PlanToys

While I was pregnant, Brad and I were discussing what types of toys and activities we wanted for our peanut. I wanted to get toys that were fun, educational and that would last a long time. With the amount of diapers and clothes you go through, I at least needed the toys to last more than 3 months. We fell in love with Uglydolls, Melissa & Doug (both of which I will blog about later), and PlanToys.

Oval Xylophone

PlanToys is a wonderful green company that makes quality, safe, educational, fun toys. They are a carbon neutral company and they planted 9,023 trees last year to continue their green efforts. Their safety standards should be praised by all parents because not only do they meet regulation, they surpass them - quality standards, environmental & occupational safety, social accountability and alternative energy practices.  Their commitment to child development runs deep and they've been awarded the Parent's Choice and Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Awards several times. They want to encourage creative play & positive learning environments for kids - they get an A+ from me!

Let's talk green. PlanToys is green in material, manufacturing and mind. All materials are made from kiln-dry, non-chemically treated rubberwood. They use E-Zero glue (non-toxic), water-based non-toxic colors, recycled and recyclable materials, they're printed with soy ink & water-based ink and they use solar energy and bio-fuels to power machinery.

Categories

• PLANBABY - baby and toddler items - books, bugs, blocks, rattles & rollers
• PLANPRESCHOOL - matching games, blocks, push toys, music makers, trucks, fruit & veggies
• PLANACTIVITY - measuring tape, telescope, animals, trucks, tools
• PLANLARGESCALE - kitchen sets, food, tricycles & ride-on toys, furniture 
• PLANDOLLHOUSE - doll houses, doll furniture, etc. 
• PLANCITY - buildings, cars, trucks, trains, bridges, rescue stations, families

Ellie's favorite infant item was the oval xylophone - and she still uses it today. It has been dropped, chewed, spit-up on and anything else you can think of, and it still looks brand new! As she got a little older, her obsession moved to blocks. She has quite a few sets, but the one she always goes for is the 36 count set. I'm thinking she likes it because it has the natural colored wood and bright colors of the special shapes. This year I plan on getting her the shoe so we can start to practice tying her laces and the Beehive set. When I found these, I instantly fell in love. I'm really excited for her to use the tweezers for the bees - this will really help with her hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills. I want toys that will also challenge her and give her a feeling of success when she figures it out. Let's be honest, some toys are just there to entertain, but when your little one achieves her goal, it's a great day for everyone!

I hope you'll visit PlanToys at http://www.plantoys.com/home.php and check out Amazon for some great deals!