GRAND Magazine - November/December 2008 - 30

Even cloth toys, such as baby blocks, may have painted features that contain lead. plus) ranging in price from $4 and up, and sturdy vintage bunny “paper dolls” made from sturdy board die-cut figures and clothing (3 years-plus, $16.95). Craftsbury Kids offers a super cute lead-free and PVC-free “Sophie baby giraffe” teething toy for infants ($18.95) that’s handmade in the French Alps: www.craftsburykids.com. 3. Choose toys with nontoxic finishes. game devices may be made from or may contain polycarbonate plastic (“PC”) parts. PC plastics are synthesized with the chemical BPA (bisphenol-A), a synthetic estrogen hormone that many research scientists regard as being a reproductive, developmental and neural toxicant that may adversely impact human health. PVC plastic (polyvinyl chloride) products—regardless of how cute that doll, “squirty” bath toy or vinyl baby book is on the outside—don’t deserve a place on our shopping wish lists. PVC products are inherently “brittle” by nature and must be stabilized during processing with chemical additives such as lead or cadmium to make them more durable and more resilient. With regard to lead exposure there may be no safe level of exposure for infants and children. Additionally, further additives (that currently are of concern) are necessary to make PVC products flexible. This means if we fill the holiday stocking with plastic toys that are soft, pliable and/or fragranced, our grandchildren will collide with phthalates, commonly used plasticizers (softening agents) and scent fixatives that are rapidly gaining recognition as endocrine disrupters. 2. Avoid polyurethane foam. Playthings made from or containing polyurethane foam (PU foam), such as squeezable “stress” toys, contain hazardous volatile organic compounds (VOCs), including the neurotoxin toluene that can off-gas from foam-filled products. Additionally, products made from polyurethane foam are highly flammable and therefore may be treated with toxic flame retardants. Some animal studies suggest that halogenated flame retardants suppress the immune system and may be neurodevelopmental toxins, endocrine disruptors, and carcinogens. Some creative alternatives to PU foam-filled toys: Some healthier plastic toy options: Green Toy’s phthalate-free and BPAfree recycled plastic tea sets and small garden tools are available for purchase online: www.kangarooboo.com. Other options that range from low to pricey can be found online from Quiet Hour Toys: www.quiethourstoys.com/. Some affordable choices include tiny cloth dollhouse dolls (for ages 3 years- A Kathe Kruse Rainbow Baby natural cotton “teething doll” with beechwood ring that’s polished with a natural finish of beeswax for infants ($13.99), available through Oompa Toys: www. oompa.com/baby-toys/item/KK22252/ Kathe-Kruse-Rainbow-Baby(Lavender). html?oompaItem=Kathe%20Kruse_Rainbow%20Baby%20(Lavender). Kate’s Caring Gifts offers stuffed animals produced by Rock Hills Estate. Choose from teddy bears, frogs and bunnies filled with lavender—all natural and said to encourage relaxing sleep. (3 yearsplus, $19.90): www.katescaringgifts.com. Knit strawberries made from plantdyed wool (for discerning chefs) are from Whimsy by Jess Nicole at Quiet Hour Toys (3 years-plus, $4): www.quiethourstoys. com/product_info.php?products_id=1060. Even cloth toys, such as baby blocks, may have painted features that contain lead. Therefore, we should look for product descriptions that specifically indicate that the toy has been painted or finished with nontoxic lead-free paints, natural oils or botanical-based dyes. Grands who are enchanted by wood toys will find lots of eco-friendly options online. The Green Party Goods store offers a full line of “planet friendly products,” including wood toys that have been painted with all-natural vegetable dyes. Prices range from low to moderate, and offer grands a wide variety of choices ranging from a tiny spin top or alphabet train ($1.50) to bumble-bee-handle jump ropes to wood racing cars and planes to European-made dollhouse-size furniture: www.greenpartygoods.com. Fake-food fun: a delightful basket of 15 different beechwood food items, including fruits, a roll and cheese made by the German company Haba (3 years-plus, $21): www.kangarooboo.com/product/ details/705-Haba-Basket. Haba also offers a winsome bunch of wood carrots (3 years-plus, $6.50): www.kangarooboo. com/product/details/680-Haba-Bunchof-Carrots. For baby grandchildren, there are “bee” maracas filled with beads made from recycled rubber wood and decorated with nontoxic paint (18 months-plus, $6.50): www.kangarooboo.com/product/ details/721-Plan-Toys-Bee-Maracas. 4. Avoid “toy” or costume jewelry. Many small novelty jewelry items are made from lead and/or decorated with lead-based paints because these items are not officially classified as toys, thus falling outside U.S. toy safety standards. When in doubt, don’t buy it. For more to the story click here. 30 GRAND NOVEMBER DECEMBER 2008

http://www.craftsburykids.com http://www.greenpartygoods.com http://www.kangarooboo.com/product/details/705-Haba-Basket http://www.kangarooboo.com/product/details/705-Haba-Basket http://www.kangarooboo.com/product/details/680-Haba-Bunch-of-Carrots http://www.kangarooboo.com/product/details/680-Haba-Bunch-of-Carrots http://www.kangarooboo.com/product/details/680-Haba-Bunch-of-Carrots http://www.oompa.com/baby-toys/item/KK22252/Kathe-Kruse-Rainbow-Baby(Lavender).html?oompaItem=Kathe Kruse_Rainbow Baby (Lavender) http://www.oompa.com/baby-toys/item/KK22252/Kathe-Kruse-Rainbow-Baby(Lavender).html?oompaItem=Kathe Kruse_Rainbow Baby (Lavender) http://www.kangarooboo.com/product/details/721-Plan-Toys-Bee-Maracas http://www.kangarooboo.com/product/details/721-Plan-Toys-Bee-Maracas http://www.kangarooboo.com http://www.katescaringgifts.com http://www.quiethourstoys.com/ http://www.quiethourstoys.com/product_info.php?products_id=1060 http://www.quiethourstoys.com/product_info.php?products_id=1060

GRAND Magazine - November/December 2008

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of GRAND Magazine - November/December 2008