Enter for a chance to win a set of personalized wooden blocks! Include your 7 letters and favorite type of wood in the comment box below. Want multiple chances to win? Enter again at Dr.MOZ’s Facebook giveaway page and on Twitter using the following links:

• Blog Giveaway (Entry 1): Enter your choice of seven letters (in standard or Braille blocks) and choice of wood (walnut, maple, or cherry) in the comment box below.

• Facebook Giveaway (Entry 2): Visit Dr.MOZ’s Giveaway Page on Facebook and enter your choice of seven letters (in standard or Braille blocks) and choice of wood (walnut, maple, or cherry) under the corresponding giveaway post.

• Twitter (Entry 3): Those following Dr.MOZ on Twitter (@DrMOZ) can enter a third time by tweeting their choice of seven letters (in standard or Braille blocks) and choice of wood (walnut, maple, or cherry) along with the contest link http://bit.ly/eeUvL6 within the tweet.

• Contest Rules: There is no purchase necessary to enter this contest which ends on Jan 31st, 6pm PST. A winner will be randomly selected using the random number generator Random.org and will be contacted using the provided email and/or Twitter address. Due to shipping restrictions, this giveaway is only for those with US shipping addresses.

The baby blog is moderated and comments are approved multiple times a day, so don’t worry if your entry isn’t immediately visible. Thanks again for visiting the baby blog and good luck!

Have fun and stay healthy,
Dr.MOZ

If you’re in a pinch for a fun and eco-friendly baby gift this holiday season, I think you’ll want to know about Smoochy Baby Design of San Francisco. This one woman toy factory designs her toys by hand with sustainable hardwood and non-toxic materials.  It looks like

she’s still shipped rushed orders of rolling dogs, towers of flowers, and other fun designs, so visit Smoochy Baby Design on Etsy and tell her that the moose sent ya!

Have fun and stay healthy,
Dr.MOZ

> tip thanks to Kid Crave!

If you’ve been looking for a really nice gift for a toddler that will last generations, I recommend visiting Rocking Frog’s shop on Etsy. Each rocking toy animal is manufactured by hand using quality, ecologically responsible materials. As seen above, the

Kangaroo with Joey rocking toy was created from natural bamboo and coated with a special non-toxic polyurethane finish.

Shoot the Rocking Frog an email if you don’t see the animal you were hoping to purchase. Not only do they take animal requests for rocking toys, but they are also open to creating completely different types of wooden toys.  Hummm…I wonder how much a life-sized moose with a stethoscope would cost to ship?

Have fun and stay healthy,

Dr.MOZ

If you are like me, you’re getting a little fed-up with the plastic junk packed in the big baby and toy super-stores. Plastic serves a purpose for safety products like car seats, but when did we decided that everything “baby” had to be plastic…with mirrors glued to it?

Call me crazy, but my next baby shower gift will be from a company like Little Sapling Toys of Boise, ID. Their reasonably-priced toys are made from either reclaimed, or FSC Certified hardwood. Each durable creation is sanded smooth and finished with beeswax and organic jojoba oil (teethers left bare) to bring out the natural beauty of the woods, and a new tree is planted for every toy sold!

Want to learn more about handmade toys created in the good ol’ USA? Visit the Little Sapling Toys etsy store or shoot over to their blog and say hello.

Have fun and stay healthy,

Dr.MOZ

Two recalls were released by the CPSC today, so I wanted to give them a quick post because one covers 213,000 units sold in some of the largest retailers in the country. Today’s recall warnings include:

• Wooden Toys Recalled by Kendamaspot: Violation of lead paint ban -> 300 units sold through Kendamaspot’s website and cultural festivals in Washington state from July 08 – Apr 09.

• Safety 1st Disney Care Center™ Play Yard and Eddie Bauer Complete Care Play Yard by Dorel Juvenile group: Risk of suffocation or positional asphyxiation -> 213,000 units sold at Babies “R” Us, Kmart, Sears, Target and Walmart from Jan 07 through Oct 09 for $100 to $130.

There were far too many play yards to fit into the graphic, so please click on the links to view the entire list of products.

Have fun and stay healthy,

Dr.MOZ

Watch the nightly news and I think you’ll agree, the world has been raising far too many mad politicians, mad accountants, and mad lawyers…and not nearly enough mad scientists. The answer to this global shortage, wooden alphabet blocks for young mad scientists of course! Made of laser-engraved American maple, this maddening set

introduces all the fundamental concepts and skills necessary for budding mad scientists including:

A – Appendages, B – Bioengineering, C – Caffeine, D – Dirigible, E – Experiment, F – Freeze ray, G – Goggles, H – Henchmen, I – Invention, J – Jargon, K – Potassium, L – Laser, M – Maniacal, N – Nanotechnology, O – Organs, P – Peasants (with Pitchforks), Q – Quantum physics, R – Robot, S – Self-experimentation, T – Tentacles, U – Underground Lair, V – Virus, W – Wrench, X – X-Ray, Y – You, the Mad Scientist of Tomorrow, Z – Zombies

The Young Mad Scientist’s Blocks are made in the USA without the use of dyes or finishes, and available while supplies last at Xylocopa.com!

Have fun and stay healthy,
Dr.MOZ

> thanks to Super Punch!

If you are looking for toys designed with safety in mind, you may want to invest in a set of Enzo wooden animals. They really are an investment considering the hefty $158 pricetag, but they’ll likely be around for the next generation thanks to the quality construction. Enzo animals don’t contain glue or screws, and they are created not to fall apart when your toddler sticks a piece in her mouth. The pieces are interchangeable which allows your little animal lover to create wild new versions of a deer, crocodile, camel, elephant, and a moose. Cool, I can’t say that I’ve ever seen a moose’odile before!

Have fun and stay healthy,
Dr.MOZ

A new CPSC recall warns consumers of a small number of wooden toys from Earthentree of Kirkland, WA. This voluntary recall involves a variety wooden toys including

egg shakers (maracas), pull toys, rattles, and trains.

• Toys: contain small parts or can break into small parts, posing a choking hazard.
• Rattles: the recalled rattles violate the federal rattle standard.
• Strings: some of the toys also have a string longer than 12 inches, which can pose a strangulation hazard to young children.

The toys were sold between December 07 and May 08 and can be easily identified by their glossy red, orange, green, brown, yellow or natural wood designs. Thanks to Earthentree’s quick response, there are less than 300 units on the market and no injuries have been reported. Please click on this CPSC link or the Earthentree link above for the full recall description.

Have fun and stay healthy,
Dr.MOZ

I’ve had my radar up for a fun line of wooden playfood to go with the homemade kitchen set (see Crazy and Crafty Cardboard Creations) and I finally found the perfect collection thanks to our friends at Babygadget! It’s common knowledge that I’m a sucker for wooden toys, but the amazing detail put into Voila’s Japanese Barbecue Set and other food combos really

blew me away. From colorful crates of vegetables to delectable roasted chicken dinners, Voila playfood can be “cooked” in their roasting pans and then cut into pieces and served with wooden cutlery. Visit the Voila company website to search their current toy catalog and to learn more about their materials and manufacturing practices.

Why there aren’t more children’s stores selling Voila’s playfood in North America is a bit of a mystery. I found a great collection available and on sale at Gummy Lump Wooden Toys and a few at The Silly Wagon, but it looks like they are still growing their distribution in Canada and the US. Shoot me a note in the comment bubble above if you happen to have a Viola sighting online or at a boutique near you.

Have fun and stay healthy,
Dr.MOZ

Dear Dr.MOZ,

I have grandchildren ages 3 and 4 years old and I’ve had it up to my eyeballs with their beeping and flashing toys. I don’t care what anyone says, I’m going “old school” from now on and only buying gifts that don’t require electricity. I’d love it if you and the GoodFather could recommend a few gifts that would be safe for toddlers. Anything suitable for the indoors that requires creativity and no batteries would be perfect.

Yours,
Grandpa Unplugged

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Hello Grandpa Unplugged,

If you’re looking for “old school” you came to the right guy. There are quite a few great gift options for ages three and four, and there seems to be an increased interest in classic toys with the recent flurry in recalled toys lately. Here are a few of my favorites that I think you’ll recognize from a great store that is keeping the classics alive!

Artist Easel by Melissa and Doug (3+ years): Not only will your little one’s love the creative outlet, but the double-sided easel will keep them both entertained for hours at the same time! You’ll need to provide your own art supplies, but the deluxe standing easel has everything else you could want including: chalkboard,

dry-erase board, adjustable heights, paint tray with cup holders, locking paper holder, paper cutter, large chalk tray, and four clips.

Tinker Toys (3+ years): This is the Classic Jr Tinker Toy set complete with 66 wooden and plastic pieces with the same metal lid and bottom that you remember from childhood. If you go this route, you may want to give a canister to each child because things tend to get ugly when two toddlers sharing a set run out of pieces!

Original Wood Lincoln Logs (3+ years): The original wood Lincoln Logs can’t be beat, and just to show off…I’ve included the link to the set packaged in the commemorative tin can!

A few other honorable mentions for your age group includes the classic Etch A Sketch and Mr and Mrs Potato Heads. You could get extreme with your new found dedication to being “old school” and use a real potato, but I wouldn’t recommend it. Giving a few toddlers a box full of sticks and logs as a gift is already considered already pretty extreme these days…giving them a potato just might be a deal breaker. Thanks for the great question Grandpa Unplugged and good luck!

Your favorite family man,
The GoodFather

(meet the GoodFather at DrMOZ.com)

Do you ever find yourself wondering what happened to the “good old days” when toys didn’t need batteries? Some toys where known to last more than two days, and unless recent lead exposure has caused my memory to fail…I do remember running across a few that were made in the USA.

I’m happy to report that the “good old days” are back in the form of Alphabet Blocks! Handcrafted in the U.S.A. from basswood, each block is beautifully designed with letters, numbers, and animals for children 12 months and older. These fantastic blocks come in English, French, Greek, Spanish, Russian, Hebrew, and Italian so get them before the Christmas rush. If cool handcrafted blocks weren’t already enough, here’s a shopping tip from your favorite moose. Order your wooden alphabet blocks from il cocco di mamma and you’ll get free gift wrap with your purchase!

Do you know of any other wooden toys out there that were made in the USA? If it’s wooden and American-made, I’d love to hear about it. Click on the comments bubble above to share your wooden toy finds.

By the way, don’t forget to visit again this afternoon for fun Halloween tips and other goodies!

Have fun and stay healthy,
Dr.MOZ