Tuesday, November 16, 2010

Wood Toys & HazelNut Kids Bamboo Game Giveaway

Today we move away from BPA and on to PVC or Polyvinyl chloride. PVC is the third most widely produced plastic because it is cheap, durable, and easy to assemble. It can be made softer and more flexible with the addition of phthalates. Lucky for us phthalates were recently banned by the Consumer Product Saftey Commission, but PVC also contains other heavy metals like lead, which is highly toxic.

PVC is very common in baby bibs, teethers, nap mats, and of course toys! Recent studies show that 40% of toys are made out of this plastic. Think of that rubber ducky. That's not rubber. It's PVC. And where does that ducky usually end up? In a child's mouth, like most toys.

Also like BPA, PVC are endocrine disruptors, and can upset normal hormonal balance in our bodies, stimulate the growth and development of cancers (breast, uterine, prostate), impair fertility, and disrupt pregnancy. Lead causes damage to the nervous system, leading to decreased learning ability and behavioral deficits. Children are especially susceptible because they absorb and retain lead more easily than adults and also because their brains are still developing.

How can we avoid items containing PVC?

- Get rid of all your older plastic toys which are likely to contain the highest level of toxic chemicals

- Buy from major brands and well known stores. Avoid cheap plastic toys from bargain retailers because they are probably imported from China where there is no control over chemicals used.

- Best of all ~ buy wooden toys!

Wooden toys last longer than plastic toys do and you can feel good about buying natural products that are not potentially full of lead and other toxins.

What could be better than a toy designed to promote ecological responsibility and providing learning and fun for your child? Wooden toys fit the bill in all these areas. And it's gotten easier to find toys made this way, thanks for great companies like HazelNuts Kids!

I was super excited when I got sent a wooden bamboo game called Kombino that is made by the great company Hape. It's a game for the whole family - ages four on up - so we all sat down to play. Right away we realized that it is very familiar to Sudoku! And we love Sukoku! My impatient six year old got frustrated pretty fast but my eight year old would not stop playing. It was wonderful watching his brain work trying to fit all the pieces together.


"Learning colors and shapes is fun with this game of strategy! Multiple versions can be played with Kombino. One option is for each player to take one mat and four tiles of each color / shape. They must place the tiles so that each color / shape appears only once horizontally and vertically - the fastest player wins! Another option is a single-player version similar to Sudoku. Mats are made of natural bamboo, and the bamboo tiles are vividly painted with water colors."

I want to show you some of the other fun toys Hazelnut Kids carry! They have TONS of stuff!!

What little boy would not love these? I have to grab a bobble head car for P'Diddy's stocking!

These are perfect for O'Bear. He loves to play kitchen and tic-tac-toe!



And remember our stainless steel water bottles? They have lots of great ones!
This is the one Crunchy Beach Mama got :)

Would you like to WIN the game Kombino?

MANDATORY ENTRY
Visit Hazelnut Kids and tell me what you LOVE there
(sign up for newsletter on bottom left of home page for extra entry!)
AND
Be a BeachBum Follower through Google Friend OR Facebook ~ easy sidebar widgets!

EXTRA ENTRIES
Be a BeachBum Follower through Google Friend AND Facebook

Follow CBM on Twitter and Tweet 'Plastics Weeks @crunchybchmama Learn & WIN the Bamboo Game Kombino from Hazelnut Kids http://tiny.cc/ab7pa #giveaway #green'

Subscribe to my Emails ~ right sidebar

Enter another giveaway from Plastics Week

Hazelnut Kids sent me Kombino for this review but I was not compensated in any way for the post and all opinions are my own. This giveaway will end on Nov. 30, 2010 at 11:00pm ET. Winner will be drawn via random.org. Once a winner is drawn I will contact them and they will have 48 hours to reply before I draw a new winner. Giveaway is open to anyone in the US & Canada and you must be 18 years of age or older.

77 crunchy comments:

Beth said...

I love the Plan Toys-Street Cleaner and Garbage Truck. My little man's favorite thing is to see the garbage and recyclables trucks go by every week. I love the wooden toys craze. My son has a few and it's nice not to worry about him putting them in his mouth.
bfcourage at yahoo dot com

Domestic Diva said...

I like the Little Partners - Learning Tower - Natural.

Unknown said...

I love the Chalet wooden dollhouse with furniture...heavensent1@yahoo dotcom

Unknown said...

Email subscribed to Hazelnut...heavensent1@yahoo dotcom

Unknown said...

Tweet... http://twitter.com/DNatrlBeauty/status/4652419656974336 ...heavensent1@yahoo dotcom

Unknown said...

Entered Stainless Steel...heavensent1@yahoo dotcom

Marilyn (A Lot of Loves) said...

I like the stacking blocks - Roy Toy - I think the cabin one would be a hit.

alotofloves@gmail.com

Marilyn (A Lot of Loves) said...

I'm a beachbum follower through GFC and Facebook

alotofloves@gmail.com

Julie Kieras said...

I Love the North Star Spinny toy thing! My baby loves anything that spins! :)
http://www.hazelnutkids.com/cgi-bin/item/NS003/search/North-Star-Toys-Baby%27s-First-Toy

Julie Kieras said...

Signed up for their newsletter!

Julie Kieras said...

Follow you on GFC AND FB!

Julie Kieras said...

Email subscriber!

Julie Kieras said...

http://twitter.com/ayearwithmomdad/status/4910440521928704
TWEET!

Julie Kieras said...

I'm going to be entering ALL your plastics giveaways right now! :)

DK said...

I love the variety of musical toys available.

DK said...

I also entered the Strawesome giveaway.

angdimaggio said...

I Love ALL of their kitchen items!!! angdimaggio@gmail.com

angdimaggio said...

I am a follower through google and facebook

angdimaggio said...

I signed up for Hazelnut Kids newsletters

angdimaggio said...

I love getting your emails :)

angdimaggio said...

Entering Ecomom giveaway next.

Anna-Leigh said...

What cool stuff! I love the Wooden Walking Elephant Ride-On Toy. I'm a Follower on GF!
annaleighmcclelland@yahoo.com

Anna-Leigh said...

I'm a beachbum follower thru GF and FB!

Anna-Leigh said...

I subscribe to your emails!

Anna-Leigh said...

I entered the stainless giveaway ;-)

Rebeldream said...

Wow, they have an amazing amount of homeschool-friendly supplies! Love them all and gave me some great ideas!

Rebeldream said...

I'm a BeachBum Follower through Google Friend AND Facebook.

Rebeldream said...

I've entered all your giveaways but my own. LOL! ^_^

Rebeldream said...

I'm subscribed to your emails!

Go Long! Go Green! said...

Educo - Switchback Racetrack

allyson dot long at yahoo dot com

Go Long! Go Green! said...

like you on FB!

allyson dot long at yahoo dot com

Go Long! Go Green! said...

http://twitter.com/SGsMama/status/5725003593023488

allyson dot long at yahoo dot com

Go Long! Go Green! said...

subscribed to your emails

allyson dot long at yahoo dot com

Knocked Up and Nursing said...

I like the Stockmar Watercolor Paint Set.
Bog follower via GFC.
sarah brown
knockedupandnursing at gmail dot com

Knocked Up and Nursing said...

I follow you on GFC and Facebook.
sarah brown
knockedupandnursing at gmail dot com

Knocked Up and Nursing said...

I follow you on twitter and tweeted:
http://twitter.com/knockedupnursin/status/5738602109599744
knockedupandnursing at gmail dot com

Knocked Up and Nursing said...

Entered the strawsome giveaway.
knockedupandnursing at gmail dot com

Kirsten said...

GFC follower. I love the North Star Toys - Baby's First Toy
kirsten.jason.2010 at gmail dot com

Kirsten said...

GFC follower and like you on facebook (Kirsten T Isme)
kirsten.jason.2010 at gmail dot com

Kirsten said...

Follow you on twitter and tweet
https://twitter.com/LaydieAphrodite/status/6117913534660608
kirsten.jason.2010 at gmail dot com

Kirsten said...

Subscribe to your emails
kirsten.jason.2010 at gmail dot com

Kirsten said...

Entered EcoMom giveaway
kirsten.jason.2010 at gmail dot com

Kristin said...

I love the Eco-Dough, and I'm a GFC follower.

kristinlb22 at gmail dot com

Kristin said...

I signed up for the Hazelnut Kids newsletter.

kristinlb22 at gmail dot com

Kristin said...

I subscribe to your e-mails.

kristinlb22 at gmail dot com

Kristin said...

I entered the Eco-Mom giveaway.

kristinlb22 at gmail dot com

darlanpaulsmamma said...

follow on gfc and i love Haba - Wooden Blocks Logic Set
melissa.barnes76 at yahoo dot com

darlanpaulsmamma said...

like on fb as melissa barens and follow on gfc
melissa.barnes76 at yahoo dot com

darlanpaulsmamma said...

tweeted http://twitter.com/lovinmykiddos/status/6937359010500608

melissa.barnes76 at yahoo dot com

darlanpaulsmamma said...

entered strawsome glass straw giveaway
melissa.barnes76 at yahoo dot com

Unknown said...

i love the willow toys liams play kitchen
hancoci_s at msn dot com

Unknown said...

i follow you on both!
hancoci_s at msn dot com

Unknown said...

i get your emails
hancoci_s at msn dot com

Unknown said...

entered ecomom
hancoci_s at msn dot com

Jenna said...

What great toys. I like the Chalet wooden dollhouse for my niece. She would love it! thanks so much for the giveaway!

Tawnya said...

I follow via GFC! I love the Plan Toys trains!
copperbliss at hotmail dot com

Cindy said...

I love the doll house... really takes me back in time... uh oh, aging myself... :o/

Cindy said...

Be a BeachBum Follower through Google Friend AND Facebook

YUP - done deal

Cindy said...

http://twitter.com/#!/love2bgigi/statuses/9079793014276096

Cindy said...

email subscriber at love2bgigi@gmail.com

Cindy said...

entered eco-mom giveaway

Cindy said...

entered soda stream giveaway

Becky said...

I love the Educo - Switchback Racetrack and I follow you via GFC
rastrassbur at gmail dot com

MarionG said...

I love the Kathe Kruse Waldorf doll; lots of variety and so cute.
polo-puppy-fluffy at hotmail dot com
I follow on GFC as MarionG

Unknown said...

I follow and I like the Gluckskafer - Wooden Nesting Arch House - Red

appetizerforacraftymind(at)yahoo(dot)com

Unknown said...

I entered your Why Stainless Steel & $15 EcoMom.com giveaway

appetizerforacraftymind(at)yahoo(dot)com

Unknown said...

I entered your Plastic Wrap Alternative & Hyena Cart's Tops/Lids/Covers giveaway

appetizerforacraftymind(at)yahoo(dot)com

Tylerpants said...

I'm a GFC follower. I like the Clementine Art - Natural Soy Crayon Rocks. Perfect for my son's tiny hands! tylerpants(at)gmail.com

Tylerpants said...

Signed up for Hazelnut Kids' newsletter. tylerpants(at)gmail.com

Tylerpants said...

I'm a GFC follower & Facebook follower (Lisa L). tylerpants(at)gmail.com

Tylerpants said...

Entered your Sodastream giveaway. tylerpants(at)gmail.com

Tylerpants said...

I'm an email subscriber. tylerpants(at)gmail.com

trixx said...

I follow your blog. My daughter would love Haba's Geo Shape Tack Springtime Butterflies Maxi Set.

trixx said...

I subscribe to Hazelnut Kids' newsletter

trixx said...

I entered the Soda Stream giveaway

tina reynolds said...

I follow your blog and love the idbids thanks for the chance to win eaglesforjack@gmail.com

tina reynolds said...

i subscribe by email eaglesforjack@gmail.com