This mat is a place mat, cutting board, and work station in one, giving children their own workspace in the kitchen that teaches them to speak Spanish and the geography of Mexico. The mat is dishwasher-safe and phthalate-free. Awards: 2009 Creative Child Magazine Award Winner

Packaged with a whisk and silicone baking cups, the Handstand Kids Baking Around the World Cookbook kit introduces children to the world of baking in a colorful, hardbound and illustrated book with new recipes from Arleen Scavone, two-time winner of Food Network’s Cupcake Wars, and founder of the famous bakery, Sweet Arleen’s. This cookbook features PB&J Cupcakes, South African Pumpkin Bread Pudding, and Carrot Walnut Cupcakes, among others. Launch date: January 2008.
Awards: 2013 TDmonthly Seal of Approval

The Handstand Kids Cookbooks are fully-illustrated, international children's cookbooks that introduce children to the language, culture and cuisine of three different countries (Italy, Mexico and China) while encouraging healthy eating, community involvement and helping out in the kitchen. Each kit comes uniquely packaged with a cooking accessory. The Italian Cookbook is packaged in a pizza box with a chef's hat, the Mexican Cookbook comes in a tortilla bag with a child-sized oven mitt and Chinese Cookbook is packaged in a take-out box with a set of chopsticks.

All Purpose Mats serve as a cutting board, placemat and workstation in one. There are four educational mats: three feature a country from the Handstand Kids Cookbook series and the fourth illustrates a kitchen scene. Maps of Italy, Mexico and China are featured along with language translations of cooking utensils and foods used in the Handstand Kids’ recipes (the Mexican map border shows an apple and below is the Spanish translation “manzana”). These lightweight and durable mats are dishwasher safe and phthalate free. "There is no other multi-purposed item like this on the market. The mats educate kids on geography [and] language, and empower them in the kitchen to have their own work space," Yvette Garfield, creator of Handstand Kids, told TDmonthly. Launch date: April 2009.

The Handstand Kids Chinese Cookbook kit features easy-to-learn recipes, such as The Great Wall of Chicken Lettuce Wraps, while teaching about the Great Wall of China; and Kung Pow! (Kung Pao Tofu), which shows characters doing karate. The Handstand Kids Chinese Cookbook introduces readers to the Mandarin language and comes in an adorable takeout box with a pair of child-friendly chopsticks. "The Chinese Cookbook introduces kids to the language, culture, and food of China in a delicious and healthy way! Children learn about new countries while gaining cooking skills that will assist them in being healthy and interested in the world around them," Yvette Garfield, creator of Handstand Kids, told TDmonthly. Launch date: May 2009.

Kids will learn how to cook simple, yet delicious Mexican dishes, while learning about the vibrant Mexican culture. Each book is packaged in a tortilla bag with an oven mitt. "Ingredients and utensils are translated in the intro so kid chefs get to learn Spanish," Handstand Kids Founder Yvette Garfield told TDmonthly. Awards: TDmonthly Top Toy 2008. Launch date: May 5, 2008.

Where to Buy: Dolls Like Me

The first book in the Handstand Kids cookbook series journeys to Italy and comes complete with a chef's hat. The Handstand Kids books are illustrated with a diverse group of characters who help kid chefs learn a new language. The series translates the ingredients and utensils from English into Italian, and provides kids opportunities to give back to their communities by using their cooking skills to volunteer with charities. The “illustrated cookbook … introduces kids to other countries and encourages community service,” Founder Yvette Garfield of Handstand Kids told TDmonthly. Launch date: April 25, 2007.