Hi!
OK, I know this is early to be thinking about Christmas, but I have been so I thought I'd share.
First, the disclaimer: please know that we have loved, and will continue to love, and appreciate everything you choose to get for the girls.
Recently I've been sorting the toys we currently have trying to cut down the vast numbers of stuffed animals, determine what's safe to have in Annabel's realm (as she is crawling and putting everything into her mouth), and knowing we have birthdays and Christmas coming up in the next few months to add to the stash. Plus, I've been plagued with the things I'm learning about bad chemicals, residues, etc. in plastics and synthetic materials in general. And then there are all the toy recalls lately...
There's actually a website, http://HealthyToys.org, that has a database of toys that have been tested for toxic chemicals. You can search for the test results of a particular toy to find out its safety rating. You can also use your cell phone by texting "healthytoys [toy name]" to 41411 and the rating will be returned to you.
So, I am hoping/planning to try to phase out our plastics and instead shop for natural toys, preferably made in the US or Germany (where manufacturing standards are well regulated) or by a group adhering to fair trade ethical standards. To that end, we (well actually Santa - shhhh) will be getting the girls a wooden play kitchen (handmade here in New England by an at-home-business family) and some "supplies" to fill it for Christmas. Annabel's birthday gift will include a wood and organic cotton teething baby. Some of Em's dinosaur figures will be replaced by wooden friends, just as a couple examples.
If you're interested in help us out in this endeavour, we'd love it! I do know that wooden toys are often more expensive than their plastic counterparts, but this is definitely a quality over quantity issue, so please don't think we're hoping you'd spend any more. I'd much rather have one great toy then many things that may eventually get lost or broken, chewed by dogs, or just exponentially increase the numbers of toys we have.
I got a message about "Green Toys for the Holidays" which is in keeping with what we're striving for. It's at http://www.coopamerica.org/emails/canews/20071120 in case you'd like more ideas. Plus, there was a great article in this month's Mothering Magazine about nontoxic plastics and a shopping guide for natural holiday gifts in case you want to check that out.
I also got a message about the Teachers Resisting Unhealthy Children's Entertainment (TRUCE) "Toy Action Guide". It is described as "an invaluable resource for anyone concerned about the commercialization of children's play. It contains information on how to select toys that promote positive play and reduce the influence of harmful toys on children. The guide also includes tips for making toys more environmentally friendly; resources for anyone with concerns about the toy recalls; and suggestions for 'Shoe Box Gifts,' an alternative gift idea that promotes play around themes with common objects often found around the house." You can download it at http://www.truceteachers.org/toyguides/T_Guide_web_07.pdf
This might be a little different way of shopping, so I'll list a couple websites we've been browsing to give you some ideas:
http://www.threesisterstoys.com/ (use code MDCMOM for free shipping)
http://www.mahardrygoods.com/ (great felt and knit foods!)
Again, just some thoughts.
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