Play Food from Nature

The best play food has been either things my children could manipulate (wool roving, play doh, etc.) or things from nature (leaves, flowers, or seed pods). We have some fun seed pods in our neighborhood, but for more variety I ordered a couple more from etsy. Today the girls fed me chocolate-marshmallow ice-cream with nutmeg spice, all the ingredients for which are pictured above :)

Outdoor Music Station

Inspired by other photos on Pinterest, we finally talked Daddy into making one for the backyard:

More Magical Room Decor

If Isla's room weren't already strewn with mobiles, I would have a hard time not buying one of these magical hanging art pieces by Puddle Stomper.

Fun, Green Toys to Make

Fortytworoads promises that with these instructions, recycled cardboard, wire hangers from the dry cleaner, and odds and ends you most likely already have around the house, you will construct a functional washer and dryer that is adorable and remarkably sturdy. Looks pretty awesome to me!

Educational Dolls

MamAmor makes these incredible educational mama dolls. They can be pregnant, and birth babies which not only have detachable cords and placentas, but they also breast feed (Im guessing their snap-mouths snap on to the snap-nipples on the mama doll). Amazing for a child expecting a new sibling, especially if you plan on letting her or him watch the birth.

Yoga for Babies?

Our love of mama and baby yoga is growing along with my toddler. Once she started doing downward dog on her own I really wanted her to have her own yoga mat. She carries her rolled up mat to Emma's class, and spends some of the time practicing moves on it (the rest of the time she plays with the other babies.)

She really likes to use it at home. We put on Kyra Willey and practice sun salutations together.

The Best Anatomically Correct Baby Dolls

My search for the best anatomically correct baby doll for Isla is over. I settled on the Gotz Aquini doll with a potty for a few reasons:

1. the price was pretty reasonable

2. she comes with a potty that looks just like Isla's potty and may help make potty training fun

3. she is recently made and presumably not toxic (the anatomically correct vintage newborn twins I bought for her online smelled like toxic fumes... and they were made decades ago)

4. she's pretty cute, and smells nice

You can find this doll on Amazon, ebay, and at Chicken Little in Santa Barbara.

Imaginary Play

Dragonfly's Hollow makes incredible custom Waldorf dolls. This fairy mermaid is one of Isla's favorites.

Another key play item is playsilks. They are great for all ages, and "grow with your child." You can find them almost anywhere, but I like the ones from The Farm House Boutique for their hand-dyed uniqueness.

Toddler Backpacks

When Isla started trying to carry around more than she could hold comfortably in her arms, I decided it was time for a backpack. The best ones I've seen are hand made and available here.

Little Sapling Toys

Little Sapling Toys makes the coolest takes on traditional teethers, cars, stacking toys, and rocking horses. Teethers come in fun designs like triceratops and hedgehog, and they make an organic rocking unicorn.

New Natural Toy Obsessions

MamaKopp makes the coolest wooden toys and puzzles.  Isla loves to play with her "Troll-in-a-Rainbow" puzzle, and my new obsessions are the Serendipity, Pregnant Mama, and Lovebirds (pictured).  More puzzles and toys including Centaurs, Moomintrolls, and Beasties are available here.

Birthday Crowns

I am all for birthdays. Mine lasts all week. I plan on making crowns for Isla and myself for birthdays and just playtime. Etsy is a great resource if you're in the market to buy one, or looking for a pattern. Try njsisson, cozyblue and SusannaW.

The Thrifty Natural Mama

Some would love to be natural mamas, but are short on cash.  It's a popular mis-conception that it costs more to be natural.  Yes, organic food and clothing do cost more... sometimes.  Not if you're buying some of the clothing secondhand and sticking with what you really need, and not if you're growing some of the food, and cutting back on the portions of meat.  And, with the extra $4000 you save using cloth diapers over disposables (way more than that if you use cloth wipes like we do!), you'll probably come out ahead.

I like buying clothes for myself and Isla from secondhand stores.  It's much greener than buying new, (less waste, less pollution from production), and you can get really nice labels and fabrics for less than the brand new, cheaply-made polyester type at Target or Old Navy.  For myself I like swap meets, thrift stores and yard sales, as well as Twice as Nice and The Closet; for Isla The Traveling Pants and Polar Bear.  And saving money buying secondhand makes me feel a lot less guilty when I have to splurge on a nice organic mattress or really want to buy a cool but pricey outfit for Isla.

I love buying antiques, for the same reasons I buy secondhand clothes.  Santa Barbara County is full of antiques stores, especially in Summerland and Carpinteria.

We're getting rid of our water-guzzling front lawn in favor of fruit trees, and the vegetable garden in the back keeps getting bigger.  I used to buy our organic produce at farmer's market and Lazy Acres, which was delicious but pricey.  Our garden saves us so much money, and Isla has fun crawling in it to find and eat the strawberries.  The excess water from the washer waters the backyard.  (I'm planning a future post on greywater, and setting up a system at your home will save tons of money and water.)

If you're a meat-eater, buying grass-fed, free-range meat is really important for your health and the planet.  It's also more expensive.  But if we can change our ideas about what a portion of meat looks like, (or serve it as a side dish, rather than the main) and not necessarily eat it every day, than you will be spending much less money in the end, and have a healthier diet.

Natural cleaning products are really important.  The toxins in conventional cleaning products are really scary, and harmful to you, your baby, and the environment.  There are great natural options available at the supermarket and online, but if you buy vinegar and baking soda (in bulk, even, to save more money and packaging) and a few lemons, you can make your own natural cleaning products, which are really effective and practically free.  

Natural toys also seem to be more expensive, but again I've found that not to be the case.  Isla plays with her natural wood and woolen toys a lot longer than the noisy plastic versions, and we don't need to buy as many toys as we think.  At the top of Isla's list right now: playsilks - for playing peek-a-boo, wearing like a scarf, and taking in and out of her purse.  See earlier posts for more good deals on beautiful, naturally-made toys that will grow with your child.

Favorite Learning Toys

These felt letters are bright and fun, and feel so good in my hands.  Isla loves to play with them and throw handfuls up in the air, although I have to watch her closely so they don't get eaten.  I bought a set to use when she's a little older so she'll be familiar with the letters of the alphabet, and they'll be great for forming words when she's learning to read.  I'm betting we'll be using these all the time in the years to come. 

New Favorite Toys

This lotus flower stacker will eventually be a fun puzzle for my 11 month-old.  Right now it just gives her room a little namaste.

My daughter loves her Waldorf Doll, which was handmade especially for her.  Dragonfly's Hollow will hand make one to look just like your little one, along with a handmade outfit of your choice.  12" dolls are $65.  

These little stingrays are made from felted wool, come in two sizes (mama and baby?), very reasonably priced, and are available here.