Ok so I’m a little bit excited, my daughter is 3 and we recently bought her a Tike balance bike to test it out and she can ride!

Actually she is more like a little zipper that flies down the footpath with her legs held up in the air screaming with delight. This has got to be our favourite toy at the moment as she loves her new found freedom.

We get lots of people asking us about it and the other day I spoke to a lady whose 6 year old child was having  trouble learning to ride a bike after using training wheels for so long.

These bikes are amazing and it’s hard to imagine until you actually see  a child riding them that anyone could ride a bike without pedals!

So why are balance bikes the latest craze to hit the streets?  Because when your child rides one they are totally in control and can use their feet to move and stop when needed, but most importantly they learn to balance and ride the bike. Unlike training wheels which goes against a child’s natural instinct to let themselves fall.

The Tike balance bike is Australian designed and superior quality above the rest with it’s safety standards and commitment to protecting our environment.  I believe that a toy needs to be well made to last many years and even generations of play and not only is the Tike made from the highest quality FSC certified timber (sustainable forestry), all lacquers used on the Tike are water based, non toxic and  environmentally friendly and for every Tike made a tree is planted.

The Tike balance bike is now available in both our stores (online & Hawthorn) and don’t be suprised if you see a little girl riding around the store.

 And sometimes even her teddies go along for the ride!

My three children (aged 6 & 2 years) and I experimented with Eco Toy’s new range of Botanical Glob Natural Blends Colours for the first time recently and found it a fabulous paint to use.

Choosing a paint that is specifically made for children is important . Acrylic and oil based paints are not appropriate for young children. Choosing paint, like Glob, that is made from natural compounds is a smart choice especially when you consider how much paint will come in contact with your child’s skin, and the possibility that small amounts will go in their mouths too. While most children’s paints are marketed as ‘non toxic’ they often still contain a variety of man-made chemicals which can inflame sensitive skin and irritate allergies as well as stain skin, clothes and furniture

The Glob paints come as small sachets of powder, and when mixed with a little water they turn into vibrant coloured, thick paints perfect for children of all ages.

You don’t need a lot of paint. Two table spoons of paint is enough to paint a lot of pictures and we found a teaspoon of the Glob powder mixed with a few teaspoons of water made enough for us all to paint till we ran out of paper and drying space!

Allow your child lots of time to enjoy the process. Young children often like to paint a lot in one sitting - painting until the paint or paper runs out! Join in with them and explore and experiment with the paints yourself. Talk about what you are doing. Notice the colours, how the pant feels, what you feel like when you paint.

And above all else… enjoy painting as much as your kids do!

You can purchase Glob Botanical Paints online here in the eco toys shop.

Article by Kate - Early Childhood Educator and Mum to 6 year old twin girls and a two year old boy. Blogging at picklebums.com

• Glob paints voted best natural paints by Eco Child’s Play.

At Eco Toys we want our mums to feel extra special for Mother’s day which is why we are giving away some fabulous prizes to celebrate the launch of our new store!

Three wonderful mamas will WIN one one of the following prizes:

1.      A $100 gift voucher to spend in store (or online at Eco Toys if you don’t live in Melbourne).

2.     Our new Baby Concepts Organic Skincare range for mum containing certified organic Australian essential oils valued at $80

3.     A 12 month subscription to Barefoot Magazine

To enter simply mention our new store grand opening (info here) either via facebook, your blog, twitter or even a forum and then simply email us at info@ecotoys.com.au with the link to your post. And of course the more you share the more chance you have to WIN!

Competition closes on Sunday 9th May midnight EST

Eco Toys & Baby Grand  Opening

Sat 8th May 2010

 9am - 5pm

651 Burwood rd, Hawthorn East 3123

(next to Auburn Village & train station)

We put up a wall . . .

While the little fairies played . . .

We painted a red wall white . . .

And helped with some shelving too . . .

 We tapped the ladder together . . .

And excitedly put our first toy into the new storeroom!

The kids had a ball, laughing & playing!

But there was work to be done & painting a black ceiling white was no fun . .

Most importantly friendships were strengthed as we couldn’t have done it without them!

We moved here just over a week ago and have been busy renovating, painting and preparing the shop for the grand opening which will be on Sat 8th May, just in time for Mother’s Day.

And it’s not just our fabulous range of toys that you will find in our store. Our store will focus on a wide range of gorgeous baby and mum products, all made ethically using the finest sustainable and organic materials.

The shop will have a large play area with plenty of toys and activities for our resident toy tester (my daughter Safari) to play with and of course any other children that come and visit.

Mums can relax and even feed their babies or toddlers in our comfortable breastfeeding chair if needed and our dads are also made to feel right at home with our cool range of eco friendly nappy bags & carriers, specifically for dads.

Eco Toys will be running a series of monthly workshop on various topics such as natural birth, breastfeeding, benefits of natural play, baby wearing, cloth nappies and author Robin Grile’s  parenting for a peaceful world workshop.

Our store will be a place where mums & dads to be or families with kids can come and source information and view our huge range of eco friendly toys and baby products, including organic skincare, feeding, bedding, carriers, organic clothing, bath products and much more.

Our shop is about bringing change and making a difference to our children’s future. Eco Toys & Baby is about creating a community that cares, asks and demands safer and ethical products.   This of course all starts at the beginning, when we have a baby.

Here’s a little sneak preview of what arrived today!!

I seriously want a baby just so I can use this! It’s stunning, simple & elegant . . a bit like all our toys!

Over the next 10 days I will be sharing with you our journey as a family to bring a little bit of change in this world.

Morning Eco toys!

Just wanted to send a big Thank you for your GORGEOUS TOYS!!!

I ordered the stacking and nesting boxes and love them and so glad i found your website!!

Ema

scarletterosefairy.blogspot 

Hi!

I just wanted to say that I LOVE your store! It has just the sort of toys I love and such a good store philosophy to back it. I am about to buy the tea set for my little boy (!) as he loves to make his grandma cups of tea.

Thanks again!

Virginia

mumtoddlerbabe.blogspot.com

We received the walker on Monday and our daughter loves it!  She is more into playing with the blocks at this time versus actually walking with it, but she’ll get to that point eventually, and the important thing is that she is having fun!

Thank you very much for all your assistance, we love the walker and the service and fast shipping was outstanding!

Thank you again and all the best,

Jennifer

Thanks very much Melinda,

It’s easy being a loyal customer when you provide great, personalised service and such a good range of fantastic products.

With a second child due in December you’ll be hearing from me many times in the future!

Best wishes,

Rae

Hi Melinda,

I just wanted to let you know that Lucas absolutely loves his ride-on fire truck. It was so great to see how excited he was when he saw it on his birthday - he just knew it was for him - very cute!

Thank you for being so obliging for allowing my husband Dean to collect it from your home.

Kind regards,

Melissa

Hi Melinda

The toys were wonderful thank you, looking forward to seeing Finnley’s expression when he opens them on Christmas morning. Thank you for providing us with such a great source of stimulating gifts for our children. The work you do is very important and you do a great job!

Regards,

Emily

Hi Melinda,

The toys have arrived this morning, and they are gorgeous!

I haven’t had a chance to read the book to my little girl yet, but she is enjoying her first tea party with her dolly.

Thanks so much,

Megan

Just wanted to drop a line to thank you for the fast processing of my order which I placed on Monday 29th March. I didn’t expect it to be delivered in time for my daughters first birthday which is Friday 2nd April, so thanks so much! Will definitely be using this store again!

Regards

Elizabeth

Oh very excited as a box arrived today with some lovely things in it, thankyou very much - I am very pleased

Thankyou again

Warm Regards

Kristy

If you would like to leave a testimonial and / or a photo then we would love to hear from you! Please do so via the comments links below

As a child I remember Autumn as a time to explore, collect and create things and I have a strong yearning to do the same with my daughter which is why I am so excited to introduce these gorgeous new Seedling kits to Eco Toys!

Our range of Seedling kits includes: 

1. Make your own erupting volcano
2. Handmade paper kit
3. The worm farm kit
4. Paint your own Russian dolls

Their products are a complete ‘experience’ allowing children to gain ‘real’ skills and confidence. They encourage adults to get involved, thus building strong relationships, opening the lines of communication and creating memories.

All their products are:

• Made in New Zealand using local, natural and untreated pine.
• Certified and non-toxic
• Packaging is made from box board made in NZ from New Zealand’s sustainably managed forest pulp.
• Manufacture without plastic inners or fillers and use as little packaging as possible.

These kits make great gift ideas for your own children, Grandchildren,Nieces, Nephews, for
Birthdays, Christmas, Easter or just to give that special person in your life.

A gift that will give hours of enjoyment and will leave a footprint of the experience and time shared together in their memory!

We all have a different awareness and concern for the environment but I believe this list I have created is a good start for any new parent.

1. Teach children about recycling by getting them to help you put rubbish in the right bin. Children learn through imitation and role play, so what better way to start teaching them about how to care for our planet than by doing it yourself?

2. Turn the tap off when brushing their teeth. Children can be taught to value, respect and not waste our valuable water by not letting the water run.

3. Use cloth or biodegradable nappies and wipes. More and more mums are using modern cloth nappies these days and that’s because they are easy to use, look stylish and are better for your baby’s skin and the environment. If you can’t be bothered with the washing then ensure you use an eco-friendly disposable  nappy option.

4. Don’t use a dryer for clothes, instead hang out clothes on the line! The sun does wonders for your clothes and my three-year-old daughter loves to help me by passing me the pegs.

5. Buy your food from your local farmers market or green grocer. Farmers markets are everywhere and if you haven’t been to one yet then you should check them out. Filled with fresh, locally produced fruit, veggies, bread, jams, chutneys and much more they are a great way to spend a Sunday morning. Your children will enjoy them too! Checkout this link to find your closest farmers market http://www.farmersmarkets.org.au/

6. Walk to places more often instead of driving; it’s good for you, your baby and the environment.

7. Use natural and organic cleaning and bath products instead of toxic, chemical cleaners that pollute our waterways.

8. Go to op shops. You can find some amazingly gorgeous and unique baby clothes at op shops and they are a great money saver, particularly considering baby only wears them for such a short time.

9. Breastfeed and you never have to worry about bottles, sterilising and formula. Again, it’s the best thing you could do for your baby and you save yourself a lot of hassle!

10.  Don’t waste the earth’s resources on mass-produced, plastic toys that contribute to landfill. Try to buy natural and eco friendly toys, join a toy library or buy toys from op shops.

Meet Kate, Anna and Lulu!

 Aren’t they gorgeous???

Oh and I musn’t forget the sweetest boys, Shawn and Charlie .  . .

These dolls are lovingly handmade using 100% wool and cotton by hearing impaired women in Peru as part of a Fair Trade cooperative that fosters self-esteem, personal growth and an opportunity to gain economic independence. 

It is a great reward to observe our children nurturing their dolls, much in the same way that we nurture them. Each doll is crafted with simple embodied facial features that allow a child to imagine their doll in many different moods and situations.

Our aim is to educate parents about the benefits of natural and sustainable toys and give them the opportunity to see and feel our lovely toys.

We have been very busy preparing and organising for the event and have some fantastic offers and give-aways on the day.

One lucky winner will walk away with this gorgeous organic baby hamper valued at $240! 

The hamper includes a Rainstick Tower, Organic Cozy Lime Doll, Cherry Wood Toddler Zoom, Pintoy Twist Rattle, Peter Rabbit Organic Cotton Book, Organic Green Bean, Hexi Twist, Honey Sticks Beeswax Crayons, Stylish Organic Cotton Kimono Outfit (pic below) and a Luxurious MiniLaLa Dandelion Fields Designer Cloth Nappy, courtesy  of Alipants. 

Plus if you visit the Essential Baby Cafe you can enter to WIN one of our stunning new Baby Gyms and a Wooden  Highchair!!

We will be also offering 15% off our Wooden Highchairs and will have a unique range of handmade soft toys & bird mobiles, made using reclaimed woollen jumpers. All these soft toys are one of a kind and are simply gorgeous! Thanks Renee for all your hard work over the past few weeks.

I want to also thank MoederKip for designing and making us a beautiful baby bunting for our stand (which they sell on their store) and for Natural Family Photography for the amazing photos they have taken of children playing with our eco toys.

Eco Toys is giving away complimentry passes to the Baby Show. To receive your free pass simply sign up to our e-newsletter or join our facebook fan page and post on our wall “I would love to come to the baby Show”.

I look forward to seeing you there and doing what I love the most; sharing my passion to make this world a better place for our children and our planet!