We’re pretty excited in the office because a shipment from our newest toy maker, BAJO, just came in. I’m trying to enter information for all the new toys, and co-owner Justin can’t keep his hands off the Combi Puzzle.

My favorite is definitely the race car. It’s a little bigger and heavier than other play cars, so you can really get ahold of it and go fast. And if it breaks down, you can tow it to the garage with this really cool Bajo tow truck.

Another cool thing about Bajo is the way their push toys are made. The handle is two pieces that fit together, so you can break them down when not in use. Push toys are fun, but sometimes a pain to put away; these really solve the problem!

Check out our whole line of Bajo toys and let us know what you think!

Getting ready to decorate for the holidays, but want something a little different? Check out these gorgeous, funny angels from Haba.

The soft angels come with a loop to hang on the tree as ornaments, or on hooks around your house any time of year. Their bodies are soft, but their beautiful faces are beechwood with cheery painted expressions. I can’t help smiling every time I pass them.

Each of their dresses are delicately beaded or embroidered with different designs. And their fuzzy string hair is a hoot! We can’t stop ruffling it here in the office.

The wooden angels are just as versatile as their hanging sisters, and they can stand on their own two feet. They also have fun string hair sticking out of their pig or pony tails.

My daughter plays the violin and my son sings, so I’m already looking at those two as stocking stuffers.Whether you are decorating for the holidays or just want a few extra smiles around the house, these girls are sure to offer a moment of calm as you walk by and catch their infectious smiles.

 We’ll be adding more holiday decorations in the coming days, so stay tuned! 

We’re really excited in the office about a new brand of toys we’re carrying: Selecta. I could barely keep co-owners Justin and Jennic out of the boxes so I could count everything!

Selecta uses sustainable wood for their toys, and uses the wood chips left over from production for their German factory’s exclusive heat source. The toys feel incredibly sturdy and the wood is a beautiful honey color due to Selecta’s exclusive beeswax finish.

My hands-down favorite is Pedella, the duck push toy. Pedella’s mostly wood, but has flat feet made of heavy fabric. His feet not only slap every time them come down on the floor, the rollers going over the fabric gives the toy a hilarious waddling movement as he’s pushed along. Papagallo is a close second, and we got many other pretty push toys.

I also love the Pepito and Benita stroller toys. I can sometimes get cute overdose, but these guys never fail to make me smile, and their noises are attention getting without being annoying. They’ll definitely keep toddlers entertained when they’re not so excited about being confined to strollers.

Selecta also has something I want for my 10-year-old: activity dice games. My kids know if they say “I’m bored” they immediately have to clean their rooms (the only way I could abolish this annoying phrase), but these oversized dice with different themes, Playing Outside, Rainy Day and How Can I Help, are a great go-to when trying to figure out what to do (and adding a little fun to helping around the house. Hmmmm… wonder if I could weight the “doing dishes” side).

Have questions or comments about Selecta? Let us know!

We are very excited to announce the arrival of Green Toys! After waiting since last year, Green Toys finally started making their first shipments recently, and we received ours this weekend!

Green Toys are truly green. Its line of classic toys are made from 100% recycled milk jugs! Their packagings are also 100% recycled materials. Not only are the products eco-friendly, but the entire process and logistics have been very well thought through. The products are made in California, where the laws regarding environmental and toys are the strictest. It not only creates and preserves jobs in America but it saves a lot of energy and reduces greenhouse gases by not relying on so much back and forth transportation to/from other countries.

And the toys are great classics that children enjoy. A sand play set, garden set, cookware set, and tea set. We can’t wait for the weather to be warmer so we can play outside with these Sand Play Sets and Garden Sets.

Our 2.5 year old daughter loves to play with trains, pushing them up and down ramps, through tunnels and into stations. She loves this double-lane bridge! Its massiveness is obvious when she’s next to it. When including the 2 on-ramps, the bridge expands to a total length of a very impressive 56 inches long!

Trains aren’t just for boys. Our daughter loves to build tracks with her older brother, insisting on a particular layout or pattern. There are a variety of bridges and tracks to accommodate the most complex rail system. These vehicles and trains are her favorite ones and can fit into her toddler-sized hands perfectly. All nontoxic and made in Vermont, USA. A great substitute for the famous blue train.

Tell the famous Aesop’s fable, The Lion and The Mouse with this Lion and the Mouse puppet. We’ve also recently added other story time puppets by Zid Zid Kids.

View more from Zid Zid Kids

It’s sometimes tough to get the kids to go bath, but ever since they received these HABA squirters. They quickly jump at the chance to go when it’s bathing time. Our preschooler boy got this ship.

Our 2 year old got this cute little frog. She likes it so much she even brings it to bed with her.

I actually thought they’d just float the things around, but what’s surprising to me was how they loved spraying (squirting) water at one another and bursts out into giggling fits. Or squirt water into the air.

I can’t wait till summer when they can actually have lots of fun outside with these toys, and I don’t have to keep reminding them about not wetting the floor too much.

One of the many activities that children love is playing with playdough. It’s the closest to baking / making bread, and there is just something about the squishiness and the ability to create various shapes (and eat it?) that appeals to kids. You can roll it, knead it, create shapes and or animals out of it. It’s so flexible (flexible, heh), versatile and fun! Our 2.5 and 4.5 yr olds are no exception and absolutely love playing with playdough, but we are very thankful that they don’t make attempts to eat them!

Our kids love to use the Shape, Model and Mold Play Set by Melissa & Doug to make little animals with the molding lids (rabbit, bear, frog, and rabbit), or knead with the various rolling pins, or cut it with the patterned wheel press. Or make patterns with the 5 various shape-makers. There The two can literally sit for an hour or more playing with playdough and this activity set.

Aside from the store-bought playdough that’s available at almost every store, there are various homemade recipes that one can use to make your own playdough at home. Some require actual boiling, while others just mix and knead.

We’ve tried several different homemade playdough recipes, and came upon this one (from our kids’ preschool bulletin board!) that works really well. It’s really easy to make and it lasts quite nicely too. The kids can be involved in making the playdough, which is half of the fun!

Homemade Play Dough Recipe – No Stirring or Boiling Required

Mix dry ingredients. Add oil to hot water and gradually pour into dry ingredients and stir until moistened. Begin kneading as soon as dough is cool enough. If too dry, add small amounts of hot water until desired consistency. If too sticky, add more flour.

Just like store-bought playdough, when not in use, the homemade playdough should be stored in zippered plastic bags such as Ziploc or Glad.

More modern mobiles by Flensted arrived a few days ago. Here are a few of my personal favorites:

Expecting Mother: A fun and funny mobile. Silhouette of an expecting mother and her toddlers. Nice gift for mothers.

I like this the Juggler’s Appretince because the balls are colorful and well, just because clowns makes me happy.

The Splash Mobile is something I’d really love to hang in baby’s nursery. Definitely love the colors and how it looks like splashes on the wall!

It’s always tough to pick out just a few favorites from so many Flensted Mobiles. We love all of their mobiles.

View more newly added Flensted Mobiles