ROCCO: A Rocking Horse That Harvests Kinetic Energy

by Yuka Yoneda, 02/05/10

Rocco Kinetic Energy Harvesting Rocking Horse, rocking horse, green design, sustainable design, eco design, kinetic energy, greener gadgets, green toys

Children seem to be filled with boundless amounts of energy (which can sometimes be a little tiring for us adults who have to look after them). Wouldn’t it be great if you could turn that natural effervescence into power for your home? That’s exactly what Rocco, one of our favorite entries into this year’s Greener Gadgets design competition, does. It’s a rocking horse that transforms the kinetic energy from your child’s play into electricity that lights up its ears. Then the ears can be removed to light up any room in your house!


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Cubebots: Eco-Friendly Wooden Robots by David Weeks

by Jennifer Chait, 02/01/10

cubebot, wooden robot, toy robot, new robot, toys, wooden toys, sustainable wood toy, green kids, green toys

Robot toys are typically made of plastic and require batteries — but with designer David Weeks’ latest toy, Cubebots, you can indulge your child with a robot pal while maintaining your green sensibility. Cubebots are an Areaware original debuting for the new season at the New York International Gift Fair. David Weeks creates his lovable and pliable Cubebots with sustainably harvested cherry wood in two sizes — medium and small. The robot’s sturdy hardwood frame can hold many poses, and his elastic-band muscles and durable wood limbs allow his body to stand up to rambunctious play. When playtime is over, Cubebots neatly fold up into an unassuming perfect cube. Impressed with David Weeks’ craftsmanship? Be sure to check out our previous features on his Ursa the Bear and Hanno the Gorilla designs.

Cubebots are currently available for pre-order for $35 — but there is no shipping date available at this time.

+ Cubebots $35.00

+ Areaware


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Become Smitten’s Endangered Animals Are Lovable Green Valentines

by Jennifer Chait, 02/01/10

endangered animals, stuffed recycled animals, valentine's day gift, eco-friendly valentine's day, green kids, stuffed animals, recycled stuffed animal

Who would have thought a Water Buffalo could be such a cute and lovable Valentine gift? Become Smitten thinks the water buffalo is worthy of some cuddling, along with a range of other endangered animals in plush form including frogs, owls, wolves, rhinos, marmots, bunnies, and more. Each unique stuffie is individually handmade with organic or recycled fabrics exclusively — and each boasts his own sweet personality!



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Pecanpals Plush Toys by Noferin

by Julie Knapp, 01/31/10

pecanpals, noferin, green toys, green kids, eco kids, eco-friendly plush toys

The Pecanpals started as sustainably designed wooden figurines — now, their personable charm has been translated into a colorful, cuddly collection of 13-inch plush toys, which are both ASTM and CE certified. This latest creation from the artistic duo behind Noferin boasts the same adorable character and wit that makes all of their limited edition wooden collections sell out fast. From Periwinkle the Wildlife Rescuer to Junee the Magician, your child will surely fall in love with these quirky collectibles.

+ Pecanpals Plush Toys $19.99 each, $169.99 set of 9

+ Noferin


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Hand Knit Monkey Rattle from Zubels

Hand Knit Monkey Rattle from Zubels

This charming, smiling Monkey Rattle from Zubels is perfect for newborns and toddlers alike. At 7.5 inches tall it’s a great addition to an eco-friendly plush collection — and the soft, tinkling rattle inside makes it a sweet gift for babies too. The monkey is hand knit by Peruvian artisans under Fair Trade practices. To double the fun, go for both the …

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Upcycled Plush Owls Deliver Special Valentine Messages

Upcycled Plush Owls Deliver Special Valentine Messages

If you have a Valentine who shares our affection for owls, the adorable parliament of Tiny Wee Hoot Owls from Etsy shop Buttercupbloom make wise, eco-friendly gifts with heart. Each colorful, snuggly plush owl is handmade from a variety of upcycled fabrics from wool sweaters to the faux bois …

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Cola Powered Radio Control Car Fueled by a Sugar Rush

Cola Powered Radio Control Car Fueled by a Sugar Rush

As a health conscious parent, you’re probably not seeking plausible reasons to introduce your kids to cola — but a radio controlled car powered by pop? How cool is that? Takara Tomy, a Japanese toy maker, has manufactured a prototype RC ‘ene Bio Engine’ car (looks more like a futuristic delivery truck) that runs on Sony’s sugar fueled Bio-Battery. See the car in action in the video after the jump!


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Handmade, Eco-Friendly Lucha Libre Fighters from Caribbean Puzzles

Handmade, Eco-Friendly Lucha Libre Fighters from Caribbean Puzzles

My son loves luchadores. He also loves puzzles and has a great appreciation for the environment. So there’s nothing about Caribbean Puzzles’ line of eco-friendly fighters that this kid wouldn’t adore. Like every jigsaw in the company’s varied offerings, these masked muscle men are “earth friendly, child safe and people kind.” They accomplish this by utilizing formaldehyde-free MDF (recycled wood fibers are compressed to form a sturdy wood-derived material), and employing Fair Trade practices in their factory in Mexico.


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Uncle Goose Sustainable Wooden Nursery Rhyme Blocks

Uncle Goose Sustainable Wooden Nursery Rhyme Blocks

We’ve introduced you to eco-friendly Uncle Goose classic alphabet blocks, but once your toddlers know their ABCs you can move on to a set of these charming Uncle Goose Nursery Rhyme Blocks. Available in sets of 9 or 28, the blocks have images and text from timeless Mother Goose stories like Hey Diddle Diddle and Hickory Dickory Dock — printed with non-toxic inks, of course. The blocks …

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Mini Taj Mahal Kids’ Palaces Recycled from Old Water Tanks

Mini Taj Mahal Kids’ Palaces Recycled from Old Water Tanks

If you’ve ever given a present to a little girl or boy only to have them ignore it and play for hours with the box it came in, you’ll understand why these fantastical kids palaces are the perfect plaything in the eyes of a child. They’re the brainchild of one very resourceful designer, Katell Gelebart, who realized that the water tanks discarded while constructing the Dune eco resort near Pondicherry, India were just the right size and shape for fun and fanciful dwellings for little guests. Painted with palm fronds and colorful flowers and topped with ornate mini-gazebos, it’s hard to believe that these beautiful little houses started out as boring old water tanks!


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Handmade Love Gnomes by SewnNatural

Handmade Love Gnomes by SewnNatural

Show your little one some love on Valentine’s Day with an adorable little Love Gnome by SewnNatural. Each 3.5 inch-tall eco-friendly character is needle felted by hand from 100% wool in Ottawa, Canada. The gnomes, with heart in hands, are much more fun than a throwaway paper card. With 12 different styles to choose from — 6 boys and 6 girls — you’re sure to find the perfect Love Gnome for your child.

+ Love Gnomes …

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Jump Rope with Flashlight in Handle Recycles Kinetic Energy Into Light

Jump Rope with Flashlight in Handle Recycles Kinetic Energy Into Light

Ever wished you could tap into your tot’s seemingly boundless energy? If designers Hyun Joo Lee and Eu Tteum Lee’s concept jump-rope-flashlight comes to life, you could be looking at your new sustainable power source.


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Huggable Stuffed “Aminals” Bring Kids’ Drawings to Life

Huggable Stuffed “Aminals” Bring Kids’ Drawings to Life

Kids don’t see the world quite the way we do — colors are more intense, proportions are exaggerated, details devolve into rudimentary shapes. It’s this unique perspective that permeates Aminals, a ragtag band of dolls inspired by children’s drawings. Made with certified-organic cotton and low-impact vegetable-based dyes, the quirky characters celebrate childhood at its most creative. Each Aminal, from the scaly Dinasor to the not-so-ferocious …

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Juba Wooden Caterpillar Toy from Naef

Juba Wooden Caterpillar Toy from Naef

Little ones always seem delighted by the creepy crawlies they see outside, and it’s easy to bring some of that buggy fun inside with Juba Wooden Caterpillars from Naef. Luckily, Juba caterpillars are less slimy than the real thing, but their squirmy movements will still enchant your tot. A flexible rubber thread tucked safely inside the Juba allows these little …

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WIN IT WEDNESDAY! Win a Gorgeous Set of Eco-Friendly Uncle Goose Alphabet Blocks in a Pull Toy Wagon!

WIN IT WEDNESDAY! Win a Gorgeous Set of Eco-Friendly Uncle Goose Alphabet Blocks in a Pull Toy Wagon!

Alphabet blocks are beloved childhood toys which help tots learn their ABC’s and develop their motor skills. Gummy Lump Toys is sponsoring our giveaway of a 28 piece set of the best alphabet blocks on the market — eco-friendly Uncle Goose Alphabet blocks valued at $50! These blocks come neatly arranged in a wooden wagon, so kids get two toys in one, and they can tote the educational fun all over the house! Read our rave review of Uncle Goose blocks here on Inhabitots to see why we agree that they were voted one of the ‘best 100 toys.’ Made in the USA, Uncle Goose alphabet blocks are crafted from local basswood sustainably grown around the Great Lakes. Each Uncle Goose Alphabet block features four letters (two of which are embossed), a unique animal picture, and a number or math symbol. Beveled edges, classic styling and the use of non-toxic inks on the letter embossing make these blocks the quintessential addition to your child’s green playroom. Enter to win after the jump!

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5 Green Toys You Can Make Yourself Out Of Ordinary Household Items

5 Green Toys You Can Make Yourself Out Of Ordinary Household Items

Think that “Going green” with your kid’s toys means shopping for expensive and hard-to-find wooden toys? Think again! Some of the most fun, and GREENEST toys are the ones you can make yourself out of common household products and a little ingenuity. If you are the parent of a small child, you probably already know that pots and pans and cardboard boxes are often more captivating to your child than anything store-bought or pre-packaged. The following five DIY toy ideas take the idea of pots and pans to the next level, and were provided to us by uber-creative supermoms Ofrit Peres and Natalie Cronin, the lovely ladies behind the traveling green play event called Unplugged On A Rug.


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PREVIEW! Green Toys’ New Eco-Friendly Collection for Infants!

PREVIEW! Green Toys’ New Eco-Friendly Collection for Infants!

Green Toys Inc., a favorite award-winning green toy company here at Inhabitots, recently announced a brand new eco-friendly collection of seven toys and feeding gear accouterments for tots as young as six months. Dubbed My First Green Toys, the line was designed with the smallest tree huggers in mind, and will officially debut at the Spielwarenmesse International Toy Fair in Nuremberg, Germany February 4-9, 2010 — but we are unveiling a preview of the My First Green Toys collection here and now!


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Handmade Crochet Chess Set

Handmade Crochet Chess Set

You don’t need plastic knights and bishops to teach your kids how to play chess. This handmade Crochet Chess Set from Anthropologie is a sweeter way to show them special moves and secret strategies. With hand-crocheted pieces and a blue felted chessboard, it looks like something Grandma would make, and it’s destined to become a …

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GREAT GREEN PLAYDATE in NYC!

GREAT GREEN PLAYDATE in NYC!

January 18, 2010
10:00 amto12:00 pm

The Great Green Playdate for a Cause is eco-play company Unplugged on a Rug’s traveling playdate that caters to families with young children from 0-5 years. Inhabitots editor Jill Fehrenbacher will be on the scene with her own Inhabitot, Petey, so join us for some green play and musical surprises! All proceeds …

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Beetle Blocks Turn Wood Waste Into Wonder for All Ages

Beetle Blocks Turn Wood Waste Into Wonder for All Ages

Beetle Blocks are not your typical building blocks. Handcrafted from Ponderosa Pine in Western Canada, their naturally-stained geometric blue pieces are the dye work of a local species of bark beetle that kills and tints the grain of the Ponderosa tree rings. Thankfully, this ‘dead wood’ has found new life in Beetle Block …

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Wooden Animal Teethers from Little Sapling Toys

Wooden Animal Teethers from Little Sapling Toys

If the thought of giving your child a hunk of plastic to gnaw on during teething makes you cringe, opt for this cheerful Monkey Grasp and Teether Toy from Little Sapling Toys. This solid maple animal is sanded smooth and left unfinished so it’s safe for your baby to …

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VOTE NOW! Top 5 Green Toys of 2009

VOTE NOW! Top 5 Green Toys of 2009

2009 was a landmark year for green toys. After the ban on phthalates in toys, BPA scandals, and Mattel’s fine of 2.9 million dollars over the lead paint found in Barbie dolls, parents are naturally becoming more and more concerned with the safety and quality of the toys they give to their children. The silver lining has been the growing support for small businesses and brands that produce responsible, safe, high-quality, eco-friendly toys for children. Here are five of our favorite green kids toys from 2009:

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Hape International Bamboo Airplane Toy

Hape International Bamboo Airplane Toy

Green kids can prepare to land in 2010 with this hot rod airplane toy from Hape International’s bamboo collection. Ready to take flight and zoom around the room powered by your child’s energy, each propeller plane is made from sustainable bamboo and finished with non-toxic water-based paints — making it an eco-conscious option for playtime. Now, if only your child could buy carbon credits for every flight…

+ …

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DIY Project: Make A Snow Globe from a Recycled Baby Food Jar!

DIY Project: Make A Snow Globe from a Recycled Baby Food Jar!

The most clever party favor my son has ever received was from a boy with an architect mom and sculptor dad. Yet the gift was more kitschy than Kahn, more crafty than Chihuly. In other words, it was perfect for a kid: a tiny DIY snow globe encased in a reused baby food jar (he’s a big brother). Read on for instructions on how they made it.


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Alexander Girard Puzzle by House Industries

Alexander Girard Puzzle by House Industries

Looking for additional ways to introduce the work of Alexander Girard into your tot’s life? This wooden puzzle by House Industries is based on a never-used Girard carpet design from the project archive of architect Eero Saarinen’s iconic Miller House. Rather than let the folksy animals molder in obscurity, House Industries used child-safe inks to print the artwork on Michigan-grown basswood, …

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Wooden Fishing Play Set from MoMA

Wooden Fishing Play Set from MoMA

The MoMA store has reeled in a charming wooden fishing set designed for aspiring anglers by Jae Keun Song. Each piece is made of natural wood and finished with linseed oil. The bait that the fish ‘bite’ is magnetized and attaches to embedded magnets inside each fish. The set includes eight sea creatures: …

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Max’s Mud Organic Sculpting Dough

Max’s Mud Organic Sculpting Dough

If your little one loves to play in the mud, now he can do so without soiling his cute little hands and face! A Seattle original, Max’s Mud, made with care by, yup, Max’s Mama, is certified organic and gluten free sculpting dough! Max’s Mud is made from 100% …

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DIY Wooden Doll Kit – Paint Your Own Dollhouse Inhabitants!

DIY Wooden Doll Kit – Paint Your Own Dollhouse Inhabitants!

In search of a family to inhabit your Plan Toys Eco-Chalet Dollhouse? Look no further than the Etsy shop belonging to Brooklyn designers Goose Grease. Known for their custom cake toppers, the small design house also has in its inventory a doll making kit that …

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NEW! Eco-Friendly Rolling Toy Collection from Kaiku Design

NEW! Eco-Friendly Rolling Toy Collection from Kaiku Design

Kaiku Design just debuted a new collection of Rolling toys that are great playroom and backyard equipment for every child — and a parent’s best tool for encouraging clean-up! Your little one can take her Stroll Kart Rolling Toy to the pretend grocery store and fill it with 10 pounds worth of goodies, take her stuffed pals for a ride, or use it to make toy wrangling a snap at the end of a busy day. The Push Pull Rolling Toy which holds even more fun (40 pounds) can be used to haul a hearty stack of books or blocks, and the Zen Super Wagon Rolling Toy puts a modern spin on a classic wagon, providing superior comfort and ergonomics for passengers and drivers!


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BOOK REVIEW: Kid Made Modern by Todd Oldham

BOOK REVIEW: Kid Made Modern by Todd Oldham

Designer Todd Oldham’s new book, Kid Made Modern is a kaleidoscopic collection of kid’s crafts and a budding designer’s introduction to the masters of modernism. Kid Made Modern features 192 full-color, eye-popping pages of 52 craft projects that range from simple (Amazing Laces inspired by Jack Lenor Larsen: lacing high top sneakers with unprecedented flair) to more challenging undertakings (Kaleidoscope Movie inspired by Charles and Ray Eames: kids become psychedelic directors of their own animated film). The majority of the inexpensive crafts featured in the book may be brought to life using recycled or readily available household materials — and they are truly engaging, easy to follow, and accompanied by captivating, descriptive, step by step photographs.


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‘Original Sound Track’ by Ricardo Seola – A Toy Train with a Musical Track!

‘Original Sound Track’ by Ricardo Seola – A Toy Train with a Musical Track!

The ‘Original Sound Track,’ an educational music toy created for children by musician and designer Ricardo Seola, raises the bar for toy trains everywhere — hear that, ‘Little Engine that Could?’ “In Original Sound Track, a train plays the role of a musician who actually plays the rail.” The track features small bumps, in the same vein as old-fashioned, wind-up music boxes, and the train moves along the track plucking the metal keys to play a song! Genius! See the Original Sound Track in action after the jump!


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GREEN GIFT GUIDE: Eco Gifts for Girls

GREEN GIFT GUIDE: Eco Gifts for Girls

Enough with the raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens, bright copper kettles and warm woolen mittens…  our green gift guide for girls offers fresh ideas that are sure to become a girl’s new ‘favorite things!’ From chic custom rag dolls, and an awesome eco-chalet dollhouse, to self-contained eco-systems thriving in …

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MOOV Ride-on Toy Wooden Construction Kits from BERG Toys

MOOV Ride-on Toy Wooden Construction Kits from BERG Toys

If you really want to rev up the excitement on Christmas morning, give your child an award winning Dutch MOOV Construction Kit from BERG Toys. These ultra cool kits foster teamwork because you and your child can work together to configure a bike, scooter, go-cart, working crane, and so much more. MOOV Construction Kits come with rings, wheels, axles and everything you need to assemble ride-on toys tool-free! Once your kids tire of a MOOV creation, they can simply reassemble the pieces into a new structure!


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WIN IT WEDNESDAY! Win a Set of 12 Jibibuts Wooden Figures!

WIN IT WEDNESDAY! Win a Set of 12 Jibibuts Wooden Figures!

Jibibuts are a brand new cast of colorful wooden figures on the green toy scene, and we’re giving away a set of 12 Jibibuts valued at $108 to one lucky winner! These beautifully crafted, perfectly playful characters have made their debut just in time to fill one lucky tot’s stocking to the brim with new friends! Designed by Noferin, the artistic duo behind Pecanpals collectibles, Jibibuts were created for playtime, as opposed to being appreciated from afar as objets d’art. They are made from sustainably harvested rubber wood, and they measure 2.5-3.5 inches. Jibibuts may be stacked and stuck together to form sculptural shapes, enjoyed as new inhabitants in dollhouses, or simply toted to and fro in a pocket, joining all of your tot’s adventures!

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GREEN GIFT GUIDE: Eco Gifts for Boys

GREEN GIFT GUIDE: Eco Gifts for Boys

As the saying goes, boys love their toys, and we’ve compiled a list of green gifts for boys that is jam-packed with fun, and bursting with action and adventure! Whether little guys want to speed off on a shiny new eco-friendly scooter, dash about with a candy red Bamboo E-racer race car, swing …

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LOTS MORE GREAT GREEN DESIGN STORIES HERE... KEEP READING!