In theory, I love getting breakfast in bed on Mother's Day, but nothing sends my nerves into overdrive like seeing a toddler wobble into my carpeted bedroom with a tray full of orange juice, sticky syrup and things with crumbs. Instead, …
Long ago when my parents would drag us on a 10 hour family road trip to Hilton Head, South Carolina, my brother and I would occupy ourselves with all sorts of fun travel-friendly activities, none of which included a DVD player. Imagine t…
I've been a huge fan of the Kickboard USA scooters ever since I witnessed my then two-year-old take off down the driveway on his royal blue Mini Kickboard. Three years later, if there's anything that could make his ride more fun, it woul…
Happy 40th Birthday, Earth Day ! You look fabulous! Not a day over 29, honest. In honor of this big birthday, a great opportunity to teach our kids about the best ways to take care of this nice planet of ours, the EPA has put out a whole…
I've been to enough birthday parties to have witnessed that infamous phenomenon by which the giftee ignores all the fancy toys and plays with a box instead. And while I wouldn't recommend you wrap up a plain box, I think the recipient of…
Rice dk is a cool Danish company specializing in utterly chic and socially-conscious homewares. I like to think of them as the cooler, slightly under-the-radar version of Ikea. Like the hip older cousin I had growing up who wore a motorc…
So my girls have grown to like princesses just as everyone promised me they would. It's their genetic imperative and I am powerless to resist it. Uncle, uncle! I give in! Even so, I'm always looking out for imagination-building princess …
You may already know how much we love Shokay , the little e-shop that put yak hair on our collective radar. Soft, cashmere-like, and socially responsible (the shop supports struggling Tibetan yak farmers), this luxury fiber makes some of…
If you've got a five-year-old daughter (or thereabouts) then you know the story well. Someone (*coughGrandmomcough*) buys her Polly Pockets and you end up spending most of your time searching for the ridiculously small shoes in your vacu…
After stumbling upon the Design Your Own eggheads felt book from Beeper BeBe , I'm on the verge of nixing the whole Easter basket thing and going with Easter presents instead. because really, when you add up the price (and let's face it,…
Passover isn't exactly the giftiest of holidays, although if you were invited to join us in devouring my mother's matzoh ball soup, you'd think that was gift enough. Still, I'm intrigued with this adorable little 10 Plagues Bowling Set w…
My kids are still completely obsessed with the Calafant toys Santa left under the tree last year, which means I really shouldn't be eying anything else at all. But considering the prices and the versatility of these cool, cardboard toys,…
The biggest challenge I face every Easter is finding cool candy alternatives for my kids' Easter baskets. But thanks to CMP fave boutique Cattiwampus, my search for sugar-free Easter gifts just got a little easier. Their virtual shelves …
I'm starting to see the signs of spring everywhere: Robins on the front lawn, crocus buds poking through the soil, and the kids lugging out the big jug of bubble juice so that they can blow bubbles outdoors to their hearts' content. They…
I spent so long reading the instructions on a card game yesterday that I finally gave up and took my kids to the playground, where they invented a game that involved dumping sand on each others' heads. This morning's bath was grittier th…
I have always loved pretty much everything at KLT:Works . Kristin Loffer Theiss makes the beautiful artwork, plush, nursery decor and apparel that just makes you smile in every way. And I'm smiling even more since discovering that for St…
I really hate losing an hour of sleep to Daylight Savings Time, but I'm also thrilled beyond belief that the season of Throwing the Children Outside to Play is nigh. And I'm pretty sure they will stay out even longer if they have somethi…
When I was a kid, a tent was a musty quilt over a card table, and it was heaven. Kids have it a little better today, and the magic of a secret fort lives on with the fantastic card table playhouses by Miss Pretty Pretty of Imaginative Pl…
Family game night getting a little stale? Gather round for a whole new game of speed, literacy, and I'd say, hilarity with this dandy little game I've found right here for you mamas of older kids . You've Been Sentenced! is deceptively s…
I'm not very good at math, so I can't tell you precisely how many different forms and figures your child can create out of 25 wooden blocks, but I'm going to say it's approximately a gazillionthousand. The ShapeMaker wooden block set by …
My kids (probably like yours) aren't lacking for stuffed animals. But when I saw the amazingly adorable Jungle House Pillow from Toronto's So Chic Gifts I knew I could totally justify getting them this handmade pillow-and-stuffed-animal …
It turns out our Valentine's Day card contest did more than help us put together one cool card, it also introduced us to some really exciting new artists. One of them is Montreal's Stay Home , which makes all kinds of happy little felt t…
Our love for the creative handmade wooden teethers from Little Sapling Toys runs deep, and this adorable American Sign Language "I love you" teether is no exception. And just in time for Valentine's Day to boot. Using reclaimed or FSC ce…
We love wooden toys, but let's face it, there's often more room in our kids' hearts (and hands) for those that are cuddly, plush and less likely to leave a mark when you fall asleep on top of one. Evidently the eco-minded designers of No…