Now, an Environmental group says many items for sale have high levels of lead, arsenic and other chemicals.

In a report that was released yesterday, the group find that one in three toys tested was found to contain toxic chemicals such as lead, flame retardants and arsenic.

Researchers for the Michigan-based Ecology Center tested more than 1,500 popular toys for lead, cadmium, arsenic, PVC and other harmful chemicals. They said they found that one-third of the toys contain “medium” or “high” levels of chemicals of concern.

Also according to the study, children’s jewelry is 5 times more likely to contain lead above the toxic 600 ppm-level than other toys. In particular, the report mentioned that several Hannah Montana brand jewelry items tested high for lead.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that children’s toys have less than 40 parts-per-million of lead. The levels of lead detected in “many” of the toys was “significantly” above those guidelines, according to the release.

Here are some things they found:

• 21% of toys from China and 16% of toys from all other countries had detectable levels of lead.
• Of the 17 toys made in the United States that were tested, 35% had detectable levels of lead. A U.S.-made Halloween pumpkin pin had 190,943 ppm of lead.
• 62% of the tested products – or 954 items – contain low levels of chemical concern.
• 21% of the products tested – or 324 items – contained no toxic chemicals to be worried about.

To see how the toys were rated please visit www.healthytoys.org

Some of the companies that do well are many that we have covered on this site.

Plan Toys, Melissa and Doug, Alex Toys, iPlay, Haba, Lego, Corolle and Baby K’tan are listed as some of the best.

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1. Pommella Activity Toy – Open up the magnetic apple and inside there is a cute little rattling caterpillar. Apple comes with rustling foil. ($14)

2. Ballino is a colorful rattling ball made out of wooden discs. Great toy to have for first grabbing. ($12)

3. Stacking Ball Colori – The 5 part stacking ball rattles, squeaks and rustles.($17)

4. Peely Grasping Ball – Change Peely’s colors from red and yellow to blue by folding the sides up or down. Little ones will love the rattling sound and bright colors.($9)

5. Fabric Miniland Ball – Great for grasping and rolling. Comes with little bell.($20)

6. Fiori Fabric Ball – This simple, yet vibrantly colorful ball is covered in soft, ruby red fabric, with delicate pink and green flowers sewn all over it. This ball has a rattle inside, which gently tinkles when the ball is shaken, or rolled along the floor.($12)

7. Discovery Ball with Squeaker – This colourful ball’s sounds and optical effects trigger the curiosity of any child, stimulating them to fumble and clutch. ($5)

8. Allegro Stacking Ball – The ball is separated into four squishy pieces which slide together on a soft, fabric rod. Some pieces are lined with rustling foil or contain a rattle for a bit of noisy interest; all are luxuriously soft and fuzzy.($12)

*All of Haba’s wooden toys are made of beech wood, with ecological, water-based, non-toxic lacquers.*

All of Haba’s toys are available at oompa.com

Habermaass Corp.(HABA) has received 15 reports of incidents involving the recalled puzzles, rattles, and pacifier holders including pieces of the rattles detaching and being mouthed by young children.

The puzzles, rattle toys, pacifier holders, and stroller toys are wooden and are described in the chart below. “HABA” is printed on them.

Parents are being asked to immediately take the recalled puzzles, rattles, pacifier holders and stroller toys away from children and contact Habermaass at (800) 468-6873 ext. 107 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday, or visit the firm’s Web site at www.HABAusa.com/safety to receive a free replacement product or a full refund.

For a full list of the recalled toys please

Because we are currently in the market for a bedroom set for our son, I have been looking everywhere for something different.

I was pretty excited when I found this set, until I realized that my three-year-old wouldn’t get any sleep with this cool Pirate’s ship attached to his wall.

To see all of the pieces, please visit Haba’s site.

The cool part is that they don’t need to make them glow and beep. All of their products are powered by one thing – imagination.

The new collection of play food will make any tea party a success. For this Springs collection Haba introduces fabric petit fours, donuts, ice cream cones, and a cake that comes apart for each guest to have a piece.

They are so nicely done, I had to take a second look to make sure that real treats weren’t on display as well.

Related Articles:

• Improve Your Childs Cognitive Skills With These Stacking Toys
• Haba’s New Bassinet Impresses
• 6 Great Pull Toys
• No Batteries Needed: 8 Great Toys That Just Run On Fun

Stacking a toy on top of another is a great way to teach them hand-eye coordination and cognitive
skills such as color and size concept. You can start to introduce blocks and stacking toys as early as 6-7 months old.

By the time they are between 15-18 months, your child should be able to stack 2 blocks and stack 6 blocks between 18-24 months. Using toys that have some support to teach the basic concept is a good start.

You can then move onto blocks with different shapes and sizes. There are many stacking toys out there.

Here are some good ones that I was able to find:

It has plush rings that slide on top of one another and a wide mouthed top to put balls into.The fun part is when you child gets a ball in the vase the whole unit sings and lights up.

For infants 6 months and up $30

This circus in a bag, comes complete with five magnetized acrobats and three magnetized balls and the base.

For Toddlers aged 1 and up $45.99

Hand-Eye coordination is trained while playing. Flexible sticks make stacking the pieces easier and for safety reasons they always give way if a child falls on them.

For Toddlers aged 1 and up $20

The set comes with 10 colorful cubes to identify colors, numbers, animals and words. Each cube has: a number, counting objects, a funny animal, the animal’s name, the first letter of the name. Individual color cubes can be stacked or inserted one into the other.

For Toddlers Aged 18 months and up $39.99

If configured properly, your child can put together a dragon, a prince or a princess. They can sit on a bridge or a disco ball!

For small children “Land of Dragons” is an imaginative building game that furthers their motor response system. Older children can use the blocks too in combination with their own blocks.

Comes with 27 blocks and base. For Toddlers aged 2 and up $60

It will also promote and develop hand-eye coordination, fine motor skills and gross motor skills.

For toddlers aged 12 months and up $35

Discovery Blocks from Haba – This set which is made of 6 bright coloured blocks features a different center. One has a bell, a prism and another shape.

They can sit on top of each other or be used with other blocks your child already has.

Winner of Child Magazine’s Best Toys of 2006 Award.

For Toddlers aged 12 months and up $20

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Creanimaux Farm from Djeco – How cute is this set??? You toddler will be able to configure a million different animals with this Djeco Farm set.

The set includes 29 vibrantly colored wooden pieces, which can be used to assemble a Dog, bunny, horse, pig, chicken, or cow.

The chunky pieces are easily handled by small hands and the bright colours are appealing to little monkeys.Creanimaux is made of solid wood with completely non-toxic, child-friendly paints and finishes.

For Toddlers aged 1 and up $32

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Wally Wobble Stacking Toy – This funny little Wally Wobble man lets little ones stack brightly colored shapes on him, which make him wobble from side to side.

Balls will roll and wheels will spin as Wally’s weight is shifted, making him bobble and wobble for hours of fun!Wally Wobble Stacking Toy from Earlyears wins the award for teaching toddlers about balance and weight transfer in a fun and exciting way!

For Infants aged 6 Months – 2 Years $14

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Haba, the German toy maker, has introduced a new bassinet that transforms to entertain at any age.

It is no secret that I love most of the products that Haba creates. I am fond of their use of bright colours and imaginative characters.

The newest piece that I have found is a multifunctional bassinet. This nursery staple transforms from a playrug to a bassinet to a play tent.

Made of a breathable, washable fabric, the patterned interior mattress of the bassinet can be removed and placed on the floor for entertainment during tummy time.

When your child outgrows naptime, it can be transformed into a playtent that will give your them their own space to hide and play.

No price or release date is currently available. Dimensions W95 x H97 x D87.

Official site

There are some really good pull toys out there for kids, 1 and older. Many of them promote great developmental skills like gross/fine motor as well as cognitive and sensory skills.

Here are 6 of the best pull toys I found:

1. Selecta Constrictino - This pull bus/toolbox is full of nuts and bolts to get any job done. A good imagination is needed to produce imaginative creations. Made of wood with completely non-toxic, child-friendly paints and finishes.

Learning Skills:

Creative Expression, Fine Motor, Gross Motor, Social/Emotional and Independent Play

Contains 31 pieces. Size 10 1/4 x 6 x 4 1/4 inches. $59.95 US

2. Sevi Animal Train - This fun bright train includes 3 animals, 12 blocks, 3 train cars, and 1 smoke stack – all interchangeable. Your child will have fun stacking, sorting and pulling the train all over your house. It is made of wood with 100% non-toxic varnish, child friendly finishes.

Learning Skills:

Cognitive, Fine Motor, Gross Motor, Sensory, and Independent Play

$77.99 US

3. Selecta Rotondo – I like this tractor. It combines a few activities in one, starting with the shape sorter on the back. While connected it rolls as the truck is being pulled. Once disconnected your child is able to sort the 3 different shapes into their spaces. Made of wood with completely non-toxic, child-friendly paints and finishes.

Learning Skills:

Cognitive, Fine Motor, Gross Motor, Sensory, and Independent Play

$59.75 US

4. Haba Circo - This pull car is one of Haba’s most popular toys. It has won many award including Spiel Gut: Good Toy Award and Form 99. As it is moved, the colourful wheels spin creating a visual pattern on each side. The knobs are removable and interchangeable.

Learning Skills:

Early Motor, Gross Motor, Sensory and Independent Play.

$41.99 US

5. Selecta Camiono – A four-wheeled shape sorter to pull around. A bell sounds when this truck is pulled and the driver – Mr. Mouse squeaks when pressed. Shapes are sortable through the top and sides, with the whole back designed to look like a piece of cheese. Made of wood with completely non-toxic, child-friendly paints and finishes.

Learning Skills:

Cognitive, Creative Expression, Fine Motor, Gross Motor and Independent Play.

$59.75 US

6. Plan Toys Dancing Alligator – This green alligator does the least, costs the least but will be an instant favorite! While being pulled, the wooden pieces make rhythmic click-clacking sounds as he dances along. It is easy to see how it won The Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Best Toy Award and The German Design Prize. Personality counts for everything!

PlanToys are made from natural, chemical free rubber wood and finished with non-toxic and child friendly colors.

Learning Skills:

Gross Motor, Sensory and Independent Play.

$14.99 US

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Playing always entails learning, not by means of teaching, but on the basis of personal experience – the most effective form of learning in childhood.
Physical and mental agility, social behaviour, imagination, logical thinking, planned action, powers of concentration, stamina, joy at being active and a great deal more besides, can be developed by playing, and the benefits can be seen for the rest of the child’s life – at work and during leisure activities, as well as in a wide variety of other situations.

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This is a cute and unique growth chart. It would work with most decor and can be fun for your kids. Haba, the creator, is one of my favourite toy manufacturers. They make a ton of great toys for kids and some very interesting furniture for their rooms as well.

As the little ones grow the sailor hoists the flags! With two flags for measuring and for photographs. Made of birch plywood and beechwood, flags and sailor of cotton/polyester. H 119 x W 42 cm. Metric only!

Not only would it work well for a older/young sibling, this chart would be perfect for twins. Their progress could be tracked side by side.

I found it at HABA.DE