Plastic Bottles, Oil & Pollution
Plastic bottles are petroleum-based and use a lot of fossil fuels to make. They are a major and growing contributor to environmental pollution. According to the National Geographic,

Americans buy more bottled water than any other nation in the world, adding 29 billion water bottles a year to the problem. In order to make all these bottles, manufactures use 17 million barrels of crude oil. That’s enough oil to keep a million cars going for twelve months. Imagine a water bottle filled a quarter of the way up with oil. That’s about how much oil was needed to produce the bottle (http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/Stories/SpaceScience/Water-bottle-pollution).

Crocodile Creek Stainless Steel Bottles
The Crocodile Creek stainless steel bottles are kid-safe, BPA free, phthalate free, and great for school, sports, camp, and other uses. The 12 oz bottles are great for juice, milk, and water. Each is beautifully illustrated with bright, engaging colors and illustrations.

Each Crocodile Creek stainless steel bottle is made of high-quality #304 food grade stainless steel and are lead safe. The cap is made of recyclable PP#5. The spout and lid are recyclable HDPE#2. Conforms to or exceeds US and European safety standards.

Help save our planet to be enjoyed by our children for generations to come, and start using reusable bottle alternatives today.

Accomplished musicians from all continents sing their way into the magic of childhood. Let your child experience a fascinating musical journey around the world in the comfort of your home or classroom!

Listen to Sample Tracks - Putumayo Kids Music
Listen to sample tracks from Putumayo European Playground and imagine everything from ancient castles to high-speed trains. Savor the sunny disposition of Putumayo Reggae Playground and watch your child sway to its rhythmic invitation. Or lull your baby or toddler to sleep with Putumayo Dreamland. For more sample tracks, click here.

The Uncle Goose Count & Stack Blocks is also new in 2009. It features numbers and sides that connect to make circus cars or build a skyscraper…or even launch a rocket! Beautiful and engaging, this is a fun way to learn numbers and to introduce basic puzzles. This set features 10 beautiful American made blocks. Child-safe and non-toxic.

Review & Earn! It’s Easy as 1-2-3!

1) Log into your account.

2) Review items you purchased within the last year.

3) Earn 15 points per approved review!

To launch this new way to earn Loyalty Rewards, the first 50 reviews receive 25 points per approved review. Hurry! Learn more about ChildTrek’s Loyalty Rewards.

New Imagination Toy Made of Bamboo
Next, ChildTrek adds to its Bamboo Collection with Contina. This highly imaginative, open-ended block set is made of 120 beautiful tiles made of eco-friendly bamboo and water-based paints. Kids from age 4 - 99 can create unique patterns and build bridges, buildings, towers, animals - just about anything their creativity desires. The colors are vibrant and inviting. The possibilities are endless.

New Made in Germany Toys
Check out the HABA Indian Summer Magnetic Art. It is made up of 88 brightly-colored wooden pieces with self-adhesive magnet foils. This playset is ideal for both little and older children who like to create patterns. It is perfect for arranging the colorful shapes over and over agan into new designs. Children can start by putting together the 10 enclosed suggested patterns, then run free with their imagination. Includes a wooden play board. Made in Germany.

Also new this year is the 200 Wood Lacing Beads by Grimm’s Spiel & Holz (20mm). These richly-colored beads are sure to excite much lacing fun! They are just the ones to inspire lacing creativity. Your child will have endless fun making necklaces and bracelets using 12 different vibrant colors to choose from. Each bead is approx. 3/4 inch in diameter. Great for refining motor skills and strenghtening hand-eye coordination. Includes plenty of durable, elastic string to lace. Made in Germany.

Click here to view these and the rest of the new natural toy arrivals at ChildTrek.com

Contact: Annette Roth, Marketing Director
IR2 Media Group Inc.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CHILDTREK WINS NATIONAL EARTH DAY DISPLAY CONTEST

Tacoma’s very own ChildTrek has recently won another award – Plan Toys Earth Day 2009 Window Display Winner! Plan Toys – a specialty green toy manufacturer – holds a national contest each year for the best Earth Day Window Display at its participating retailers. Stores in over 30 states submitted display entries, with the winners receiving a prize worth $500 of Plan Toys merchandise.

Plan Toys is a world-class, multi-award-winning wooden toy manufacturer based in Thailand. It uses environmentally-friendly materials in all its merchandise, including: natural, recycled rubberwood; certified, E-Zero non-formaldehyde glue; non-toxic water-based dyes with no heavy metals; and soy ink and recycled and recyclable packaging materials. It meets and often exceeds industry safety and quality standards in its manufacturing process.

ChildTrek carries the largest storewide selection of Plan Toys in Washington State. As a winner of this very special contest, ChildTrek would like to provide more children with the opportunity to play with these eco-friendly, imagination-building toys. As such, it will donate half of its awarded Plan Toys to local non-profit children organizations. ChildTrek is also offering FREE Plan Toys Eco Home 3D Puzzles at the ChildTrek store – while supplies last!

About ChildTrek
ChildTrek was established as an online store (www.ChildTrek.com) in 2007, by a mother and former teacher with a love for children, environment and education. It opened its first brick-and-mortar store in Tacoma’s historic Freighthouse Square in July 2008, and plans to open another store in 2010. In 2008, ChildTrek was also voted Top 5 Best in Western Washington 2008 – Children’s Gifts by King 5 Evening Magazine.

For more information, please contact Miebeth Bustillo-Booth at 253-534-8825 or via email, customercare@childtrek.com. You can also visit this award-winning natural toy store online at www.ChildTrek.com. ###

New Made in USA Toys
ChildTrek is expanding its selection of natural and green toys and books. This week you’ll find more wood toys by Maple Landmark. These traditional, time-tested children’s toys are made in Middlebury, Vermont by local woodworkers with pride in American craftsmanship. Local hardwoods and non-toxic paints that exceed safety standards are used.

New Waldorf Dolls from Germany
Next up are Kathe (Kaethe) Kruse Waldorf dolls. These all-natural dolls are handcrafted in Germany. They are made of cotton, wool, mohair wool, sand quartz, and other natural materials. These unique dolls are truly exquisite and are made to last a lifetime. They are more than most dolls - and they offer a lot more as well. They are weighted. They are soft and firm - warm and huggable like a baby. The FEEL natural and inviting. You just can’t get that from plastic or vinyl.

New Educational Books
We are also expanding our line of educational books from Usborne Books - known for its playful, humorous and highly engaging children’s books. Check out the new “Flip Up Phonics” series like “Fat Cat on a Mat,” “Frog on a Log,” and “Goose on the Loose.” They are designed to help children begin to recognize phonetic patterns - thereby facilitating the abiliity to read like words.

New Sticker Books
What child doesn’t like to peel and stick?! To that we say, “Stick away!” ChildTrek now offers incredibly fun sticker books from Usborne. They have backdrops to stick on and learn about letters, numbers, and words.  Check out the “Usborne 123 Sticker Book,” “Usborne ABC Sticker Book,” or the very fun “Usborne Farm Sticker Book.”

More New Arrivals!
There are other new arrivals. Click here to check out the rest.

Enjoy!

ChildTrek at the 2009 Seattle Green Festival
Last year, my husband Bart, daughter Xondra, and I went to the Seattle Green Festival as attendees. We did not know what to expect. When we entered the Convention floor we were astonished at the number of people there! There was A LOT! In some areas, it was shoulder to shoulder room only. It was very inspiring and exhilarating to see so many people interested in “greening” their life.

This year, ChildTrek will attend as an exhibitor and will be located next to the Kids Zone. We will feature our most popular toys and new brands. The two-day event is this weekend, March 28 - 29, at the Washington State Convention Center. (My apologies for just letting you know of our part there. Life has taken on a different kind of crazy busy since the Tacoma store opened.)

I am so proud that ChildTrek is part of a growing movement to take care of our planet through better consumer choices. If you attend the Seattle Festival, please stop by and say hello. I would love to meet you!

ChildTrek’s 2008 Holiday Season
As ChildTrek’s buyer, I bought much of the holiday toys and books in the summer. Then October and the stock market did its best to scare most retailers. As a parent, however, I had faith that Santa was still going to make his stops.

And the jolly old elf came through - in a big way. In fact, his elves worked overtime to make more toys!

As I stare at our empty storage shelves, I can’t help but imagine children who giggled their way through December mornings - rocking their horses, playing their wooden drums, slicing pretend fruits and vegetables, stacking their new wood blocks, building model cars, cradling their dolls and stuffed animals. I can’t help but smile at the thought of babies and toddlers around the country on their parents’ and grandparents’ laps reading books from ChildTrek.

Although, I may never meet most of the families who graced ChildTrek.com this holiday season, it still gives me much happiness and gratitude that we were a part of their joy in some way.

I am also deeply grateful to the Puget Sound community — particularly our hometown, Tacoma, WA – for its loyalty and generosity of spirit. Thank you for supporting ChildTrek and for making the ChildTrek storefront a part of your family’s holiday celebration.

Together, you — our online and storefront customers – far exceeded our expectations. Thank you so much for your business. We appreciate it very much.

The ChildTrek team wishes you good health, much happiness, and enduring prosperity. We look forward to serving you again in 2009!

Holiday Season Pictures

Customers enter the ChildTrek Tacoma storefront.

Anna Davis from the Washington Toxics Coalition discusses children’s safety initiatives during ChildTrek’s Green Play: A Toy Safety Fair.

Jennifer and son, Kristof, are tested for lead levels by a certified nurse from the Pierce County/Tacoma Health Department during ChildTrek’s Green Play: A Toy Safety Fair.

Customer Katie Kuijper and son, Grady, enjoy ChildTrek’s Plan Toys selection.

The Green Play winning entry for a free Educo Professional Workbench!

A grandaughter of Gladys (Winner of the Educo Professional Workbench) enjoys the wooden bench before taking it home. Congratulations!

IR2 Media Group Inc.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Please join us for Green Play: A Toy Safety Fair
At ChildTrek, located in Tacoma’s historic Freighthouse Square
430 East 25th St., #3
Tacoma, WA 98421
December 6, 2008 from 10:00 am – 6:00 pm

On December 6, 2008 from 10 am – 6 pm, ChildTrek (www.childtrek.com) will be hosting Green Play: A Toy Safety Fair.  This informative safety fair is designed to provide parents and child-care providers information about various harmful elements and chemical in toys, and to help them become proactive consumers.

A number of activities are scheduled for the fair, including: 

–Test Your Toys:  Hosted by Essco Safety Check, our customers can bring their children’s toys to our store to test them for harmful elements and chemicals, with state of the art equipment.  You can use this FREE service to find out what, if any, toxic metals or chemicals are present in your kids’ toys, including lead, cadmium, or mercury.

–Green Initiatives:  Learn about current and prospective policies and initiatives designed to protect you and your family against toxic pollution.  Highly informative.

–School-Readiness Advice:  Talk with preschool and elementary teachers to get practical school-readiness advice for your child.

–Test for Lead:  Designed specifically for pregnant and breastfeeding women, we are offering a service that allows you to test for lead levels in your own body.

All of these activities are FREE to the public.  There will also be great toy giveaways and specials, available especially for this informative event. More at http://www.childtrek.com/toy-safety-fair-2008.html.

What is ChildTrek?

ChildTrek is South Sound’s newest eco-friendly toy store, located at Tacoma’s historic Freighthouse Square. In its very first year in business, ChildTrek was recently voted by King 5 Evening Magazine as a Top 5 Winner in the Children’s Gift category.   ChildTrek features unique, fun, green toys and books for children, babies and toddlers.  All toys sold at ChildTrek are child-safe and non-toxic, finished with beeswax, water- or vegetable-based dyes, or non-toxic paints.

For more information, please contact us, customercare@childtrek.com.  You can also visit the user-friendly and highly-informative website at www.childtrek.com.

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