ChildTrek Blog

Green Play: A Toy Safety Fair sponsored by ChildTrek - Dec. 6, 2008, 10 am - 6 pm

• Are your children’s toys safe from harmful elements and chemicals?
• If you’re breastfeeding, do you know how much lead you may be passing on to your baby?
• What are the current laws around toy safety?
• What makes a toy educational?

Come to Green Play: A Toy Safety Fair to get answers!

Toy Safety Fair at ChildTrek’s Storefront

ChildTrek’s First Toy Safety Fair
ChildTrek invites you to join us at Green Play: A Toy Safety Fair. It will be on Dec. 6, 10 am - 6 pm at the ChlidTrek storefront located in Tacoma’s historic Freighthouse Square, off Exit 133, 2 blocks north of the Tacoma Dome.

Full address: 430 E. 25th St, #3, Tacoma, WA 98421. ChildTrek is right across the food court.

Meet toy safety experts, family advocates, and educators. 

• Free toy testing to detect harmful elements and chemical levels
• Learn about laws and initiatives designed to protect you and your family against toxic pollution
• Test for lead levels in your body (for breastfeeding and pregnant women)
• Get school readiness advice for your child from preschool and elementary teachers
• Take advantage of great toy specials at the storefront and especially for the fair!

Please join us for fun and facts!

Learn more…

ChildTrek specializes in safe, unique, natural toys.

PRESS RELEASE

Contact: Annette Roth, Marketing Director
IR2 Media Group Inc.
Phone: 253-212-0379
Email: aroth@ir2media.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

NATURAL TOYS FOR A GREEN GENERATION
Introducing ChildTrek, Tacoma’s Newest Natural Toys Store
Grand Opening Celebration from August 17 to September 14, 2008

Are you looking for unique, natural and educational toys that are safe for your child? Then come visit ChildTrek, a new toy store located in Tacoma, Washington’s historic Freighthouse Square.

Good for Kids & Planet
Miebeth Bustillo-Booth created ChildTrek to marry her love for children, education, and the environment. As a former teacher, Bustillo-Booth understands the importance of toys that promote positive childhood development. As a parent, she understands that parents want toys that are safe, fun and educational as well as good for the environment and affordable. “I believe parents and grandparents are looking for quality, unique, open-ended toys that stimulate their children’s intelligence. When they come into ChildTrek or visit ChildTrek.com, they will find toys that provide this and more,” says Bustillo-Booth.

ChildTrek believes that the best toys are good for both kids and the planet, and actively promotes the idea of living in harmony with the environment. To support this belief, ChildTrek offers green toys. They are made with natural, biodegradable, recyclable or recycled materials under sustainable practices. Most are wooden toys. Very little new plastic is used. All toys are child-safe and non-toxic. They are finished with beeswax, water- or vegetable-based dyes, or non-toxic paints. Because the toys are made under stringent quality and safety specifications, few will end up in landfills anytime soon. They will become beloved toys that are passed down to siblings, friends’ children, and perhaps grandchildren.

Childhood Discovered Naturally
ChildTrek will soon offer fun, engaging, beautifully-illustrated children’s books. They are carefully selected to instill a love for reading — the foundation for a love of learning and lifelong success. The ChildTrek storefront is family and kid-friendly, where children can openly play with toys on display. “I love to see children play at the store. It also helps parents choose toys that are just right for their kids,” says Bustillo-Booth.

Come help celebrate ChildTrek’s Grand Opening celebration from Aug. 27 - Sept. 14, 2008. There will be door prizes, specials and daily promotions. For more information, please contact Annette Roth at 253-212-0379 or via email, aroth@ir2media.com. You can also visit the user-friendly and highly-informative website at http://www.childtrek.com.

ChildTrek Storefront Address
ChildTrek is located just two blocks north of the Tacoma Dome. Take Exit 133, right at the off ramp. Freighthouse Square is the green building just 2 blocks ahead. See you soon!

ChildTrek Toys, Books & Gifts
430 East 25th St., Suite #3
Freighthouse Square
Tacoma, WA 98421

800-406-8735 (Customer service available M-F (10 am - 5 pm PST)

Store Hours
Monday - Saturday: 10 am - 7 pm
Sunday: 12 noon - 5 pm

Come see us soon!

By Miebeth Bustillo-Booth, ChildTrek Founder

Natural & Wood Teethers
The best teething toys are made of natural materials like wood. Wood is naturally anti-bacterial. (That’s why there are wooden cutting boards.) So it is self-cleaning. Wood is hard and will help ease teeth in. But not all wood toys are ideal. The best wooden teething toys are either unfinished or lightly finished with beeswax, water-based stains, or other non-toxic paints. It’s best to gain the manufacturer statements to this effect. At ChildTrek, only toys that have met or exceeded safety standards are available.

Great Teething Toys
Consider the Infant Grabbing Toy Mah or Giraffe by Kathe Kruse. They are made out of non-porous beech wood, lightly finished with beeswax, and made using non-toxic dyes. There are no harmful chemicals to leach out while your baby gnaws on the hard wood. The wooden ring is extra large for easy handling by small hands. The lamb and the giraffe can be removed for machine or hand wash. And they are completely adorable!

The Grabbing Star Red or Blue also by Kathe Kruse has a wooden teething ring and interesting textures for early learning stimulation. A special feature is a velcro loop at one of the star ends so that it can be fastened as a stroller toy. This achieves a couple of things: the teether is always nearby and it doubles as a grabbing toy. Smart!

The Girali Rattle by Selecta, aside from being a practical teething toy, is uniquely beautiful. It is made of native woods from Germany and finished with beeswax and non-toxic paints - completely safe for your baby.

Also, it’s hard to beat the Cherry Rattle by Camden Rose. It is lightly finished with beeswax. Its contoured design makes for interesting tactile stimulation. Its gentle rattle is soothing. As a teether - it is naturally hard to facilitate teething. Watch as your baby gnaws on this beautiful toy for hours.

Cold and Soothing
One of my personal favorites for the summer are the organic teethers by miYim and Under the Nile. Take the Bunny, Elephant, or Bear teether. Dampen, not soak it. Put it in the freezer. Then let your baby gnaw on this cool toy to help soothe tender gums. Do the same for the Fruits or the Vegetables by Under the Nile. Besides gently soothing for your baby, you are teaching your baby to “eat” his or her fruits and veggies!

Vary Teethers
It’s best to keep a few different teethers around that have varying textures and hardness. Some teeth come in easier than others. The molars, for example, are especially hard on infants.

Check out ChildTrek’s selection of ideal teething toys.

By Miebeth Bustillo-Booth, ChildTrek Founder

In June, you will find that more and more of ChildTrek’s natural toys will be “Temporarily Sold Out.” There are two very good reasons for this: 1) They are being sold (thank you!), and 2) they are not being restocked until we open ChildTrek’s first storefront on July 1. Let me explain why.

Limiting the Carbon Footprint of Moving Toys
ChildTrek currently has its inventory in a warehouse in Kansas City, Missouri. Now that ChildTrek is opening a storefront in Tacoma, the toys will be moved to Washington. This will centralize operations and ensure top-notch customer service.

Not surprisingly, such a move across six states will result in significant fuel emmissions. There’s a lot of toys. In order to limit the carbon footprint of ChildTrek’s move, the inventory in Kansas City is being sold down while we stock up in Tacoma. This will significantly reduce the use of gas and its impact to the atmosphere. I ask for your patience as ChildTrek transforms from virtual to reality.

More Natural Toys in July
On July 1, you will see a fully stocked store again. At that time, you will also see more new toy arrivals from new manufacturers that are in keeping with ChildTrek’s green living and worldwide prosperity philosophy.

Word of Mouse
My deep gratitude to all of you who are passing ChildTrek on to family and friends by word of mouse.  Thank you for your kind emails. It’s truly great to reach kindred spirits who are lining up their love of children and planet with their consumer behavior.

By Miebeth Bustillo-Booth, ChildTrek Founder

From Virtual to Reality
ChildTrek will soon open a “real” store in Tacoma, Washington’s historic Freighthouse Square. In the next few weeks, I will chronicle the store’s transformation. For now, here are some before pictures. First thing: Goodbye to all that blue. Hello green!

Grand Opening
ChildTrek opens its doors on July 1 and holds its grand opening sometime after. ChildTrek is located just to the right of the Sound Transit ticket terminals and under what I fondly call “the little engine that could.” Go to ChildTrek.com to view a selection of high-quality, unique, natural toys for babies and toddlers.

By Miebeth Bustillo-Booth, ChildTrek Founder

Thank You for Your Support!
Thank you to all of you who came to see us at the Green Power Baby Shower Expo in Seattle. It was a wonderful success! I can’t tell you enough how much Stacey and I enjoyed meeting you. We especially loved meeting the children! They are such an inspiration and reminded me why I started ChildTrek in the first place.

The Most Frequently Asked Question
You asked many child development related questions at the Expo. Let me share the most frequently asked one and recap my answer.

What kinds of toys do I give my baby who is 6 to 11 months old, sitting up or standing up, but not yet walking?

For the first few months, babies don’t do much. They sleep, pee, poop, and coo. Then one day, they add to their developmental repertoire by sitting up, crawling, rolling, and reaching out. Now what do you give them to play with?

Developmentally, babies can vary quite a bit. Since you see your infant everyday, you are the foremost expert at what your newborn is able to handle physically. So it’s good to start with your own knowledge of your baby. Nevertheless, here are some guidelines to keep in mind as you choose toys that are developmentally appropriate.

a) At this age, babies naturally want to grab and pull. It’s their way of interacting with their surrounding. The best grabbing or pulling toys are chunky and rounded so as to be easy for little, uncoordinated hands to handle. They have textures, sounds and visual feedback to give your baby important multi-sensory stimulation. Through these early multi-sensory experiences, your infant will begin to make sense of her immediate world. She will begin to synthesize information through repeat experiences and organize these in her developing brain. (This is smooth, rough, bumpy, crinkly; this makes this kind of sound, that kind of sound; this one has different colors (babies don’t actually understand colors; but varying contrasts help them differentiate one from another), etc.)

Be careful, however, from giving your child toys that are loud or over-stimulating. Keep it gentle and soothing. Babies are naturally disorganized. Their brains cannot handle information overload. And we don’t want to give them any reason to be upset (and lose the little sleep they give us in return), do we?

b) Rattles and teethers are also grabbing toys per se. However, if you are looking specifically to help your baby soothe tender gums choose ones that are made of unfinished, beeswax-finished, or non-toxic painted wood. Since wood is a natural anti-bacterial material, it is ideal for your infant. It is also safer.

With growing concerns over the possible harmful effects of phthalates - family of chemicals used to make plastic pliable - present in many children’s toys, it’s best to avoid plastic toys altogether. Choose only natural and wooden toys until there is conclusive evidence these chemicals do not disrupt hormonal development, among other things, in young children.

c) Towel dolls and stuffed animals are particularly good for babies and toddlers. They are soft, comforting, and designed to be easy to handle. As a regular companion, soft dolls and stuffed animals help young children to self soothe while in car rides, strollers, or just being a baby.

Note: Do not to put toys, pillows, blankets, or other objects in your baby’s crib. Childhood experts say that infants are safest when they sleep on their back and without things that may disrupt their breathing.

Upcoming Exhibits
We will let you know of other exhibits where ChildTrek will have a booth. If you are in the area, please do stop by. We would love to meet you and your family!

Thank you again for the for the opportunity to meet you at the Green Power Baby Shower Expo. We are also grateful that you chose natural baby, toddler, or preschooler toys from ChildTrek. We truly appreciate your business.

By Miebeth Bustillo-Booth, ChildTrek Founder

This is the 2nd part of the series, “How ChildTrek was born.” Click here to read the “1st Trimester - A Seed Takes Root.”

Abstract: In the series, How ChildTrek Was Born, the founder, Miebeth Bustillo-Booth, recollects significant and ordinary events that led her to start an online store specializing in natural and eco-friendly toys for babies and toddlers. In 2nd Trimester: Out of the Dark, you will read how Miebeth draws parallels about the environment’s fragility and rebirth to her own personal loss and the need to return to nature.

How Nature Heals
Bart and I were in our late thirties when we met and married, which meant my eggs were in their late thirties, too. I tried not to worry about it, but my public pronouncement of “If it happens, it happens” was privately changing to “Oh, God, please, let there be at least one good egg left.”

After a failed pregnancy and deeply broken hearts, Bart and I left for Central America to hide our sadness from caring family and friends. We understood that not everything in nature bears fruit, but this did little to ease our pain.

As we swam with wildly beautiful sea creatures in the serenity of the Belize Barrier Reef, I felt the warm waters lift and console me. Had I not worn a snorkeling mask, the sea would have reclaimed my tears as its own.

In Guatemala, Bart and I saw the resilience of Mother Nature. Abandoned cities lay beneath her nurturing blanket. As I sat atop excavated Mayan pyramids, I marveled at the environment’s ability to begin again. I imagined that my loving husband and I were part of this rebirth, and that in us were still the seeds of life.

Bart and I returned to the United States by way of the Dallas International Airport. It was an arresting scene with the unnaturalness of the hurried life all around us. Just a day before, we were among lightening bugs and their nighttime dance on a lush, moonlit and ancient Mayan plaza. Now we were engulfed in concrete, fluorescent light, and post-industrial reality.

No matter, our natural escape lingered in the lightness of our steps long after that jarring welcome home. We thanked the earth and her creatures for giving us a way out of our painful darkness.

Another Chance
After we returned from Central America, Bart and I let months pass before we tried to get pregnant again. We took our time to fully recover emotionally and physically. Then we decided to begin again.

One evening, Bart brought home a bottle of wine. We saw little of each other that month due to my heavy work travel. So the chance of being pregnant was remote. Nevertheless, I took a home pregnancy test just to be sure.

Two bright pink lines appeared quickly across the window of the test stick. It happened so fast, I was not sure what I saw. I stared at it for a bit, squinting my eyes as if seeing double. Then I burst out of the bathroom, “Bart, look!” Even though I guarded my excitement, I believed that just as nature reclaimed abandoned Mayan cities as fertile ground, in us a seed was growing.

Back to Nature
The following months sharpened my awareness about things I took for granted – from the food I ate to the thoughts that filled my mind. I saw my body as a repository of all my choices - good, bad, and the only-time-will-tell. I regarded me as an incubator – a safe and nurturing haven for the life that grew within. Everything else had to fall in line.

The stresses of my work no longer had the weight they once did. They seemed trivial compared to the making of a human being. I focused on my health. I read labels more closely. I looked for natural ingredients. If the list consisted of unpronounceable, hyper-syllabic terms, I put the item down.

Bart and I wanted to return to a time when food was just food, not pumped up to be pretty or grown so fast as to lose nutritional value. We began to be selective. We ate more and more organic produce. We wanted what we ate to nourish us, not weaken us. Yes, it cost more. But, we knew this was the better choice for us, our baby, and the world she would inherit.

What Toys Teach
As my waist line disappeared, my perspective began to change to that of being a mother. As a former teacher, I experienced how good parenting can make up for the unfairness of life. Also as a public policy director for a large educators’ association, I was aware of the latest findings around early learning, brain research, and childhood development. In sum: Early experiences (from birth to five) significantly influence a child’s lifelong success.

It was with this knowledge that I began to see piles of toys corralled in corners or stuffed in closets of various homes. They had always been there. But this time, I saw them in a different light.

Most were plastic toys with some initial appeal. However, upon a closer look few had positive learning value. Few taught kids to expand their vocabulary, to problem solve, to cooperate, to empathize with others, or to be physically active.

The electronic toys were particularly troublesome. Some were loud and over-stimulating, leaving little to the imagination or the nerves. Some engaged two opposing thumbs and not much else. Other toys – particularly those for boys – taught violence as a way of solving problems. The first to destroy the other wins. Still others – certain dolls – distorted a girl’s sense of beauty and self.

Possibly what struck me the most was how quickly the children became bored with the toys. Their lack of sustained interest suggested that these toys did little to stimulate their mind or engage their creativity. I began to see these moments as lost opportunities to challenge bright children eager to learn. I did not blame their parents. Most of these toys claimed to be “educational” or at least “fun.”

Of course, there were good toys among them. What astonished me was how simple and basic they were. Among the noteworthy were wooden blocks, construction toys, memory games, puzzles, and pretend play toys like puppets. Children played with these repeatedly and longer than others. What’s more, these learning toys brought parent and child together – building a relationship through play!

I began to take note of the kinds of natural educational toys we would get our child.

Xondra the Great
Bart and I chose not to know the gender of our child until delivery. At least, I didn’t want to know and Bart obliged me. It didn’t matter to me whether our child was a boy or a girl, only that our baby was healthy and happy. In preparation for the delivery, we came up with names for a boy and a girl. It was important to us that these were meaningful, reflecting how we would raise our child.

After swimming in the dark for over nine months, our child pushed out into the big, bright world rather hurriedly. As the nurses wrapped and gave our crying baby to me, I asked, “Well, what is it?” In the speed of the delivery, they had forgotten to look. So I unwrapped our newborn, lifted one leg, and announced, “It’s a girl!”

As I held her in my arms, all worldly boundaries dissipated. I looked into her eyes and gently said, “Hello Xondra Elizabeth. It’s so great to see you. We’ve been waiting for you for a long time.” At that very moment, it was just Bart, my daughter, and me.

Before we left the hospital, one of the nurses asked where our baby’s name came from. We told her that Xondra is a derivative of Alexandra, which means helper and defender of humankind. Elizabeth is the name of both of our mother’s. It means God’s promise.

When we considered how to spell her name, Bart said, “Well, you know, XOXO means hugs and kisses.” At that, it was settled: Xondra Elizabeth – God’s loving helper and defender of humankind.

What We Leave Behind
As the months passed, I came to see the world with Xondra growing in it. I saw her running on beaches, picking up starfish. I saw my family going back to Belize to swim with the green sea turtles and the gentle manatees who gave me back so much. I saw us trekking through the rainforests, watching out for colorful birds, looking for swinging monkeys and other wild creatures, and listening for the rustle of the green canopy above. I saw her hiking up the glaciers of Mount Rainier. And then it struck me. Which wild creatures? Which rainforests? What glaciers? Which ones would still be around?

I began to go recall the places I’ve been – to the threatened Belize Barrier Reef, to the crowded cities of Guatemala, Japan and Italy, to the parched islands of Greece, to the disappearing rainforests of the Philippines, to the cities across the United States where green hills and plains are now blanketed with concrete. Are we creating Mayan cities on a global scale?

As I sat through traffic in the parking lot that is I-5, I couldn’t help but notice the grey haze hanging above the horizon. I struggled to remember a song by Perry Como. How did it go? The bluest skies you’ll ever see are in Seattle. And the hills the greenest green, in Seattle. Like a beautiful child, growing up, free an’ wild? I raised the car window as if to keep the smog from reaching Xondra who slept soundly in the back seat.

What kind of world are we leaving behind for our children?

It was with this question that I returned to my work after three months of holding our baby every chance I could, praying that she grow up happy and healthy in a lush and vibrant world.

Coming in the near future: How ChildTrek Was Born: 3rd Trimester

Hello. I’m Miebeth Bustillo-Booth, the founder of ChildTrek – an online store specializing in natural and eco-friendly toys. How ChildTrek was born spans many years, beginning with my own childhood. I’ll tell you the full story another time. For now, let me share the parts that involve a trip to Central America, the birth of our daughter, and a prayer.

How an Island Disappears
The year before our daughter was born, my husband, Bart, and I went to Central America. In Belize, we stayed in Caye Caulker – a small tropical island getting smaller by the year.

The locals will tell you that the ocean is rising. They’ve seen it creep up the shore. The once expansive beachfronts are in some cases reduced to a few feet. The five-mile island is now two islands. In 1961, Hurricane Hattie filled the low lying area to the north and created what is now called “The Split.” What’s troubling though is that this watery passage is getting wider and deeper. The residents know it’s because of global warming. There’s no debate. They are witnessing their island slowly disappear.

What the Sea is Telling Us
While there, Bart and I snorkeled in the Belize Barrier Reef – one of the world’s largest coral eco-systems. Frankly, I did not know what to expect and I was a bit skittish sharing space with sharks and sting rays. But that day would rank as one of the most memorable and rejuvenating days of my life. The reef is lush with a spectacular sea garden unequaled by anyone’s imagination. The sea creatures are wildly beautiful, swimming freely in a serene and awe-inspiring seascape. Swimming there as if I were one with the fish gave me back lost years.

Yet, this unforgettable moment is tempered by what the guides said. This sea paradise is threatened by human activity nearby and thousands of miles away. Pollution is rampant and the water itself is changing. Parts of the reef are dying – some much faster than others.

The Belize government has taken measures to protect parts of the reef. But its jurisdiction and, therefore, its effectiveness go only so far. For now the green sea turtles and the manatees swim in the warm waters like they have since before humans. But their numbers are dwindling and their fate is tied to what’s happening around them. The oceans are rising and cooling as the icebergs melt.

The larger scientific community now largely agree: Sustained dramatic changes in weather patterns caused by global warming are altering ocean currents and eco-activity above and below sea level. Some of the known effects are depleted oxygen levels in areas of the Pacific where sea life has fled or died.

Did you know water could lose oxygen?

Go Slow or Else
On Caye Caulker, there’s a sign that’s at once command, plea, and reminder of the island’s way of life, “Go slow.” It’s quite ironic that many of us fly south for a chance to relax only to find that our fast-paced lifestyle is threatening the Edens of the world.

As much as possible, I took in the island’s stillness and wished the same in me. I stood quietly “at the still point of the turning world,” [1] praying for humanity to go really slow.

How Mother Nature Rebounds
From Belize, we traveled inland to Guatemala. It was a spontaneous, go-with-your-gut kind of trek into the country. Bart and I had not planned to venture there, but something drew us in. We traveled to Tikal and visited the ancient ruins of the Mayan civilization. We learned that this place now covered by a vast wilderness was once a wealthy and bustling metropolis of as many as 100,000 inhabitants. The city fell as it succumbed to overpopulation, warfare, and environmental degradation. The people soon left.

With the populace and its way of life gone, Mother Nature reclaimed the abandoned city by blanketing it with her nurturing seeds and soil carried by wind and rain. A lush and thriving eco-system grew over what was once a prosperous urban center. Its memory faded until nearly a thousand years passed when a group of archeologists realized that in the dense jungle were not hills, but the remains of a great Mayan city. They soon discovered that the once open plazas and sprawling pyramids were consumed by the rainforest, buried beneath dirt and trees. Only the tops of palaces and temples jutted above the canopy. A massive excavation of the past would follow.

The Irrefutable Truth
As I sat at the top of one of the pyramids, I marveled at the power of nature. What humans destroyed in short order, Mother Nature reclaimed at her own pace. But would we be so lucky this time around?

When Tikal fell and it could no longer nourish the people, the inhabitants simply moved to another place. Today, we demand more of our natural resources on a global scale. In our wake, we leave much less behind and return to the land unnatural manmade goods that clog the pores of the earth and poison our water for millennia, if not forever.

Even as I soaked in the massive beauty before me, this tranquility was interrupted by gnawing questions. Where would we all go if we use up our immediate environment? Do we ask more of our neighbor’s? Are we willing to go to war to secure what they have to meet our needs? And how will Mother Nature be able to reclaim the land as we demand more of her?

One thing rang true as I pondered the inconvertible truth: Humans must yield to nature’s way in order to survive. I was reminded by what the great Native American elders have said all along: We are part of the web of life. We are not conquerors of life. We will always lose when we try to overpower nature.

How the Earth Endures
American astronaut Mae Jamison once remarked that when she looked back at our planet, she came upon the realization that the Earth would endure no matter what we did to it. Give her time, thousands of years, and Mother Nature will repair or reclaim ruined landscapes. Jamison, however, deeply worried about humanity. Our average lifespan is measured in double-digits.

The Earth is over 4.5 billion years old. It will outlast us all. It’s been a ball of fire, alive with volcanic activity. It’s been covered with ice for ages. It’s survived powerful hurricanes, tsunamis, and meteoritic catastrophes; and, yet, it goes on. But life on Earth is more fragile. Even as Mother Nature adjusts to new conditions, much of the life we know may not. Raise the global temperature a few degrees and the climate change will wreck havoc in the narrow bandwidth we call our comfort zone. Plant and animal extinctions are happening at a rapid rate. We need the plants and the animals not only for their beauty, but also for the strength they bring to the eco-fabric that makes life on earth resilient.

As we left Guatemala and Belize, a deep excitement and anxiety began to set in: If we don’t start working with nature, we may not be around for the rebound. A seed took root that summer. Perhaps it’s been there for some time. But by the end of the trip, it stirred in me a need to be part of the work. I just didn’t know how yet.

[1] T.S. Eliot, “Four Quartets: Burnt Norton,” 1943.

Next Blog: How ChildTrek Was Born - 2nd Trimester: Out of the Dark

Welcome to the Childtrek.com blog. We will be using our blog to help educate parents on eco-friendly (earth friendly) practices, on the benefits of wholesome, natural and educational toys, on timely industry news and information regarding toy safety, and how you can protect your children from the dangers posed.

Did you know?

• 70% of the toys recalled because of unsafe lead levels are returned to the manufacturer.
• The other 30% generally end up in the trash and ultimately our landfills.
• Recalled toys that end up in landfills can contaminate groundwater and pose a serious health risk to our communities.

Natural, Eco-Friendly Educational Toys

Please be sure to visit our online store where we offer educational toys for children of all ages – providing an alternative to toys that negatively impact childhood health and development, contribute to the problems of global warming, and choke up our landfills for untold millennia.

Please bookmark our blog and visit regularly to gain updates and latest tips on how small changes we as parents and family members can make to ensure a green and vibrant planet Earth for our children and grandchildren for lifetimes to come!