Happy Thanksgiving

Just in Time for the Holidays - Free Priority Shipping

Visit us at www.BitsyBirdie.com for more great offers.

Plan City Adventure Set on Sale

The fun Plan Toys Adventure Set sets the scene for a tropical mountain adventure, palm trees and 4x4 included. It's one of Plan Toys' most popular new sets this year, and we've put it on special sale just in time for the holidays. Don't miss out - Sale Ends 11/30/08.

Visit us at www.BitsyBirdie.com to see this and other sets from Plan Toys.

Kate Quinn Organics Luxury Hooded Towels on Sale

We've just put our ultra soft Kate Quinn Organics Luxury Hooded Towels on sale. They're a great match with our Zoo Zuds soaps. Pair the two for a fun gift under $30.

Visit us at www.BitsyBirdie.com to see both.

Scrub-A-Dub-Dub There's a Chimp in the Tub

Our Zoo Zuds soaps have just become a featured pick on Cool Mom Picks! Check it out here: http://www.coolmompicks.com/2008/11/scrubadubdub_zoo_zuds_in_the_t.php

Find them here at www.BitsyBirdie.com.

Our Holiday Sale Is Here

Please stop in and visit us at www.BitsyBirdie.com. We'll be open all hours. Feel free to shop in your pajamas while sipping a cup of hot cocoa. : )

Timeless Toy Safety Tips

WGAL news report following last year's toy recalls providing excellent (and timeless) toy safety tips.

Visit us at www.BitsyBirdie.com to view our selection of safety conscious toys made in the USA and Europe.

Kathe Kruse Towel Dolls Soothe Baby in Organic Cotton Comfort

The adorable organic towel doll from Kathe Kruse is one of my favorites. Soft and cuddly, it is an ideal companion for baby. It adopts familiar smells, calms, and simply is always there.

Available as a bunny or lamb, it comes in pink, blue, or natural, and is finely crafted in Germany to meet high European quality standards.

In addition to their reputation for producing the highest quality dolls, the Kathe Kruse company is a dedicated steward of the environment, coming forward with a new line of organic products and working to reduce environmental impact of its operations and products through the promotion of pollution reduction and recycling where appropriate.

Visit us at www.BitsyBirdie.com to see this and other Kathe Kruse products.

Frosty the Snowman

We've Added Toy Recall Information to the Site

To help you find the most up-to-date toy recall information, we've added the US Consumer Product Safety Commission - Recent Child-Related Product Recalls RSS feed to our blog in the column on the right. For a full list of recalls visit http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prerel.html.

Great Green Crafts!

Michelle Kaufmann offers a fun eco-friendly craft project perfect for kids and parents on a rainy afternoon or cold winter night.

Holgate Toys Baby Blocks Featured in 2008 Cool Mom Picks Safer Toy Guide

Our Holgate Toys Baby Blocks have been featured in the 2008 Cool Mom Picks Safer Toy Guide. These gorgeous heirloom quality wooden blocks are made in the USA and thoroughly safety tested.

See them here at www.BitsyBirdie.com.

Free Coloring Page - Hey Diddle, Diddle, The Cow Jumped Over the Moon

(Free for personal private use only.)

Please visit us at www.bitsybirdie.com.

Plan Toys Tree House Makes "The Natural Wishlist" Kiwi Magazine's Picks for this Season's Best Eco-friendly Toys

On "The Natural Wishlist" Kiwi Magazine's picks for this season's best eco-friendly toys.

Try as we might to create a world of complete gender neutrality, there are still boys who cringe at the idea of playing with a "dollhouse." For those little boys and for girls too, there's the Plan Toys Tree House, a three-story tree house hang-out with a tent at the top and a real working pulley.



Plan Toys gets top marks across the board. Its toys are safety-conscious, educationally sound, and environmentally responsible.

Toy Safety

Plan Toys products are made using non-chemically treated, kiln-dried rubberwood, non-formaldehyde glue, and non-toxic water-based dyes containing no heavy metal elements. It produces 100% of its toys in its own factories to insure quality and safety, and toys meet or exceed ASTM (American) and EN71 (European) toy safety standards.

Designed with Education in Mind

Plan Toys' many awards include Parenting Magazine's Best Toy of the Year, Parent & Child Teacher's Pick, Germany's Reddot Design Award, The Belgian Toy of the Year, Gold, Silver and Bronze Awards from Practical Pre-School in the United Kingdom, and many, many more.

Environmentally Responsible

Plan Toys is a green company from start to finish. From the wood used, to the manufacturing processes, to the water based and soy inks used on printed materials, it operates with our environment in mind. Integrated use of alternative energy and conservation through reforestation are included in its green approach to business.

To see our full selection of Plan Toys, please visit us at www.BitsyBirdie.com.

Make Your Own Yo-Yo, A Fun Recycling Project

It turns out colored cardboard food boxes make pretty cool yo-yo's. Not quite as elegant as the ones above, but so very fun.

Here's what you'll need:

- One brightly colored box at the end of its shelf life in your freezer or pantry (We used an Eggo box, but an Amy's Organics or Annies's Bunny Grahams box or similar should work just as well.)
- One corndog stick or similar
- One piece of embroidery floss about 3 feet long
- Hot glue gun and glue (for use by an adult or with adult supervision only)

Here's how:

1.) Cut the stick to approximately one inch in length.
2.) Cut eight circles from the box - 4 two inches in diameter, 4 one and one half inches in diameter.
3.) Place two of the smaller circles between two of the larger circles and center them. Glue together. Then punch a hole large enough for the stick through the center of the circles. Repeat with the remaining circles.
4) Tie a loop large enough for one finger in one end of the embroidery floss. Then tie the other end around the stick, just loosely enough that it can spin.
5) Place one set of circles over each end of the stick, pushing stick just through so that the circles do not hinder the movement of the string.
6.) Glue ends of stick to circles.
7.) Allow glue to set.
8.) Play.


Thanks for reading. Visit us anytime at www.bitsybirdie.com.

This Just In - Ecoleekos Are Here!

This adorable new line just arrived in store today. The Ecoleekos are here! Until now, I've never carried a line without seeing it in person first, but when I saw these in Cool Mom Picks, I knew they would be a great fit. They didn't disappoint. They are simply adorable, the cutest little faces and handcrafted little bodes. It's quite possible there isn't a cuter green toy on the market.

Visit us at www.bitsybirdie.com to see our line of Ecoleeko Organic and Eco-Friendly Plush Toys.

The New Retro -- Safer Toys, Happier Holidays

Since the spate of toy recalls last year there has been a reexamination of the types of toys we give our children. Plastic, painted, battery operated toys are being edged out by new favorites.

Wooden toys durably designed and thoughtfully crafted are making a comeback. Quality is king, and attentive store owners are offering more information about companies, manufacturing processes, and the toys themselves.

Making an especially strong comeback are wooden toys, a hot ticket item this holiday season. Our Plan Toys are very popular, sturdily constructed of eco-friendly wood and materials, always with an eye toward education. The retro styling offers a bit of 70's flare, and I can't deny that seeing them starts me reminiscing about my own childhood. My daughters have the Plan Toys Airport, and it has been a consistent favorite since the day we opened the box four months ago.

Another new favorite is our Holgate Toys line. They've been producing great wooden toys in the USA since 1929 and have seen a resurgence in popularity following the recalls. The styling of their Baby Blocks and Rocky Color Cone is timeless, and their Handeez wooden cars are ingeniously designed for toddler play. (One of their early designers was Jarvis Rockwell, brother of Norman Rockwell.) These toys are built to last.


Visit us at www.BitsyBirdie.com to see our selection of Plan Toys and Holgate Toys.

Because We're Cool . . .

Priority mail shipping for just $8 at BitsyBirdie.com.

Making Gift Ideas Easier - New Categories for Gifts in Every Price Range

With the holidays well on the way, we've created new categories at Bitsy Birdie making it quick and easy to find gifts in every price range. Browsing by price is especially fun for stocking stuffers and small gift items (which we'll be adding more of this weekend).

Free Coloring Pages Now Available

Check out our Bitsy Birdie Free Fun Page for coloring pages and more.

Exactly Why We Love Green Toys

And yes, the toys really are those gorgeous colors in person.

Stocking Up On Stocking Stuffers: Five Stocking Stuffers Under $5

The economic downturn is hitting everyone where it hurts. So we're pitching in to help with these great deals on stocking stuffers. More to come as the season draws near.

1) The super soft and super cute 100% Organic Cotton Under the Nile Baby Buddy Doll in Aqua Stripe:

2) The super soft and super cute 100% Organic Cotton Under the Nile Baby Buddy Doll in Garden Print. These two are like the fraternal twins:

3) The who-knew-math-could-be-so-cute Haba Summa Bracelet, gorgeous colors and fosters math brilliance:

4) Baby blocks have never been cuter than on the Haba Summa Keychain in bright blue, orange, and green. This would even be a nice stocking stuffer for the new dad.

5) The Haba Elisa Flower Keychain makes a great pull for backpacks and zippers for girls, and even a sweet little stocking stuffer for Mom, especially if attached to the keys for that new hybrid ride.