Are you looking for a different kind of gift for your kids on their birthdays? Check out The Green Playroom for the smart gear balance bikes. They are also called run bikes or balance bikes. This is because there are no pedals and there are no training wheels.
To be able to ride it the child must practice two skills: motor and balance. In fact, these bikes were really designed so that the child using it will learn balance and coordination. The child will use their feet to push the bicycle. If at any moment the bike begins to fall, the child will regain the balance by using his or her feet. Once they have the balance and the momentum, they can lift their feet and continue cruising!
Stop by www.thegreenplayroom.com and check out our great selection on these innovative bikes!
The Green Playroom is proud to introduce its newest addition to an already large selection of toys: the Little Wheel Barrow! Never heard of it? Worry not, we’re going to tell you all about it!
As we delve further into the 21st century, there are a few concerns that are always on the mind of any good parent: kids aren’t spending enough time outside, and that may possibly be better for them given the current environmental trends.
This children’s wheel barrow works to counteract both issues. The red wheel barrow, adorned with green flowers, is part of a long line of eco friendly kid’s toys, just another way to make the environment a little better while ensuring that your child still gets the very best. The wheel barrow is ideal for outdoor play, and once your child gets their first taste of being a little gardener, they’ll be addicted!
The opportunity to give your child a great toy while helping the environment they will someday live in (not to mention their health now) is an opportunity that rarely comes around. Jump on it today!
Wonderworld Toys is an eco friendly manufacturer of award winning and innovative educational products for children of all ages. The extensive product line includes: children’s furniture, wooden balance bikes, rockers, ride-on toys, infant walkers, wooden blocks, shape sorters, stacking toys, teethers, push & pull toys, mini vehicles, pretend play, organic plush, wooden toys and more!
They have such a wide variety of wonderful toys for kids, you’ll forget about the stereotype of eco friendly toys being boring in an instant! We wish we had toys like this growing up and applaud Wonderworld Toys for their commitment to the environment.
The toys are:
1. Award winning
2. FUN
3. Educational
4. Innovative
5. Heirloom quality and long lasting
6. Uniquely designed with kids and stages of play in mind
7. Non-toxic, sustainable, and eco-friendly
The manufacturing focuses on:
1. Advocating for the environment.
2. Using sustainable wood from Rubberwood trees.
3. Planting two trees for every one cut down during toy production through the “Tree Plus” program.
Sustainability Philosophy:
“As a part of the society, we believe that social responsibility is the right thing to do. There are many activities enhancing the society according to our belief to be a good organization including: Corporate governance, Labour standards, Human rights, Consumer concern, Fair Trade, Environmental concern and Social giving.”
He that plants trees loves others beside himself. — Thomas Fuller
Turn Off the Lights
Yes, please to turn off the lights when you leave the room, but also remember to go outside! The weather is getting warmer, so take your kids outside to play and enjoy the nice weather! When it’s warm and sunny, you don’t need indoor lights. So, lie down in the grass and start finding shapes in the sky with your children.
Recycle the Little Things
Start small, one item at a time, but get the kids involved and take something to the curb or recycling center. You’d be surprised how small efforts can add up over a year’s time, even for just one family.
Spring Clean
It seems like everyone needs at least a little more room in the house. Instead of eyeing larger spaces, make more room by donating things your family doesn’t use anymore. Clothes and toys outgrown get a new life and you get more space! Reorganize your current space, you may even find another purpose for the guest room that doesn’t get used.
Buying Smart
What is the longevity of the item? Will others want it once you are done or will it end up in the garbage first? Purchase high quality products made from environmentally conscious companies and they will be enjoyed and used for years. Sometimes it seems like kids grow in and out of clothes and toys quicker than parents can buy them, but if they are playing with
Feeding the Family
Think about where your food comes from and start reading labels. Look for a farmer’s market in your area and try to buy from local producers. Better yet, get your entire family involved in your own local production and start garden. If you don’t have room in your yard, look in the community for group gardens or a CSA (community supported agriculture).
BYOBC
Bring your own beverage container. It’s so easy to bring a reusable bottle wherever you go. As an added bonus, you don’t need to find somewhere to dispose of any containers.
Adopt
Keep an open mind about being more sustainable. Listen to ideas from others, consider what will work for your family and adopt them one at a time. Adopting sustainable habits little by little will start to add up over a year’s time and will make a difference. You’ll be happy to look back by next Earth Day!
Creating a chemical free playroom or kid’s room for your child can be easy and fun when you have the right resources. We have put together some helpful tips to consider when creating a fun and safe play area for your child.
Flooring
Eco-friendly flooring can be a great way to start off a green playroom. The best options for your child and the environment include: cork flooring, wood flooring and bamboo flooring. Cork flooring is available at many home stores and is produced sustainably, without damaging the tree, by trimming the bark. Wood flooring is another good option as there are many options and it is widely available. If you choose wood flooring, make sure is it FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) certified. Bamboo flooring provides the same timeless look as wood, is a highly renewable resource, and is harder than its wood flooring counterpart. Another great benefit about cork, wood, or bamboo flooring is they can be easily transitioned when the room is needed for another purpose after the kids are gone. You could even extend the look into other areas of the home for a remodel project.
Rugs and Play Mats
Floor coverings provide a great way to make defined areas for play or create a soft landing pad. Floor coverings can bring together a room’s color scheme and make an impact on the overall room design! When you are looking for floor coverings for your child’s room, choose PVC-free play mats (typically soy foam) and natural fiber rugs including: wool, jute, sisal, hemp, or bamboo.
Wall Paint
We have all heard stories about the chemicals that can be hiding in paint. The good news is—there are many safe options available on the market today. Eco-friendly options for “standard” paint can be found by looking on the labels at your local store for low or zero-VOC (Volatile Organic Compounds) paints. Other, more eco-friendly options are becoming easier to find, such as milk and clay paints. Clay paints are available in a variety or tones and can be brightened by adding tints. Clay paint can be used like any conventional paint. Milk paint is another great option, which typically comes in powder form and can be customized by you ranging from full coverage to a wash thickness! Before going to the paint store, make sure to get an estimate for the amount of paint needed for your child’s playroom by measuring the room. This will help save space in storage areas and will help the environment, too!
Window Coverings
Fear not, there are even great eco-friendly options for window coverings. Natural fibers, such as bamboo, rattan, hemp, sisal, or jute, will help promote healthy air quality and solar window panels can help reduce energy costs. Make sure the solar shades are not made of PVC (polyvinyl chloride).
Furniture
Furnishings can really pull together a room and are oh-so-very practical. Some furniture you might be considering for your child’s room are: toy boxes, bookcases, table and chair sets, and storage units. Kid’s furniture made from sustainably harvested wood can be used for generations and can have extended use past childhood. Make sure the manufacturer is using low or zero-VOC paints and finished and non-toxic glues in construction. There are also other green kid’s furniture options using repurposed and recycled materials.
Toys
Ok, here’s the fun part. Well, the rest is fun too, but this is the goal, where your kids can dive in and have some fun! Choosing the right toys does not have to be challenging. There are plenty of manufacturers who have stepped up to the plate when it comes to producing sustainable, safe children’s products. Here are some things to look for: FSC certified wood (at minimum), soy or water based inks, non-toxic glues and finishes and recycled materials. If you want to take it a step further, make sure the manufacturer has a sustainability policy or environmental program where they give back and do their part to reduce our environmental impact. If they have gone to great lengths, you can rest easy knowing there are making every effort to produce a safe products for your children!
Cleaning Supplies
This room is going to be used and loved by your children (and their friends). It is going to get messy, so make sure it looks and smells clean, not like chemicals, when the kids return for more play time! There are some great non-toxic options available from retailers or you can jump on the internet for a simple DIY cleaning recipe. Distilled vinegar goes a long way as an effective cleaning agent and can be enhanced by using tea tree oil, which is an anti-fungal agent and can be found with other essential oils. Baking soda is a very effective cleaning product for odors and stains and can be used as a scrubbing agent. It’s simple and easy to use household products for all your cleaning purposes!
Don’t overwhelm yourself with options and obligations; begin by taking small steps towards your ultimate goal. Any change towards an eco-friendly space for your children will be a healthy choice for your family and the environment. Breathe easy.
Manufacturer Spot Light: Merida Kids Rugs
This company is an environmentalist’s dream manufacturer! I was thrilled, because of my own pursuits and pursuits of The Green Playroom’s, to find a truly environmentally friendly kid’s rug manufacturer who has all the elements of great design wrapped up in an extremely sustainable package!
The children’s rugs are:
1. Elegant, stylish, current, and everything a parent wants out of a children’s rug!
2. Fashion-forward and timeless (Yes, it happens!)
3. Made of natural fibers
4. Non-toxic, sustainable, and eco-friendly
5. Biodegradable and compostable by nature (I hear music, do you hear it too?)
6. Custom woven–Just like that, just for you!
7. Easy on your indoor air quality. You can breathe easy after opening the packaging.
The manufacturing focuses on:
1. Capitalizing on the unique nature of natural fibers and sustainability
2. Creatively overcome what other manufacturers see as “limitations” to produce durable, high-end rugs for children.
3. Reducing their carbon footprint
4. Reducing waste and pollution in production
5. Fair compensation for workers and a zero tolerance for child labor
Sustainability Philosophy:
“Sustainability has been a core value at Merida Meridian for over 30 years. To us, sustainability encompasses the continuity and permanence of families, communities, organizations and the earth itself. We dedicate ourselves to and are guided by this principle.
Of course, being a sustainable company involves complex environmental, social and economic considerations. We thoughtfully weigh these interrelated factors in all our business decisions, bringing us closer to the ideal of 100% sustainability every day.”
Merida makes children’s rugs with designs full of class, color and consciousness. Just look at these patterns!
I remember, when my daughter Rosie was about 6 months old, thinking about finding a safe, perhaps edible, artistic (yes, artistic) outlet for her. I had daydreams of her sitting shirtless in her high chair with colorful paints all around and a smile from cheek to cheek. Yes, I thought about creating my own paints using beets, spinach, and so forth. Frankly, it just didn’t happen. I tried looking up recipes and thought about simply pulling some beets from the garden, pureeing them in the food processor and then letting her have fun. It just wasn’t the same, besides, the beets would stain her skin if she had too much fun.
Alas, I found Wee Can Too edible art and am THRILLED to have The Green Playroom teaming up with them and offering their products to our customers. End your search for safe baby paints now! Wee Can Too has edible finger paints (they come in powder so they won’t spoil quickly), edible crayons and edible sidewalk chalk (as if I need another reason to be excited for warm spring weather!).
My full review to follow very soon, complete with pictures of sweet Rosie covered in paint and powder!
We’re here and excited! With my teething toddler by my side, we launched The Green Playroom today! We got some good cuddling time in and rocked our to do list! Now, onward and upward. The little one is feeling better and as we get ready to sit down to dinner, I am so thankful and thrilled to be at this point in my life and to bring The Green Playroom to life! There are so many exciting things in store for The Green Playroom!
In the very near future, I look forward to using this blog to share ideas and articles on eco-friendly kids rooms and playrooms, play room inspirations, and green technologies. Together, we can each do our own little part to lessen our environmental impact and teach our children to harness resources effectively. All in a days play!
We’re getting everything polished and ready to “hit the ground running” tomorrow! Along with this, TheGreenPlayroom’s very first press release. It’s officially official. More to come as we get moving!!
Company: The Green Playroom
Contact: Ashley Gutknecht
E-mail: contactus@thegreenplayroom.com
Phone: 866-260-5252
Ashley Gutknecht Launches TheGreenPlayroom.com
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Bismarck, ND- On March 1st, Ashley Gutknecht will launch TheGreenPlayroom.com, a website devoted to sustainably minded individuals looking for eco-friendly toys, children’s furniture and room décor for children’s playrooms.
TheGreenPlayroom.com will feature a beautiful selection of sustainable, non-toxic, eco-friendly furniture and room décor including: bookcases, storage table and chair sets, toy boxes, wall shelving and peg racks, and wall art. The toy collection features top eco-friendly brands including Wonderworld and PlanToys and great hard to find brands like Manny & Simon and Maple Landmark who feature eco-friendly wooden toys made in the USA. The toy collection includes baby toys such as push toys, rattles and teethers, toddler toys like push and pull toys, ride-on toys and wooden building blocks and pretend play toys and games for older children.
A commitment to safe, non-toxic and earth friendly products is the corner stone to TheGreenPlayroom.com, which boasts a product selection sure to pass any green inspection! Brands are carefully researched and selected to make sure they have the environment in mind throughout their business practices while also promoting innovation, learning and creativity through children’s products. “We do all the research to find the best eco-friendly, non-toxic toys for children so you can spend less time searching for the perfect, safe toy and more time playing with the kids!!” said Ashley Gutknecht, owner of TheGreenPlayroom.com. “It is important to provide children with high quality, durable products and toys which will effectively harness our resources and have children delighting in play!”
Founded by ecommerce industry veterans and a mother concerned about reducing our global footprint and providing children with safe and inspiring products, TheGreenPlayroom.com offers sustainable, eco-friendly and non-toxic furniture, room décor, and toys for children’s rooms. For more information, please call us at (866) 260-5252 or visit us at www.thegreenplayroom.com!