LEARNING THROUGH PLAY: wood vs. plastic toys

I’ll just cut to the chase… I’m not going to make you read a whole blog post to find out the answer. That’s just plain annoying. So here it is, get ready…

Wood, always wood!

Why?

1. More eco-friendly

2. Safer for little hands and mouths

3. They last whereas plastic breaks easily. We still have wood toys purchased 11 years ago that were able to be passed down to my youngest ones. aka- save money

4. Plastic toys usually have some sort of entertainment function. Whether it be a light up or sound feature or something interactive. While I do see there being some benefit to toys like this… I ultimately believe that stimulating their own imaginations is what builds healthy brains. I have also noticed that my children get bored easily with toys that basically play for them. They are usually drawn to our simple wood figures and blocks. They enjoy their play kitchen that does have plastic veggies & fruits by Melissa & Doug.

ECO-FRIENDLY, ETHICAL CLOTHING FOR CHILDREN: Jamie Kay

Whenever I have the littles with me, I get stopped at least once, with someone wanting to know where my kid’s digs are from. And for good reason! My kids rock the best clothing;)

What you may not know about me is I am totally “cheap”! I don’t spend money on pricey items for my children, especially clothing that will just end up stained anyways. Thankfully, I don’t have to compromise style for frugality. I don’t remember exactly how I found Jamie Kay, but thanking Jesus I did!

I shop here almost exclusively for Koa(3) and Willamina(1.5) for a majority of their clothing. What I love about Jamie Kay is the clothing is top quality with the softest fabrics I have ever held in my hands. Their essential Rib collection is where you will want to start. Just purchase one tank…you will see what I’m saying! So soft, so buttery and overall made very well. Everything that Koa has grown out of, is still in great condition to pass on down to Willa.

I think what probably drew me in initially were the colors of the clothing. I am a sucker for mustard and sage ANYTHING! I am obsessed with the classic, old fashioned style of Jamie Kay. Willa always looks like such a little lady… and I never try at all! They are well made, incredibly cute but also…. inexpensive!!!

Our dollar converts over a little bit better to NZD currency. So I only pay $10-$30 per item. Sometimes less! I only shop while they are having sales which are as high as 70% off! For example:

You can buy $10 bloomers at Carter’s too… but do you know who makes those clothes? Yeah, me neither. And do you know what fabrics they are made out of? Or chemicals used on them? Or were they made ethically? Were the workers paid fairly? Was there slave labor involved? We can’t just look the other way on these issues. The purchases we make are our votes on how the world tomorrow will be. At least when I shop at JK, I know the fabric is top quality and safe for my children’s skin. I know when I have ever had any issue, they were quick to fix it and super sweet on top of that. I know this is a company with people who care about the children they are clothing. I am in no way affiliated with this company, I haven’t received any free product or affiliate link… just a mama fan who appreciates not having to break the bank to dress my kids in clothing that does not harm this planet any further.

If you sign up for their email newsletter, like I have, they email out when their sales are happening. That’s the time to do your shopping mamas! I mean a $16 Organic dress? Crazy good! I usually stock up for both kids at once to cut down shipping charges. I have found the fit is long and slim which is perfect for my banana baby Koa! I clean with seventh generation detergent on the gentle cycle and hang dry/air dry tumble. This keeps them in tip top shape!

Jamie Kay has just launched a new collection. Go check it out!