fawn&forest

Let the kids go crazy with a Yoodo! 

The Yoodo by Offi is a modular system made of extra-heavy weight cardboad designed for kids to build a fort or otherwise secret playhouse... just throw a sheet over the top? Remember that?! The Yoodo construction creates fun places for the kids to crawl through, create windows (puppet show?) or just makes some off the all race car (that perhaps would be the case in our house....). 

The Yoodo kit includes 16 big + little pieces and is currently on sale for $29. And while the red + white is nice, I'd be tempted to let the kids loose with a few markers and some stickers to really sweeten it up. 

Too cool. Eliot is thrilled with the LIKEaBIKE mini he received in the mail this week. It's just his size + he doesn't even mind falling over!  So far he's sped around in the grass. Must get a helmut for his noggin for when he braves the pavement. Eliot has foregone the LIKEaBIKE name and is calling it his "big brother bike" for the time being.So sweet.

Another cool thing? I found this cool Japanese site (via Minor Details blog) where you can very simply make your new pictures look old. I know there are other sites out there that do this, but this one is fun. 

Happy Friday!

Summertime is right around the corner, thankfully. The kiddos are sure to have all that sun-induced extra energy, begging to be spent. Why not?

We've had fun zooming around the yard (and house!) with the Sibi Max push car and the Lorette trailer. What have I learned? A 2 year old butt does not fit into the Lorette trailer, no matter how hard Eliot may try. And with a bit of imagination, the Max car is a motorcycle and it goes "fast" (which, sorry to say, the Max does not....). 

Both the Max and Lorette are made by Sibi, an old-time German woodworking company founded by the Sirch Family over 300 years ago. Made of solid birch and ash with non-marking Eva rubber wheels, both pieces are incredibly well made and quite stylish. 

And a lot of fun to chase the dog with.  

As my son Eliot just turned 2.5 years old + the weather is (finally) looking nice, a bit of LIKEaBIKE action is most certainly in order. We have our eyes on the mini, as the seat height is shorter (starts at 10") but still adjusts as your child grows.

"The LIKEaBIKE is a unique bike for children between the ages of two and five. A lot of fun and highly beneficial for the development of their motor skills and sense of balance. A LIKEaBIKE has no pedals. When first trying to ride, kids play with their LIKEaBIKE as they would with a hobbyhorse. They become familiar with the saddle first, carefully sitting on it. Soon they start to walk with it, then run. In no time the little rider becomes more confident and by pushing off, picks up speed. If the bike starts to tip, kids instinctively regain their balance with their feet. 

The LIKEaBIKE was designed with a keen eye to your child's safety, so you won't find any sharp edges on it. The gap between the frame and the fork, moreover, is filled with felt, so your child's fingers can't get pinched there either. The felt also prevents the front wheel from making sharp turns, a common cause for mishaps with young riders of regular bikes." (Paraphrased text from LIKEaBIKE).

Available in 7 different models with a lovely selection of accessories, such as a wooden kick stand + sleek saddle bag. Both images from Flickr. Image on left via here, image on right via here .

Now all we need is a helmut.

Happy Earth Day to you with the last installment of little bits of green. Next to making a recycled egg carton buggy mobile with the kids, hugging a Kata Golda softie friend is a happy way to celebrate.

Handmade using plant dyed wool felt + a lot of love in  Port Townsend, Washington by the Kata Golda crew. Using plant dyed wool felt creates those lovely soft + natural hues and is quite eco-friendly to boot. Each animal is then completely hand stitched with hand embroidered facial features and detailing. And to step it up even one more notch, each animal can be personalized with a child's name. 

In regards to sustainability, Kata Golda animals are instant heirlooms. They're the animal friends that will never go out of style and will never see a landfill. And will still make your kids smile in 30 years.

As a company, Kata Golda donates 5% of all proceeds to local elementary schools for art supplies, books and organic gardening. 

And for more Earth Day kid's craft projects, click here.

Enter the green world of Naef toys.  The objective for Naef toys is to produce play objects that unify quality design and superior Swiss craftsmanship. All Naef toys begin by specifically selecting woods that will not shrink or warp and will remain durable over time. All of the painted products are made using non-toxic varnishes or clear coats and all woods are harvested from sustainable forests in Europe.

The Rainbow, pictured above was designed by Heiko Hillig for Naef and can be used as a playful sculptural what-have-you, a tunnel for toy cars to zoom through and even used as a xylophone, offering endless combinations of sounds. Bonus: the kids will even learn their colors (something we are still working on in this house....).

Naef toys are objects of learning as play "uses one's sence of site, touch and sound to interact with an object while experiencing the changes in light and shadow,  proportion and rhythm, depth of field, etc."

True, Naef toys tend to cost a bit more green. But dig it: quality design + sustainable craftsmanship that transends age + time the whole family will surely enjoy.  As one customer said recently, "I do not buy the plastic fantastic."

Puppies, bunnies, mice and bears. Boys + girls dressed in the cutest little clothes. Each animal by Kata Golda is handmade of plant-dyed wool felt, sewn with love + embroidered with the sweetest expressions.

Measuring 12" short, each animal can be personalized with your child's (or your!) name, as shown above. The animal set as well as a few other Kata Golda goodies will be soon be available in the toy category. Sweet!

A Speesees Organic Friend would be an excellent gift for a new Mom.... and baby! Made of super soft 100% organic cotton sherpa and filled with lavender for the loveliest smell + lentils for nice weight + floppiness. Safe for baby as the eyes are embroidered on + certainly fun for toddlers to throw around + cuddle with. 

I appreciate the color palette Speesees has used. The friends are available in a muted mustard yellow, oaty natural and not too bright orange (much more subdued than in the product photo). Each friend measures about 8" in length for extra coziness. 

Meet Storm by Esthex. He's is soft + stuffed. A bit peculiar + totally lovable. His helmet is removable as is his cape + belt. Yes, Storm would look nice on your son's shelf or sit politely as part in the Esthex collection, but he is really just ready for the action. Ready for the imaginative adventures you child will surely take him through.  

Storm has noodle-ish legs and awkward arms + is ready to fly. Beady eyes and no mouth or nose but surely he can talk. He may get a bit dirty and perhaps be used as an unofficial teething toy (minus the accessories). Storm is the kind of softie that will be your child's friend...forever or until he stops playing with stuffed animals.  

Made of reclaimed wood + salvaged bits, the EF wood rattles are a treat from nature. It's fun to discover something so simple yet so meaningful. Although it is a rattle and perhaps will receive more attention from a slobbering 6 month old, I still have our walnut rattle on the end table. Eliot still picks it up almost everyday, perhaps in attempts to throw or chase the dog with. We live in a time where 2 year olds say "I type on my email" that an injection of real wood + and the natural sound of lentils shaken inside a small piece of wood is refreshing. It's one step closer to rescuing your child from nature-deficit disorder. 

Handmade of solid wood, hollowed + filled with lentils or beans to make a beautiful sound. Available in walnut, myrtle or maple and measure roughly 5x2 inches.