The Green Familia » Kids & Teens

TGF Rated Review: Jack n’Jill Children’s Toothpaste and Brush

erica — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 20:57:44 +0000

What is it? Jack n’ Jill toothpaste and toothbrush.

Who is reviewing it? My 4 year old son.

Set Up It’s an all natural, hypoallergenic toothpaste with organic ingredients, and with packaging that’s minimal, recyclable and BPA Free. It’s a similar story with the toothbrush as it’s made of primarily from cornstarch, so that it’s biodegradable and recyclable.

In Use The cute design of the toothbrush was popular from the outset. It’s easy for a young child to hold and use. My son has been using it for a few weeks now and it’s still looking good.

The first time he used it, my son found the taste a little strange, I think because he is used to minty toothpastes. However, since then it’s been popular and having tasted it myself I can say that it’s a pleasant strawberry taste (there are other flavours available too).

Any Negatives None. I haven’t tried recycling the toothbrush yet so can’t comment on this aspect. You need to snap off the head and compost the body of the brush. The bristles are made from nylon which is recyclable, but you’d need to check in your are to see whether their are local facilities for this in place.

Price and Availability Both products are available online with the toothpaste priced at £4.99 for 50g and the toothbrush at £3.49.

Overall A good quality toothbrush and toothpaste that my son has enjoyed using.

Rating 5/5

Children’s Knitwear from Picaloulou

erica — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 21:16:50 +0000

I’m a big fan of traditional hand-knits for children. All Picaloulou’s knitwear products have been designed in the UK, then hand crafted by a team of hand knitters,working from home around the UK. Their natural, breathable yarns come from UK farms and have been processed and hand dyed in a British mill, using Soil Association approved dyes. All their knits are machine washable on a gentle wool cycle, so there’s no fiddly hand-washing or expensive dry cleaning.

Cable knits have been big this winter and it looks like we’ve got some cold weather to come. This OXO Cable Cardigan (you can see the OXO in the cable pattern) looks chunky, warm and cosy. It’s made from 85% British Merino/ 15% British Alpaca fibres and the smart ribbed collar and contrasting stripey buttons add the finishing touches. Sizes run from 1-6 years and there are 2 colours: grey and sky blue. Normally prices start at £60, but there’s a sale currently so you can pick one up from just £36.

This Reversible Cable Scarf is delightful. The lime green of the scarf brings some colour to a cold day and the merino/alpaca mix will keep the chill out. With the cable pattern visible on both sides this scarf works well either way round and the moss stitch sets off the cable nicely. The medium size will fit adults too and is priced at £32.

Children’s Activity Parties: Ice

erica — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 21:06:12 +0000

A cold weather related party is perfect for the winter season. You might want to consider asking your guests to dress in white or blue in honour of the party theme or come wearing scarves and hats. I’d suggest having some ice themed food for your guests. You can make cucumber and apple icicles by peeling the cucumber and cutting it into icicle shaped slices. Sprinkle a little lemon juice on the apple so that your icicles don’t turn brown. Ice lollies can be fun too. I’d suggest carrying on with a blue and white theme and make white (and blue with a little food colouring) homemade lollies with a white yoghurt like vanilla. After all that cold stuff it would be worth having something more warming like hot chocolate on offer, or if it’s around meal times provide soup or stew served with bread.

A lovely art activity is to make icicle pictures. You’ll need (eye) droppers, diluted paint of various colours and tin foil. You’ll need to rig things up so that the foil is held vertically to allow the diluted paint to run down it. Squirt out the diluted paint at the top of the sheet and let it run down to create your icicles. Once dry you can cut out the icicles and place them on backing paper. It’s fun to turn the lights out,the torches on and shine them on the icicles to see what effects you get.

The other activities will need some preparation a day or two (or longer) in advance. For the first, make up various coloured waters using different food colourings. Then put a layer of your first colour into a container. Freeze on a flat surface in the freezer, then add a layer of another colour and so on. Once complete your creation can be turned out onto an old towel for inspection or placed in a large tub of water to watch as it melts (it would be great to use a clear container for this- I used a see through storage box). Another fun idea is to freeze water in different shapes and sizes of container.

If you’re interested in more ideas for seasonal children’s activity parties, try our Valentine’s Day party or Mardi Gras party.

milliemanu Launches Ladies Liberty Print Pyjamas

Jo — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 08:00:24 +0000

Snuggle up with your children at bedtime in a matching pair of pyjamas! Kids’ PJs always look so comfortable and enticing and now British children’s wear label milliemanu has launched a range of Liberty print pyjamas for ladies, which amazingly TGF believe are the first of their kind in the UK! milliemanu produces a collection of garments for girls between the ages of 18 months and 10 years old.

The pyjamas are designed by co-founder of milliemanu, Camilla Ridley, who used to design unique velvet & chiffon scarves sold in stores such as Liberty as well as in her own label shop on the Fulham Road. The pyjamas use two of Liberty’s S/S 12 prints and retail at £119. They are made in a family run factory in Richmond so really are a very British product! For a real ‘mini me’ look the PJs also come in girls sizes too and retail at £49.

Camilla’s aim for milliemanu is to capture the quality, care and quintessential British style from the clothes of her childhood whilst bringing them up to date with a relevant, contemporary twist. milliemanu reduces the environmental footprint of each product by sourcing responsibly and they are working hard towards ensuring that all of the materials they use are produced, fairly, ethically, sustainably and close to home so they positively benefit local economies as well as the environment.

The pyjamas for ladies have been produced in response from a plea by mothers who coveted their children’s pyjamas. Made in 100% tana lawn cotton, the pyjamas feature super fine thread counts and the combed yarns and Camilla’s use of French seams make them extremely soft but also surprisingly durable. If you have been looking for garments for your children made in the UK using only the finest natural fabrics, then milliemanu is the place to shop.

The ladies pyjamas will be available in sizes Small, Medium and Large exclusively from the milliemanu website from February.

Children’s Toothbrushes from Jack n’ Jill

erica — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 11:00:53 +0000

As well as making children’s toothpastes, Jack n’ Jill make some lovely toothbrushes for kids too. Their Bio Toothbrush comes with a compostable and biodegradable handle. As well as being made from 100% corn starch, it’s ergonomically designed so that it’s comfortable and effective to use. It comes with rounded nylon bristles to clean teeth well. When the toothbrush has passed its useful life. You just need to break off the toothbrush head and compost the handle. In a commercial compost they’ll break down in 90 days, but it will take a little longer in your own compost heap. Nylon is recyclable so you’ll need to check if you have a scheme locally that can take and recycle the nylon for you.

The toothbrushes are fun to use too. They come in two cute, child friendly designs: a bunny and a hippo. They’re priced at £3.49 each.

Jack n’ Jill Toothpaste

erica — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 11:00:38 +0000

Jack n’ Jill toothpaste started out in Melbourne, Australia, but they now have a UK base. Jack and Jill toothpaste has been designed to be 100% safe for young children which is good news if your kids are keen to eat toothpaste. It’s an all natural, hypoallergenic toothpaste with organic ingredients. Jack n’ Jill toothpaste is also kind to the environment. It’s made with organic ingredients and the packaging to be minimal, recyclable and BPA Free.

I love the idea of blackcurrant flavoured toothpaste. The ingredients include xylitol to fight tooth decay and organic calendula to soothe gums. It’s fluroide, sugar, preservative and colour free which is good to know and the attention to detail continues with the packaging as there’s a safety seal and an easy to open flip top cap which is colour coded to match the flavour. There are four other flavours available: banana, blueberry, strawberry and raspberry. Changing the flavours regularly could help keep a reluctant teeth cleaner interested and children will like the fun packaging designs too. The toothpaste is priced at £4.99 for 50g tube.

Craft Kits for the Kids

erica — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 11:00:03 +0000

The Christmas holiday is looming and the weather can be grim at this time of year. It’s always worth having a stock of art activities to hand to take you through these dark days.

This Dinosaur Puppet Kit would be a fun thing to make. The kit contains everything you need to make up the puppet. Four colours of paint are provided so you can paint your dinosaur any way you like. All the cardboard used in this kit is made from recycled post consumer waste paper and cardboard. Obviously you can recycle it again once you’ve finished with it. There are a number of similar kits available so you can find one to suit your child’s interests. It’s priced at £12.

Older children might like to try their hand at sewing. I liked this Stitch-It Donkey Kit . It uses a funky vintage-style fabric and the donkey will hava a matching green mane and tail. The kit comes with everything you need, including the stuffing and a pair of scissors. It’s suitable for ages 8 and over and priced at £9.95.

Children’s Activity Parties: Snow

erica — Mon, 26 Dec 2011 11:00:54 +0000

By it’s very nature, this party will have to be scheduled when there is snow to be had. You’ll need a reasonable amount to be able to carry out some of the activities in this one.

Sledge races are great fun. There’s endless variations. I suggest dividing the children into teams with a mix of ages and having a relay race. Younger children can be pulled along by older children and you can play on the flat or a slope depending on how much speed you want to introduce. You could have all the team on the same toboggan and the winning team is the first to cross the finishing line.

Snowmen are the obvious snow sculptures to make, but you could run a mini competition with a selection of small prizes for the best sculptures: a prize for the best snowman or penguin or polar bear, the most inventive subject, the smallest, the biggest, etc. so that everyone gets something.

Another idea (but one that will take some advance planning) is to make a snowman pinata. For this you’ll need 2 balloons: one smaller or less inflated for the head and a larger one for the body. Make up wallpaper paste and paste strips of newspaper onto the balloons. It works best if you work the layers up over several days. Allow the balloons to dry thoroughly, then pop the balloons with a pin, cut out an opening and place your sweets inside. Cover up the opening with more paste and paper. Then paint them white and joint together in a snowman shape. You just need to decorate them with a face and buttons. A hat and a scarf are a nice touch too.

For refreshments, I think hearty and warm should be the watchwords. So how about baked potatoes: you can put them in the oven when you go out in the snow and they’ll be done when you get back. Get everything ready to go as you’ll want to feed them quickly as they’ll be hungry after all that exercise. I’d grate cheese in advance and cover it. You could put the beans in a saucepan ready to be heated through. Have bowls/plates/cutlery laid out and ready to go. While you’re using the oven you could do a baked apple dessert. Core an eating apple and score a line around it’s middle to stop it popping. Fill the centre with a sugar and dried fruit mix and put it in the oven on the shelf below the potatoes. It should be ready about the same time.

Keeping Little Toes Cosy with Muddy Puddles

erica — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 11:00:51 +0000

Children don’t always complain about feeling cold, but it’s worth making sure their feet are cosy and warm if you’re outside for any length of time this winter.

For wet days how about these Monster Wellies combined with Welly Socks? These fun wellies are bright, cheerful and fun.They’re made of rubber with a cotton lining and easy pull-on tab. To go with them these comfy socks are perfect for keeping little toes snug. Made from natural, top quality merino wool and specially designed with no heel to remain a perfect fit, even as your child’s feet grow. The green monster wellies are priced at £12 and the socks at £5, with a range of colours from which to pick.

Boys Waterproof Snow Boots also from Muddy Puddles look super warm and cosy. They benefit from thinsulate insulation, seam sealed waterproofing and cushioned sole for comfort. They’re priced at £39.50 and are available in black.

Sledges and Toboggans

erica — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 11:00:40 +0000

It can be difficult to get hold of a sledge or a toboggan when the snow comes down because everyone gets the same idea. So now is a good time to get organised and buy one in good time for those fun snowy days.

If your preference is for a traditional toboggan, then you might want to try out this handsome one from Hen and Hammock. Made in the German Alps from locally grown beech and ash wood, using traditional craft techniques, this toboggan really looks the part. The laminated beech runners are lined with high grade steel which helps with both speed and control. It’s been tested for children’s use by the German technical safety authority, TUV. At 90cm long, it’s a good size for all family as it can be easily shared. They are priced at £55 each.

If you prefer a modern, lighter alternative, then maybe these Snow Sledges from Eco Sledge will suit. These sledges are robust and sturdy. They are made from at least 90% recycled plastic and are big enough for an adult and a child. They are designed for years of use and when their useful life is over, all the components are 100% recyclable. There are a range of colours and sizes available and prices start from £29.95.

Greenie Thought for the Day: Choose wooden toys