Monday, December 10, 2007
GHM Top Ten List: Ten Great Sites to Shop This Holiday Season
Posted by Missy W. on 12/10 @ 12:01 PM
Did you get any shopping done over the weekend? If you are still undecided, here are some of my favorite sites for some outstanding children’s gear. I know safety has been in the forefront of many a parent’s mind this season, so I am listing sites with more natural toys. I have highlighted an item from each store, but believe you me, it was incredibly hard to narrow it down. Holiday madness has pretty much struck me right in the brain. Must.Put.The.Catalogs.Down.
Top Ten after the jump.
Blueberry Forest
Blueberry Forest carries natural handmade toys, playhouses, baby gifts, baby carriers, books, and other magical toys. These cute wooden handled jump ropes will be great stocking stuffers. I also love the Selecta puzzles.
Magic Cabin
Magic Cabin makes me want to be young again. Here’s my favorite sentence about their toy selection, “The words “batteries not included” do not appear in our catalog simply because our toys are kid-powered.” Woohoo! No batteries! If you have a born thespian and are short on room, take a peak at this doorway puppet theatre. A Magic Cabin exclusive, the theatre can be used as a puppet stage, circus tent, ticket booth, or anything else that strikes your young one’s imagination. $4.99 shipping on orders over $50.00
Nova Natural Toys and Crafts
Nova Natural Toys and Crafts is a family run business that’s been around for 18 years. They believe in open ended play and a child’s imagination. I think their website is so easy to navigate and presented simply, just like their toys. I just love this little tipper truck from the UK.
Oompa
Oompa Toys has an enormous selection of natural, wooden European toys. Haba is one of the best brands around and their walker wagon is a great example of the lovely craftsmanship. Sy’s pal Max has this and they love to push each other around in it. Oompa has $4.95 shipping under $65.00, spend more than that, and shipping is free.
Moolka
Moolka, like Oompa, focuses on European toys, but not all are wooden here. They carry a huge list of brands, including Playsam from Sweden. How cool are these Streamliner cars? If you order by 12/19, you’ll get your gifts by 12/24.
Modern Seed
I love Modern Seed’s clean lined toys and furnishings, great for the hip, modern family. Of course, our house is more of an Ikea melting pot, but I can appreciate good design, right?? Look at these cool moveable wall dots, aptly named Wall Candy. Save 10% if you enter JINGLE07 at checkout (valid til 12/21).
A Child's Delight
A Child’s Delight was started by a husband and wife team back in 1994. They have a great selection of wholesome toys for kids ranging from American Retro Cars to Groovy Girls to Thomas the Train. I got sea monkeys for Christmas once, I loved watching them swim around and was mystified as to how it worked. Since children learn through play, what a great way to introduce science into the mix. Looks like A Child’s Delight has free shipping over $75.00.
Our Green House
Our Green House features natural toys, eco-friendly house products and even milk paint. They also have a great list of toys made in the USA. I am utterly charmed by this wool felt mailbox. I’d love to play with that now!
Bella Luna Toys
Bella Luna Toys sells Waldorf toys, as well as natural and wooden toys. They sell a lot of Sarah’s Silks items, which as I constantly mention, are some of my all time favorite toys. If you purchase this super cool doctor’s suitcase from Haba, Bella Luna will donate $5.00 to the Hydrocephalus Association. Buy a cool toy = automatic donation. Excellent! Free shipping over $200 for a limited time. (I’d remove the little wooden “pills” if you have a kid who likes to eat dirt, toys, wooden pills, etc.)
Hearth Song
Hearth Song was founded in 1983 by Barbara Kane because she wanted to steer mighty clear of the rising popularity of “super babies”. She felt it was important for children to have time to be children. Hearth Song has thoughtful, engaging gifts that I go back to again and again. For all of your budding entomologists, Hearth Song has a cool kit to study the Secret Life of Bugs. It even comes with a “bug listener” equipped with a bendable, water-proof microphone. How neat is that? $4.99 shipping with purchases over $50, just use code HS49.
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