May 2010 Notable Toys — Eco-Friendly

The Metal-Urges Set includes 32 pewter letters and a recycled rubber bracelet designed to fit all sizes. Bracelets are available in 12 earth tones and four glittery Popsicle colors. The set is "customizable, empowering, eco-friendly, (and a) great gift!," Shainsware Owner Ewa Zielinski Martinoff told TDmonthly.

Eco Stars are 100-percent recycled, star-shaped crayons collected from children across the country by the National Crayon Recycle Program. This set of 10 Eco Stars comes in environmentally friendly packaging made from renewable resources.

Inspired by the blue sea of the Riviera, the Portofino set is made from silky, lightweight jersey cotton. The white short sleeve tee has Riviera blue stitching and snaps at the shoulder. The matching drawstring pants are Riviera blue with a white strip at the leg.

The versatile Keiko kimono dress is made from soft organic jersey cotton, with delicate stitching at the sleeve. It can be worn alone or with pants underneath.

The Zah Organics Signature Kimono Set is made from organic terry cotton and features an almond kimono top and white drawstring pants, both with matching white trim and topstitching.

This NYC guidebook and activity book is filled with stickers, word searches and plenty of space to journal.
Awards: 2010 - The Toy Man Seal of Approval, The Toy Man Eco-Recognition Seal, The Toy Man E Choice Award.

Available in size 0-6 months, these gender-neutral socks feature little yellow ducklings waddling over a bright white background. Soy-based, non-skid grips make this American-made product eco-friendly.

Featuring a hip, virtual teenage pop star, "Anni Zola - My Story" is an enhanced CD incorporating four songs interwoven with three short stories (in audiobook format), bonus videos and images. Anni Zola sings, dances, talks about her dreams, and encourages her peers to live a meaningful life. "'Anni Zola - My Story' is a sophisticated enhanced CD without the sexual content," Generation Z Founder Zuriana Zonneveld told TDmonthly.

These popsicle-colored bracelets come in glittery and translucent shades, including Lime, Cherry, Grape and Blue Hawaiian. As with other bracelets by Shainsware, kids can change out the elements (letters, symbols, etc.) to personalize the band.
— In a September 2010 survey, nine percent of 44 retailers named Shainsware a best-selling jewelry brand. “I did really well with their Popsicles,” Martha Burrows of Timeless Toys in Chicago, Ill., told TDmonthly. “They just hit that market between make-your-own and a quick fix.”
— In an October 2011 survey, Katie Rook, manager of Be Beep Toys in Columbia, S.C., told TDmonthly that Shains bracelets are her best selling jewelry.

This wooden shoe is designed to teach kids how to lace and tie their shoes. The loops are cloth and it comes with a lace.

Featuring a guide for parents and kids with tips on how to be green, this DVD includes an adaptation of the beloved folk song "He's Got the Whole World in His Hands." It is illustrated by Caldecott Honor-winning illustrator Kadir Nelson and sung by Crystal Taliefero. This DVD features an hour of colorfully animated storytelling for a new generation of eco-conscious kids. Launch date: April 20, 2010.

BPA and PVC free, this cornstarch teething rattle is eco-friendly and biodegradable. The slender design provides easy gripping for exploring fingers. It is made with Natureworks® EcoGreen cornstarch PLA biopolymer with silicone teether parts.

BPA and PVC free, this cornstarch resin rattle is eco-friendly and biodegradable. Its classic dumbbell shape provides easy gripping for exploring fingers. It is made with Natureworks® EcolGreen cornstarch PLA biopolymer.

Organic, BPA and PVC free, this plush animal with teething rings entertains baby. The plush animal is made from organic cotton terry with organic cotton fill, and the EVA teething rings can be chilled in the refrigerator for a soothing effect.

This BPA-, PVC- and nitrosamine-free cooling teether can be chilled in the refrigerator for a soothing effect. The soother is filled with sterilized water for baby's health and comfort.

BPA and PVC free, this biodegradable plastic teething rattle is made from cornstarch resin. It is made with Natureworks EcolGreen cornstarch PLA biopolymer with silicone teether parts and comes in a fun shape for exploring fingers. Noelle Brown, marketing associate for iPlay, told TDmonthly, "We think about both baby and the environment and consider both when creating our products."

This rectangular 100-piece puzzle measures 18" x 12" when complete. Mudpuppy's 100-piece puzzles come in a hinged storage tin. Mudpuppy Press Public Relations Assistant Shanya Lewis told TDmonthly, "The artwork is great and the puzzles are fun!"

The 63 pieces form an 18" x 14" jigsaw puzzle and fit into a 6"-high, 5"-diameter cylindrical canister with a colorful rope handle. The Monsters puzzle greyboard contains 90-percent recycled paper and its packaging contains a minimum of 70-percent recycled paper. All materials are printed with non-toxic, soy-based inks, and CE and ASTM tested for safety.

Mudpuppy 42-piece puzzles measure 16" square when assembled. The pieces are packed in a sturdy, 5" cube box with a colorful rope handle and are CE and ASTM tested to ensure safety. The puzzle's greyboard is made of 90-percent recycled paper, and the packaging is 70-percent recycled paper and printed with non-toxic, soy-based inks. Mudpuppy Press Public Relations Assistant Shanya Lewis told TDmonthly, "With themes like robots, princesses, cars, animals and classic characters like The Very Hungry Caterpillar and the Rainbow Fish, Mudpuppy 42-piece Puzzles make great gifts!"
— Kristin Dolle, manager of Playthings Toy Shoppe in Louisville, Ky., said that puzzles from MudPuppy were a best-seller in the category.

This 24-piece, two-sided puzzle has a sturdy 5.5" x 9.75" x 2.75" sliding drawer box. It features a full-color front and black-line reverse and includes five wipe-off crayons. The completed puzzle measures 10" x 15". It is printed with non-toxic inks and CE tested for safety, and the puzzle greyboard contains 90-percent recycled paper.

The Car Crazy Floor Puzzle is packaged in a sturdy, stackable box. The product features 24 jumbo pieces and a colorful rope handle. Puzzle dimensions are 24" x 36". Box dimensions are 8" x 3.5".

Counting Animals 3-Piece Puzzles are constructed from 90-percent recycled greyboard and designed to develop basic math skills. There are 10 three-piece puzzles and each puzzle shows a group of friends for young children to count, from one to 10. Roisin Ross of eeBoo told TDmonthly this product features "beautiful artwork by Kevin Hawkes."

This game is part of eeBoo’s eco-friendly board games series and is designed to develop patience and number skills. Each player works his way around the solar system (game board) and collects one element from each of the planets to complete a space lab. Children can learn counting, judgment, cooperative play and taking turns, as well as strategy, planning ahead and how to win a race. Along with learning the names of the planets, their gases and the solar system, the game includes additional facts about each planet.

Puzzles are a great quiet-time activity to hone fine-motor skills and spatial perception. eeBoo’s versions of this classic format are made of extra sturdy 90-percent recycled board and printed with non-toxic inks. Roisin Ross of eeBoo told TDmonthly, "eeboo's tray puzzles are made using recycled board, have a vintage look and are multicultural."