Just when I'm convinced that I have indeed found the cutest rattles ever, I take a spin through etsy and find stiff competition in the handmade birdie baby rattles from Mamachee. These rattles feature sweet little birds on a brown handle…
With all the building toys in my three-kid household, I find it amusing that their new favorite is a box of same-sized, non-painted, rectangular pieces of wood from CitiBlocs . You can almost hear all the other blocks protesting, "But I'…
As a child, I'd spend three long days driving to visit my grandmother each summer and, out of boredom, would pretend my bare hands and feet were puppets. Pretty pathetic, but times were tough and it was too hot in our hatchback to go the…
While we try to support our local mom and pops as much as possible, I'm delighted to hear that the behemoth that is Toys R Us has just put out their 15th annual guide to toys for differently-abled kids to help support the special needs c…
If your kids are like my kids, then it doesn't matter what the toys were intended for, they all still end up in their mouths. Hence my appreciation for the new sets of pretending and teething toys from Little Alouette . Hand carved from …
After inheriting yet another useless stuffed animal courtesy of my in-laws, I have officially put the kibosh on any and all such toys. With one exception, of course. The King. If you're an Elvis lover, his spirit and likeness can now liv…
I make no apologies about dissuading people from giving stuffed animals as baby gifts because the damn things just seem to spawn and multiply overnight. But I could easily make an exception when it comes to the gorgeous plush baby rattle…
The only thing more impressive to us than an adorable handmade stuffed animal is one with an awesome do-gooding backstory. Like the one behind Kathy Chereck's "critters" at the shop Ashley Petite . When Kathy Chereck lost her grandson, N…
These days, not everyone wants (or needs) to spend money on a brand new backpack or lunchbox for the kids each school year. So I like the idea of finding those fun little doodads that help liven up backpacks and make them feel new again.…
Of all the things my homeschooled kids miss about not going " back to school " in the traditional sense, it's not having a daily ride on a school bus that ranks at the top. And now that they've caught site of this handmade Painted School…
My days of drawing rock band logos on my knees are long gone, but life would have been a lot easier if the non-toxic Tee Juice fabric markers were around back then. My son and his friends tried them out during the world's best playdate ,…
I just do not have that kind of creativity it would entail to look at a traditional sock monkey and think, Hmm, I bet I could improve on that. But that's what CMP fave Clarity Miller did when she turned one into a Socktopus . It's virtua…
We're a crazy homeschooling family, minus the denim jumpers and 65 children (Kidding! Kidding!) and I'm always on the lookout for ways to teach the kids things without boring them to tears with text books and lectures. The 6 in 1 Educati…
My heart is going thumpity-thump on seeing the new Alexander Girard alphabet blocks by House Industries. Yes okay, so the set is 100 bucks at maXimo design but the truth is, if I add up all the disposable plastic toys we've received for …
Now that I've put my foot down on the whole no-DVD-in-the-car thing (the same way Liz had mentioned earlier this week), I better have something to keep my three occupied on long road trips. So along with all the great kids' music we play…
I am one of those moms who avidly resisted a DVD in the car until I finally broke down before a 10-hour car trip with two under three. Even so, I am a strong believer in looking out the window, playing word games, and singing along to mu…
There are few things that scream New England more than the ubiquitous lobster, but since I'm afraid a lobster may actually scream, I have never brought one home to cook for dinner. If you're like me, go a different route and bring home t…
When I saw the Cardboard Designs airplane at Arte Bebe, I immediately sent it to my husband the pilot, who immediately sent it to all his pilot friends because it might just be the coolest plane toy we've ever seen. We're already fans of…
When the kids ask to fingerpaint , I conjure up visions of them covered in gelatinous, who-knows-what goo which doesn't make me too eager to indulge them in their favorite medium. But, when they come calling with puppy-dog eyes and promi…
When my son was younger, he'd shuffle around the house balancing a stack of his favorite books in his overloaded arms. I was thrilled to have raised a mini bibliophile, but after seeing countless board books tumbling onto his little toes…
When I find myself packing our bags for a beach side vacation , I always look for ways to cut back on the number of space-hogging things we're taking. With the SandSac they can bring their sand pail and shovel without taking up too much …
Craft kits are perfect for moms lacking that creativity gene, but then there are moms like me who combine both lack of creativity with an aversion to clutter. Our kids happily create, but then we wonder what to do with the (precious and …
Well it's about time my favorite local Brooklyn toy store, Acorn toys , went digital. Not that I was complaining before, mind you, but now everyone I know can check out the gorgeous selection of handmade toys and other special gifts for …
I am always impressed by those upcycle crafters who look at what most of us would send off to Salvation Army and see the potential for something fabulous and new. Or in the case of Australian artist and mom of four Leah, creating dozens …