Tag: big kids

Retro Tees from Sandbox Threads

by Jen Rabulan-Bertram

With temps hoovering in the high 80s today, I can’t help but look around for some summer duds for the boy.  We’re your typical t-shirt, shorts and flip flops kind of family in terms of summer attire.  We have several t-shirts with catchy sayings and ones with our favorite surf shops logos, but I always love a few retro tees thrown in the mix.  So, when I came across this expansive collection of cool logos, I was immediately drawn to Sandbox Thread’s Joystick design.  How appropriate!
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Sandbox Threads specializes in original toddler t-shirts and baby onesies, and also offers organic options, as well as a variety of big kid and adult sizes, too.  Sinceimg_9812 Sandbox Threads is literally a pop operation, each shirt is unique and handmade.  It doesn’t get any better than that.  Whether you’re on the market for a funky shirt or retro cool onesie for your babe or as a gift, be sure to check out Sandbox Threads’ spectrum of cool designs.

If you’re not into geeky retro like me, how about some Lloyd Dobler or Molly love?

Domo Arigato, Mr. Roboto

by Jen Rabulan-Bertram

It’s no big secret that we’re big robot fans.  So, I was pretty smitten when I came across House of Mongrel’s Robot Hoodie, just one of the many cool sweatshirts from the company’s line of organic kid’s clothes. The line, which launched August 2008, features 100% organic cotton t-shirts, bodysuits, hooded sweatshirts, caps, and more.
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The colors and vintage-inspired designs stood out when I approached their booth at the Go Green Expo.  And, it was no surprise that the products were super soft and well made.  Not only are their products stylish and unique, but they’re also green.  The products are rendered in water-based screen-printing inks, on vividly colorful, low-impact dyed fabrics.   House of Mongrel products, including the Robot Hoodie, can be found at various retailers, as well as online at stores like Kitsel.

It’s time to Shell-abrate!

by Jen Rabulan-Bertram

The Tribeca Film Festival is set to kickoff this weekend in NYC, with all kinds of kid-friendly activities to boot.
But one highlight caught my attention: Tribeca Film Festival will screen the original Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles film to celebrate…wait for it….25 years of Turtle Power.
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In addition to tonight’s screening, the Turtles’ year long celebration began when they flipped the switch this morning atop the Empire State Building. The Empire State Building’s lights will go green in honor of Leonardo, Donatello, Raphael and Michelangelo.wallpaper_b_tb

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1990), directed by Steve Barron, was selected as the Drive-in movie feature at the Tribeca Film Festival. The outdoor screening is scheduled for tonight at 8:15 PM at the World Financial Center Plaza (200 Vesey Street). Open to the public, pre-activities starting at 5:00 PM include a pizza party, face-painting, photo opportunities with the Turtles, dancing, and martial arts demonstrations with the TMNT and The American Taekwondo Association. And of course, The Turtles’ pal, April O’Neil, will join in the fun.

25 years, really? I officially feel old.

Landmarks to Power Down for Earth Day

by Jen Rabulan-Bertram

empireNew York City’s Empire State Building, Chicago’s Sears Tower and Seattle’s Space Needle will show solidarity with kids across the country by “turning off their lights” tonight for Earth Day at 9 p.m. local time– as kids simultaneously do the same in their homes, as a symbol of environmental consciousness.

“Powering Down” the Empire State Building’s tower lights, the Sears Tower’s antenna and the Space Needle’s exterior lights is part of Nickelodeon’s ongoing The Big Green Help initiative, which is designed to empower kids to take action on the environment and connect them to energy saving and earth-friendly activities in their everyday lives.

Nickelodeon’s The Big Green Help is a multiplatform campaign that provides information and tools to help explain climate change to kids through on-air messaging, grassroots activity, and online gaming. To-date, more than 2 million kids have pledged to participate in The Big Green Help.

There’s no place like home

by Jen Rabulan-Bertram

As Dorothy infamously chanted, There’s no place like home…there’s no place like home.  Earth Day is a perfect reminder of just that sentiment!  Little Chickie Wear’s earth-loving onesie features a life long message that even the littlest tree hugger should live by.

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Designed by Gwen of Gwen Designs, this fun line of eco-friendly onesies, t-shirts and hats are all printed on 100% organic cotton.  The cuteness is endless.

I’m a Rocket Man…

by Jen Rabulan-Bertram

Cardboard rocketshipAt any given time, whenever there’s a box within reach, the “real” toys lose all of its lustre.  The box always wins as the best toy ever.  It’s the same for all kids though, right?


When I first saw this super cool cardboard rocketship on the interwebs awhile back, I immediately became a fan.  And so, when we saw the_rocket at the Go Green Expo in person, I almost wanted to unstrap the kid from his stroller and see if we could both fit.  kids_rocket_3

The_rocket from Cardboard Design, can be customized by the littlest artists with their medium of choice!  Cardboard Designs has a cool selection of cardboard furniture among other products, but the kids products are quite imaginative.  What’s cool about the cardboard products is that after the rocketship has reached its destination, it can be packed away in its own flat box.

We have enough boxes to keep us entertained for the time being, but still, what a cool, sustainable concept and an excellent alternative to plastic.

Read this: Into the Trees

by Jen Rabulan-Bertram

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At the Go Green Expo, we discovered so many great companies and products, but one company that’s definitely worth mentioning is Greensender.com. This was actually the first booth we visited, but definitely one of the most memorable. Besides all of the great green gift ideas, Greensender.com also has Into the Trees, a wonderful book that’s filled with vibrant graphics about Mini G’s adventures with an Earth-loving message to match.

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Into the Trees, written by Mike Aaron and illustrated by Baby Einstein artist Nadeem Zaidi, explores natural beauty and the hidden secrets of the outdoors—messages completely relevant for year-round eco-consciousness and for readers of all ages.

Into the Trees is $12.95 and can be bought online at Greensender.com

While you’re there, be sure to check out the super cute Mini G gift package—what a great green baby shower gift idea!

PBS Kids Go! and PBS Kids Celebrate Earth Day

by Jen Rabulan-Bertram

Need extra help instilling the green for the kiddie’s routine for Earth Day?  Well, good news:  PBS Kids and PBS Kids Go! will celebrate Earth Day with the fourth installment of PBS Kids Share the Earth Day. A new Web-based Earth Day Channel is set to launch at pbskidsgo.org, too. New episodes of Curious George, Arthur and Cyberchase will be featured on PBS Kids in honor of the Earth Day celebration. george And that’s not all, favorites from shows like Super Why!, Sid the Science Kid and more will reflect Earth Day celebrations as well.

Online, there will be a plethora of eco-focused content on pbskidsgo.org, pbskids.org, PBS Parents and PBS Teachers.
The new PBS Kids Go! video player will host an Earth Day channel with themed content from Arthur, Design Green, The Greens and Maya & Miguel, which is geared to teach kids how to share the Earth. In addition to Web content from PBS Kids Go! TV series, Web-exclusive sites such as Eekoworld— an environment where kids create their own creatures and monitor them in the wild — and The Greens — a pbskidsgo.org series about the Green family and their exploration of sustainability, ecology and environmental care — will further explore what it means to be green.

Oh, and as if we didn’t already know, PBS Kids and PBS Kids Go! programming are among the most education-rich offerings on television, according to a report released by independent research and advocacy organization Children Now.  How’s that for green and educational influence?

Why choose organic cotton for babies and kids?

by Jen Rabulan-Bertram

Of all the materials out there, organic cotton has to be one of my favorites.  On laundry day, in a sea of freshly laundered t-shirts, without even looking, I know exactly when I’ve pulled out my favorite organic cotton Quicksilver t-shirt to be folded—there’s that much difference in softness!  But besides the super soft texture, many companies and manufacturers are adding and increasing organic cotton options to their existing lines. In some cases, new companies are emerging altogether because of this trend that’s here to stay.

cottonSo, what’s with organic cotton anyway?  What makes it so special and oh so soft?
Organic cotton is the version of its conventional counterpart grown without pesticides, herbicides, insecticides, chemical fertilizers or any other chemicals, making it an ideal textile for baby and children’s products.  Conventional cotton is one of the most chemically-dependent crops, sucking up 10 percent of all agricultural chemicals and 25 percent of insecticides on 3 percent of our arable land; that’s more than any other crop per unit. That adds up to 1/3 of a pound of chemicals to produce enough cotton for a t-shirt, and 3/4 of a pound for a pair of jeans.  Organic cotton on the other hand, uses agricultural methods designed to help sustain the land it grows on, the people who grow and harvest it, and the planet in general.  (via Treehugger)

Once again, like with other greener alternatives, organic cotton products tend to cost a bit more—for now.  As the demand for organic cotton products continue to increase–and organic products in general–prices will begin to balance out.  In 2006, organic fiber linens and clothing sales in the United States grew by 26 percent over the previous year, to reach $203 million, according to the Organic Trade Association’s 2007 Manufacturer Survey.

Because of its healthier composition and sustainable aspects, organic cotton is a great option for baby and kids’ products.  It certainly helps that organic cotton goodies are super soft and always hard to pass up.

To read more about organic cotton and its benefits check out these resources
Gaim on organic cotton
Cleaner cotton
The difference of organic cotton
The case for organic cotton
Organic cotton fact sheet

Happy Earth Week!

by Jen Rabulan-Bertram

loveyourearthAs Earth Day approaches this Wednesday, The Next Kid Thing will be focusing on green kid topics all week. When Earth Day began 39 years ago, times were much different, but the environmental movement as we know just started to gain momentum. The first Earth Day led to the creation of the United States Environmental Protection Agency and the passage of the Clean Air, Clean Water, and Endangered Species acts. Today, Earth Day is celebrated worldwide.
As the Earth Day celebrations continue to grow, as does the environmental awareness. It might be easy being green one day a year, but 365 days of green-living make much more of an impact. What’s even more important is fostering our kids at an early age to be more socially responsible. Stay tuned for lots of ideas on how kids can help protect Mother Earth and ways to go green too!

(photo via mlumograph17)