of adorable eco-minded kid bowling sets out there, from sweet kitties to plush organic friends, but this new creation from Smiling …

Sweden Becomes Latest Country to Ban BPA in Children’s Food Packaging

It’s been less than a month since the FDA rejected a ban on bisphenol A (BPA) in food and beverage packaging – a massive fail in our opinion. Other countries aren’t messing around with this potentially harmful chemical though. On April 13, the government of Sweden announced the decision to ban the use of (BPA) in packaging for food intended for children under 3 years of age. For a while, there’s been a voluntary phase-out of BPA in Sweden, but these new laws will make sure the change becomes permanent. Government officials say that this new chemical ban will mostly, at this point, affect lids of baby food bottles but the new mandate also gives the Swedish Chemicals Agency a 3-month deadline to decide if BPA should also be banned from certain types of thermal paper, including receipts and tickets, and to determine how BPA is being used in drinking-water pipes, toys and children’s goods.

6 Best Natural Vitamins for Kids

I think we can all agree that pill popping isn't the best way to ensure healthy kids. Real kids need real food and balanced meals that provide healthy nutrients. Still, some kids, including vegetarians, vegans and picky eaters may benefit from a daily vitamin. However, many popular vitamins for kids come in a slew of rainbow colors that are fake and icky, such as Red #40, Yellow #6 and Blue #2, plus have artificial flavors and sugar. That's not a healthy supplement. If you're looking for a smarter option, keep reading to check out our top picks for natural vitamins for kids. NOTE: Remember, the best source of advice regarding healthy natural vitamins for kids is your own pediatrician.

Top 10 Chemicals Most Likely to Cause Autism and Other Learning Disorders

Last month, the CDC reported that autism now affects 1 of every 88 American children, which is an unusually high increase from previous years. Now, we may have some more clues as to what is causing the dramatic increases. The Mount Sinai Children’s Environmental Health Center (CEHC) has just released an informative list of the top ten toxic chemicals suspected to cause autism and learning disabilities. The toxic list, recently published in Environmental Health Perspectives was compiled by Dr. Philip J. Landrigan, director of the CEHC, Dr. Linda Birnbaum, director of the National Institute for Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), and Dr. Luca Lambertini, also of the CEHC. Discover the top ten chemicals thought to be associated with both autism and learning disorders in children after the jump.

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The Autism Puzzle: Is the Environment to Blame for Rising Autism Rates?

Earlier this year, the CDC released a new report stating that 1 in 88 children has diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder. The data was only from 14 states and the CDC only studies children who are 8 years and older, so these statistics are for children born in the early 2000′s. So what is exactly going on for there to be a 23% increase from the last report? Brita Belli, author of The Autism Puzzle believes environmental toxins are to blame.

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Cases of Measles Hit All-time High in 2011 – Are Unvaccinated Kids to Blame?

In 2000 measles was considered eradicated from the U.S. In fact, from 2001 to 2010 there were just 60 U.S. measles cases a year on average. However, last year, cases of measles reached an all-time high in the United States with a total of 222 reported cases. This is the most measles cases ever since 1996, according to the CDC. Among the 222 cases, reported across 31 states, there were 17 official measles outbreaks. An outbreak is when there are at least three cases linked by time and place. The average outbreak size last year included six cases per outbreak, but in one instance, a single person with measles infected 21 other people. This week, Anne Schuchat, director of CDC’s National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, reported that most of these cases (90%) came into the country via citizens who had traveled outside the U.S., with many of the 2011 cases originating in Europe. That said, the CDC is placing new emphasis on the importance of the MMR vaccination, especially if you plan on traveling abroad. Schuchat says, “Unvaccinated people put themselves and others at risk for measles. There is a relationship between the decisions families make and disease rates.”

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Miss Natalie Heirloom Growth Chart Tracks Kids’ Heights for Generations

Keep track of every inch your little bean sprout shoots up with Miss Natalie's Heirloom Growth Chart. Dreamed up by California-based designer Natalie Davis, this growth chart is made to last through many kids and even many generations. It's made from a 4-inch long jute cloth and comes with 20 tags ready to be filled out with your child's name, age and the date. Track multiple kids with different colored tags. They can be pinned to the chart at the appropriate height.

Dirt and Germs Equal Happy and Healthy Kids

Next time your kids drags some dirt or mud into the house, don’t freak out. Instead give yourself a hearty pat on the back for raising such a happy, well-adjusted kiddo. According to a new report from the National Wildlife Federation, “The Dirt on Dirt: How Getting Dirty Outdoors Benefits Kids,” getting messy provides countless benefits for little ones. We live in a germ obsessed society, so much in fact, that those fears may expose us to harmful chemicals, such as those found in antibacterial products. This new NWF report may help drown some of those fears though and keep your kids healthier. The report points to a growing body of research that suggests dirt and germs may actually help build physical health and resilience to diseases. This is connected to the Hygiene Hypothesis, which you may have heard of, that says that when kids are too clean and their exposure to parasites, bacteria, and viruses is limited, they may face a greater chance of having allergies, asthma and other autoimmune diseases. Plus, as we’ve pointed out time and time again, being outside, getting down in the dirt and out into nature is extremely healthy for a child’s emotional and physical well-being. When kids spend more time playing outside than they do attached to indoor, high-tech gadgets, they’re less vulnerable to obesity, stress, ADHD, vitamin D deficiency and depression.

Top 6 Children’s Books for Earth Day

Earth Day is a great day to talk more about the Earth and why we need to keep it clean with our children. I love using eco-minded books to help get the message across to my daughter. When I tell her to turn off the lights, save water and recycle her trash she thinks I'm just bossing her around. But when I explain why we do those things, with a little help from cute cartoon books, she enjoys helping and wants to do her part. Here are our favorite six children's books for Earth Day. Our suggestion: Instead of buying these titles, borrow them from your local library.

5 Ways the U.S. Government is Failing Your Family and the Planet

Although maybe they mean well, the U.S. government doesn't always have the best interest of the people or the planet in mind. Other countries aren't perfect either. Still, consider that we're one of the few countries hanging on to BPA and GMOs. Plus, when our government does decide to swing towards change, it takes a remarkably long time for them to get their act together. For example, it took 15 years for the government to institute healthier school lunches. From lackluster chemical reform to sneaky hazards in the food supply to gigantic super germs - keep reading to see which massive U.S. government fails may be putting your family at risk. Also, learn about how you can start to initiate positive change when the government clearly won't.

Wee Can Too Vegan Edible Finger Paint is Safe for Messy Artists

When my daughter was a toddler everything went into her mouth, which made art time extremely stressful! I wish we would have known about the Wee Can Too The Original Naturally Safe Fingerpaint Tottle Set, which is completely safe and edible. The fingerpaint is vegan, made with organic ingredients, no wheat, no sugar and no preservatives. The Finger Paints come in five …

Eco-Friendly Apple Park Crawling Critter Teething Toys Buzz and Bounce

Meet the Apple Park Crawling Critter Teething Toys – they’re part teething toy, part plushie and boast a whole lot of buzzing fun. Baby can gnaw on the natural rubberwood ring while he tugs on the 100% organic cotton plush toy, which is stuffed with corn fiber. The caterpillar, birdie, ladybug and bee (all as cute as the members of the Apple Park Picnic Pals!) are connected to a stretchy silk cord that it “climbs” up when pulled on. Your …

Montessori Educational App Review: Montessorium Intro to Letters

Love the Montessori approach to education? Montessorium LLC's apps will get your kid started learning the Montessori way. The company, created by June and Bobby George, founders of The Baan Dek Montessori, in Sioux Falls, has developed four great educational apps. The Montessori apps are geared towards toddlers and preschoolers, and they're available for your iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad. Choose from Intro to Letters, Intro to Math, Intro to Geography and Alpha Writer. I got to review the Intro to Letters and my kiddo is having a blast! Keep reading to learn more about the app.

HOW TO: Make Your Own Non-Toxic Baby Wipes

Did you know that majority of baby wipes contain harmful chemicals like formaldehyde, parabens, phthalates and fragrances - which often hide other chemicals, such as phenoxyethanol and other yucky preservatives? Top name brand wipes have scored 3 to 8 on the EWG Skin Deep Cosmetic Database website for safety hazards. Even some wipes labeled natural or fragrance free have high scores of 4+. The problem for mainstream baby wipes? Any time there is water in a soap solution, preservatives are needed to inhibit mold and bacteria from growing. But when you use castile soap, no preservatives are needed since castile soap has a high enough PH to preserve itself. That's why soaps like Earth Mama Angel Baby and Dr. Bronner are non-toxic and make great baby wipe solutions. Read more on how you can make your own non-toxic baby wipes with a few simple ingredients!