Our Favorite Natural Summer Essentials for The Whole Family

Having a naturally safe and healthy summer is very important to us,  so we have researched and tested  products to provide you with the best shopping choices for your family and your home.   Here are some of our favorite summertime products to ensure your summer is natural, safe and healthy. Be safe and enjoy your summer!

#1 Summer Must Have: Sun Protection Products from Shady Day

Shady Day Wipes is one of our all time favorites among our customers.  They have been featured on Oprah’s “Love it” List and Parents Magazine have called Shady Day their favorite sunscreen for the summer.

This product was created by 2 moms who wanted to provide a product that combine mess free application solutions, with all natural, high quality ingredients.  We encourage you to check out their entire line of products but the award winning Daily Sun Protection Wipes are a customer favorite!

#2 Summer Must Have: Herbal Bug Balm

This bug repellent is a must have for parents concerned about using synthetic chemical compounds on their children’s skin. Created by For My Kids, this Herbal Bug Balm is a safe natural alternative to chemical bug repellents for kids and the whole family!

The Herbal Bug Balm uses pure organic catnip essential oil to keep bugs at bay. AND it is chemical free! Ingredients: organic coconut oil, organic soybean oil, candelilla wax, lemongrass oil, organic tamanu oil, Vitamin E oil, organic lemon balm, organic rosemary, organic geranium oil, organic catnip oil, cinnamon oil, clove oil.

#3 Summer Must Have: Piggy Paint “Flower Power” Kid-Friendly Nail Polish Gift Set

Piggy Paint is a customer favorite for a reason. Girls of all ages can have fun decorating their fingers and toes with these vibrant, natural & non toxic polishes.   It’s as natural as mud in the sense that every ingredient is biodegradable with no residues left behind to harm the environment.  This product was also created by a Mom so she could provide safe, non-toxic pedicures for her young daughter’s “piggies”.    And make sure you check out the Piggy Paint “Little Miss Firecracker” Kid-Friendly Nail Polish Gift Set for the 4th!

#4 Summer Must Have: Green Toys Recycled Indoor Gardening Kit

This 9-Piece Indoor Gardening Kit is a great way to introduce your young ones to gardening and growing their own food. Everything you need is included, and of course, it is 100 % recycled.  Green Toys’ line of classic toys uses recycled plastic milk containers to make safe, eco-friendly children’s toys that do not contain phthalates or Bispenol-A (BPA), and meet FDA food contact standards.

#5 Summer Must Have: Klean Kanteen 12oz Brushed Stainless Classic Bottle + Kid Kanteen Sippy

This is a healthy and eco-friendly alternative to plastic water bottles-  perfect to take along  for the pool, summer vacations and camp. Klean Kanteen products help to keep your kids well hydrated while on-the-go.  The  12oz Kid Kanteen Sippy is designed like a basic bottle, add an adapter cap and Avent non-spill, easy-sip spout.  All bottles and caps are BPA-free .

Organic Bug’s Favorite Eco Friendly Toy Companies

..By offering children toys that send a positive message about protecting our planet helps to educate the younger generation about how to make good choices for our environment. It may even create young ambassadors for Mother Nature. -Laurie Hyman, Co-Founder of Green Toys

Part of our philosophy is to provide consumers with offerings that are safe, good quality and help to promote a better world.  What better way to do this than to teach future generations to respect and preserve the natural resources of our planet? One way to teach this lesson is to lead by example, talk to your kids about the importance of recycling, conserving our resources, and supporting companies who embrace sustainable practices.

The holidays are an important time to share these ideals by giving toys that foster their imagination and creativity while while keeping true to the values of an eco-conscious home.   I want to highlight some of the companies we adore who provide a line of well made toys that will out last the others and are made with the safety of our children and planet in mind.

Green Toys

Green Toys makes a line of eco-friendly classic toys that are free of phthalates or Bispenol-A (BPA).  These unique toys are constructed from recycled milk containers!  Founders Robert von Goeben and Laurie Hyman created this company out of their desire to provide consumers with an environmentally friendly alternative to traditional plastic toys while making an effort to improve and preserve the world around us.  Their toys have been nationally recognized by media, and have won awards from Oppenheim Toy Portfolio, Dr. Toys, and Fat Brian.  We love them because they have adopted enviromentally sustainable practices into their manufacturing by:

• Doing business locally. Their operations are located within close proximity of one another in California, helping to further reduce its carbon footprint by avoiding long transportation distances.
• Packaging their products in recycled corrugated boxes with no plastics, cellophane or twist-ties.
• The toys themselves are 100% recyclable too. So, not only are they earth-friendly they are ready for your recycling bin.

Piggy Paint was highlighted on our blog last October- but felt the need to mention them again for their wonderful selection of holiday themed nail polish sets.  Girls of all ages can have fun decorating their fingers and toes with these vibrant, natural & non toxic polishes.   It’s as natural as mud in the sense that every ingredient is biodegradable with no residues left behind to harm the environment.  Our favorites this season: “Mistle Toes”, “Jingle Nail Rock” and “Snowflake Fairy”.

Montgomery Schoolhouse of Maple Landmark Woodcraft

Founded in 1971, the legendary Montgomery Schoolhouse products have been a part of the Maple Landmark family of Vermont since 2001 .  These products are made at the highest level of quality & eco-safeguards to insure many years of good clean fun.   Maple Landmark Woodcraft was founded by Mike Rainville who took up woodworking as a hobby in as a teenager, and launched his wood crafting company after his college graduations in the mid 80s.

Today, Maple Landmark Woodcraft continues to offer high quality American made toys and other wood crafts. Product safety remains their number one priority and the company does as much business locally as is possible including the many services needed and most material sourcing.

Concerns about toxic chemicals leeching from toys and ongoing environmental risks inspired the company to launch a line of  non-toxic wooden toys called Schoolhouse Naturals.  These toys are made from maple hardwood with no added chemicals that has been responsibly harvested from sustainable Addison County, Vermont forests. Be sure to check out the award winning My Best Blocks-Advanced Builder and the Natural Scoots Toy Vehicles from this line, one of our favorite offerings.

For My Kids

For My Kids, LLC is a company devoted to finding (and making where none currently exist) products that are beneficial to our children and our planet.  They offer a line of safe, natural & organic cleaners and personal care products that are a wonderful healthy alternative to chemical disinfectants. The company was founded by Christine Stewart when she learned about the potential long-term ill effects of the cleaning products she was using.  She set out to create effective cleaners that used non toxic ingredients for the sake of family.

Her latest triumph is Happy Fun Dough, an all natural and non-toxic version of play dough.  This soft, pliable dough is made from flour all natural ingredients- even the colors are all natural.

MiYim

MiYim, a Shanghai based company, believes they have a special responsibility to protect the environment for future generations and offers safe and chemical free products for babies and children.   The company is committed to protecting the health and safety of their employees and safeguarding the environments where they do business.

Miyim is the ancient word for water. And seeds, rich fertile soil and water are the basis for all MiYim products. MiYim collectibles are woven with organic cotton that is untreated, unbleached, and unprocessed with color dyes acquired from nature.  Here are some of the other reasons why we love the toys from this company:

Low-Eco Impact Manufacturing.  They use a specialized natural filtering system purifies waste-water from coloring process before releasing back to the environment.

No chemicals or harmful substances are used in making of miYim products.

Socially Responsible Management: They follow the highest International labor standards and treat each employee with respect and fairness.

Sustainable packaging: Each miYim collectible is housed in a handmade box crafted from recycled materials and the miYim gift box is meant to be reused! Make the most of your miYim purchase and use it to store anything from photos to recipes.