This Switchback Racetrack Wood Play Set by Educo looks like a lot of fun. My daughter’s preschool has a similar toy and it seems to be very popular with the kids. Its brightly colored wooden pieces add fun to your playroom, while boys and girls alike will enjoy rolling the cars along the various ledges. We have an Educo bead maze  toy that has held up to a lot of use, and I’m sure this would last through many kids as well. You can purchase one for $69.95 at jujubeaneboutique.com.

I picked one of these up at a close out store a few months back, and we have been really pleased with the quality. My daughter has lots of toys to choose from, but she gravitates toward this one when it is available. Something about the combination of soft fabrics and wood appeals to her. It makes a pleasing sound, too. All of the products in this line are made of high-quality hardwoods and are packaged in 100% recycled paperboard. You can purchase one for $6.95 at babyearth.com.

Commemorate the historical Inauguration of the 44th President with this limited edition wooden toy Air Force One.  I just purchased this online for my son who will not only adore playing with it (it’s wooden, a plane and has wheels - some of his favorite things) but when he’s finished, it will be a wonderful keepsake. Being wooden, it is durable enough for him to enjoy now or display later as a collector’s item.  The plane has a silk screen portrait of President Barack Obama and is inscribed with the date of his inauguration. I wanted to find something for my son to mark the inauguration of President Obama but I couldn’t find anything that was age-appropriate until I came across this.
Beautifully crafted, this plane is made in the USA using quality Pennsylvania hardwood; it is suitable for ages 18 months and older. You can purchase it at  CraftsburyKids.com for $18.00.

If you’re looking for an eco-friendly solution to keep your child’s toys organized, you might want to check out The Bertie Box. Made by Kiersten Hathcock of mod mom furniture, the box is made of baltic birch and birch plywood. It’s low to the ground, measuring 17 inches wide x 18 inches deep x 15.5 inches tall, and has casters to make it easier to move around. The interior is natural birch. The bird on the top has a wing cut-out which acts as the hand-held opening for lifting the lid. The entire box is coated with low voc, water-based polyurethane for sheen and protection. It’s so attractive, it might even inspire your children to put away their own toys!

Hathcock produces quality modern/mid-century style children’s furniture, inspired by her own kids’ wants and needs. She only uses eco- friendly birch plywood, non-toxic paints, water-based stains and low-voc, water-based finishes. You can view Hathcock’s beautiful furniture at modmomfurniture.com. To purchase her furniture, you can go to her Etsy shop at Etsy.com, where The Bertie Box sells for $299.

[ This is another in a series of posts by Susan Maphis covering the impact of the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA). For more information about the CPSIA, read Susan's previous article: The End Of Handmade and sign up for her CPSIA Alerts Mailing List ]

Cindy Chrysler is a Founding Consultant of Streamside Farm, a company that makes toy barns from 100% reclaimed barn wood. Currently, they are using cork pine from a barn that stood near Vassar, Michigan to build their miniature toy barns.

Each barn is individually hand crafted from wood gathered from historic barns around Michigan. Some of these barns were close to 150 years old, offering cork pine wood that is perfect for the creation of these miniature barns. The finished barns are never painted or stained, so each finished barn is all natural and free from any harmful chemicals.

Chrysler is not sure how the CPSIA will affect this unique business. “I believe we might be able to still make it work, but we would be narrowing our market even further than it already is,” she comments.

Two styles of barns are available, the Gambrel (shown above) and the Monitor. Streamside Farm also offers customers the option of creating a barn made from wood provided by the customer. You can read more about the business at StreamsideFarm.com.

[ For more information about the CPSIA, read Susan's previous article: The End Of Handmade]

My middle daughter, who just turned three, has recently begun to show a huge interest in dollhouses.  I just wish I had realized this before I did all of the holiday shopping!  I actually like the idea of having a nice wooden  dollhouse in our home, too, however, so I have been looking at them quite a bit lately. 

One that really caught my eye was this great contemporary model from ModernTots. It includes innovative features such as a skylight, a curved roof, a moveable staircase, and transparent paneling that slides from side to side.  I love the style and the rbight, cheerful colors. The only potential problem I can see is finding dollhouse furniture and inhabitants that are equally hip.  Incredibly, this dollhouse is currently on sale for 50% off.  You can purchase one for the reduced price of $60 at ModernTots.com.

So, I gave it twenty-four hours and then decided we had to have this and ordered it.  Hopefully my daughter will love it as much as I do!

Threading toys are a recurrent theme with Haba products. I like the vivid colours of the Laundry Day Threading Beads and the sturdy wooden construction as well.

However, I’m not entirely sure about the age suggestion on the toy, which is 3. I think that 2-year-olds could get just as much enjoyment out of the plaything as a 3-year-old could and I’m sure they are capable of handling the challenge the toy presents as well. I imagine the age suggestion is based on the choking hazard the string presents but think that proper adult supervision is needed regardless of whether the child using the toy is 2 or 3.

Age limitations aside, the threading beads are great learning tools, especially in terms of fine motor skills. They promote creativity as well and they would fit in nicely with a doll house. It’s on sale for $16.99 at petitbaby.com.

I think this toy is adorable and could be fun for my own baby. It was designed in Germany with durability in mind and is very eco-friendly. Made of beech wood and non-toxic lacquers, it has bells and moving parts, not to mention the bumpy track. The happy goblins are friends kids will always remember fondly. Intended for children age 1.5 years and up, it would fit in very nicely in a toy room stocked with wooden toys and other play things meant to stir the imagination, promote learning, and prevent overstimulation. This unique track sells for $90 at LandbridgeToys.com.

Every parent wants her child to play with ABC blocks, hoping that the child will absorb some knowledge from these blocks that will help the child when it’s time to learn to read. Most children will inevitably put these blocks into their mouths from time to time, making a parent worry about the safety of these toys. Maple Landmark has produced a line of toys called Schoolhouse Naturals that are made up of only hard maple wood - with no chemicals, just wood glue used as necessary, and are laser-engraved with no chemical detailing.

This Natural ABC Block Set looks like the perfect first letter block set for a child. The set consists of 16 blocks that measure 1 3/4″. Each has a letter engraved on it against a background of an object beginning with that letter. Most importantly, you can be sure that it’s safe if he puts it into his mouth. Recommended for ages 12 months and up, you can purchase these blocks for $98 at MapleLandmark.net.

Maybe it’s a remnant from my Southern ancestors still in my blood, but I can’t help stopping and listening whenever I hear banjo music. It looks like such a simple instrument, but great banjo players can get so many intricate sounds to come from it. My son has shown a liking for banjo music as well, which is why I think he’d love this wooden banjo from Plan Toys. Like all of the toys made by this manufacturer, it is eco-friendly and safe, made of plantation rubberwood processed in a chemical-free environment with no wood preservatives. Non-toxic paint and natural latex glue are also used in the production of all Plan Toys.

The banjo has four nylon strings and is tunable. This banjo measures 13″ x 6.3″ x 2.2″ and looks like the perfect banjo for a beginning musician. Recommended for ages 3 and up, you can purchase this banjo from Plan Toys at PokkaDots.com for $25.

Here’s another one of those toys you can feel good about buying. This wooden crocodile pull toy is made from Baltic birch wood and water-based paints by a craftsman in Estonia named Heido Peterson, so it’s safe for children ages 3 and up. As your child pulls the string, the hinged crocodile makes all kinds of movements, his head, body, and tail swinging wildly in different directions.

This toy was recently featured on Cookiemag.com. and measures 4″ h x 18.5″ w x 5.5″ d and is also available in Pig, Elephant, Dinosaur, or Snake. You can purchase one for $70 at DesignWithinReach.com.

Although I’ve told myself I’m done shopping for my 4 1/2 year old son’s Christmas gifts, this wooden drum set from Plan Toys caught my eye today. Not only is it a musical toy (always a plus in our household), it’s also eco-friendly, in that it is made from recovered plantation rubberwood from old rubber trees no longer producing latex and slated for burning. No wood preservatives are used in the processing of this rubberwood, either. Non-toxic paint is used on this drum set, another thing to look for when purchasing toys for your children this holiday season. Natural latex glue is used in all Plan Toys, and their packaging uses no PVC, just recyclable cardboard.

This set just might find a spot underneath our Christmas tree this year. If you’d like to purchase one for your little percussionist, you can buy it for $49 at ModernNursery.com.

These unique blocks from Haba allow your child to build structures reminiscent of ancient Persia, Syria, or Egypt. The Middle Eastern Block Set consists of 50 wooden pieces in 13 different shapes. They can be used by a child to create a Middle Eastern village, or added to other Haba block sets to make larger structures. Each block measures about 1″. The set is recommended for ages 5 and up. It is made in China but is guaranteed by Haba to be safe. You can view and purchase this unique building set at BabyNaturopathics.com for $61.50. It would make a great holiday gift.

I was so excited to find this puzzle today while browsing through the GoingApe.com website. I’ve been looking for an aid to help my 4 year old son learn to tie his shoes, and haven’t found anything I like. This Shoe Lacing Activity Puzzle by Melissa & Doug is perfect. The puzzle is fashioned out of wood and looks like a high top sneaker. The shoe measures 8.75″ x 5″ x 3.75″, which is the perfect size to help a child learn to tie his shoes.The wood is smooth and sanded, so it’s safe for your child to play with (like all of Melissa & Doug’s products).

Recommended for ages 3 and up, you can purchase the Shoe Lacing Activity Puzzle on sale for $8.27 (reg. $11.02) at GoingApe.com.

Every child should have a wooden rocking horse at some time during his childhood. It’s a simple yet fun toy that will provide hours, or even years, of enjoyment. This Child’s Rocking Horse with Mane and Tail by Lipper International, Inc. looks as if it would stand the test of time. It is made of beechwood, which is as safe as it is sturdy, and easy to clean: just wipe using mild soap and water. The manufacturers recommend rubbing the wood periodically with mineral oil to maintain its beautiful look. The horse’s mane and tail give it a more realistic look.

Imagine the joy on your child’s face as he wakes up on Christmas morning to find this gift under the tree! HappyMothers.com is selling this rocking horse right now on sale for $49.95, with no tax and free shipping, making it a little easier to make your child’s dream come true this holiday.