Browsing Tag

dress up

Archives

The Importance of Fantasy Play (and Another Giveaway!)

Today, I’d like to introduce you to another of my favorite bloggers. Amanda Morgan is an early childhood educator and the author of Not Just Cute on which she writes about child development and early childhood education. While Amanda is not a Waldorf teacher, she recognizes many of the important elements of early childhood education that we Waldorf teachers do, specifically the importance of free, unstructured play for young children and the importance of their sensory experiences.

Amanda is a graduate of Utah State University who holds a BA in both elementary and early childhood education and an MS in childhood development.  She has a wealth of experience in classrooms ranging from preschool to sixth grade and has taught in private, public, and migrant schools.  In addition, she currently teaches preschoolers and works as a consultant and trainer for a non-profit children’s organization.

This week at Not Just Cute, Amanda has been writing about the importance of fantasy play for children. I urge you to take a few minutes and read her wonderful and valuable musings on this theme:

Enchanted Learning: The Benefits of Fantasy Play for Children

A Part of Their World: Adult Roles in Child’s Play

Magic Words for Guiding Behavior: “Let’s Pretend”

In connection with her series on fantasy play, Amanda approached me about partnering with her to offer a Giveaway on her blog. Naturally, I was delighted! We decided to offer one lucky reader their choice of either a Princess Dress ($72.95 value) or Knight’s Costume ($31.95 value) from Sarah’s Silks; and another lucky reader will win a pair of Play Silks ($23.90 value) from Sarah’s Silks! Children’s costumes and dress up invite the kind of imaginative fantasy play  that Amanda and I both feel is so important for children, and play silks are perhaps my very favorite Waldorf toys to encourage open-ended play and engage the imagination.

Knight's Costume from Sarah's SilksSarah's Silks

To enter, visit Imaginative Play Giveaway for details. While you’re there, be sure to read Amanda’s posts on Fantasy Play and have fun poking around. Then come back here, leave a comment, and let me know what you think!

You Might Also Like

Giveaway, Waldorf Toys, Wooden Toys

Win a $100.00 Gift Certificate to Bella Luna Toys!

After sponsoring several giveaways on various other blogs in recent months, Bella Luna Toys is excited to be offering its first giveaway right here at home on Moon Child. To celebrate the positive response received so far, I am delighted to offer Moon Child readers our most generous giveaway to date:

Win a $100.00 Gift Certificate to Bella Luna Toys!



Better yet, you can increase your odds of winning by submitting four or more entries!

For your first entry, visit Bella Luna Toys and take a look at our favorite classic toys, and our new products. Then leave a comment below telling us what you love most about Waldorf toys, wooden toys, or natural toys, and why you choose them for your children.

For a second entry, sign up for Bella Luna Toys email newsletter. Not only will you get an extra chance to win, but you will also receive advance notice of subscriber-only sales, discounts and new product announcements. Then return here and leave the comment “Subscribed to newsletter.”

For a third entry, subscribe to Moon Child to receive blog updates by email, and follow my musings on childhood, play and Waldorf education. Then leave the comment: “Subscribed to blog.”

For even more ways to enter, mention this giveaway on your own blog, tweet about it on Twitter, or become a new fan on Facebook. Get an extra entry for each of these activities. Leave a separate comment for each. Be sure to include a link to your blog post, your Twitter name, or a note saying “New Facebook Fan.”

The winner will be chosen randomly from all entries received on Monday, June 7 at 9:00 a.m. EST.

Comments are now closed.

A big thank you to everyone of you who left a comment for Moon Child’s first Giveaway! I read every single one of them, and your words of appreciation for Waldorf toys and natural playthings truly inspired me. Stay tuned for more giveaways from Bella Luna Toys here at Moon Child!

And the winner of the $100 Givewaway is Roxy Schow (comment #297, chosen by a random number generator) who wrote:

“We LOOOOOOOOOOOOOVE the wooden vehicles – oh my, wouldn’t a little boy here love to have them all!!”

Congratulations, Roxy!

And don’t forget, you are ALL invited to enjoy 10% of all orders placed through June 15. Just enter the promotion code “MOONCHILD” at checkout.

You Might Also Like

Sarah's Silks, Toy Safety, Waldorf Education, Waldorf Toys

Interview with Sarah Lee of Sarah’s Silks

Because the play silks and line of products from Sarah’s Silks are bestsellers at Bella Luna Toys, and being that my name happens to be Sarah, I am often asked if I dye the silks and make the line. The answer is no! That honor belongs to Sarah Lee, who founded her delightful company 16 years ago in Forestville, California.

Today, I am very pleased to introduce you to Sarah Lee, the founder and owner of  Sarah’s Silks. Sarah’s company is truly a pleasure to do business with and I am very proud to carry their entire line. Not only are their playthings beautiful to behold, but they also embody the qualities that I am committed to providing at Bella Luna Toys—toys that are nourishing to the senses and that engage the imagination. (Oh, and did I mention how incredibly nice Sarah and all her employees are?)

I got to know Sarah shortly after taking ownership of Bella Luna Toys last fall. I discovered a kindred spirit in Sarah. Not only did we share the same first name, but I also learned that she grew up just up the road apiece from me in coastal Maine. I thought it would be fun to interview her so that you could get to know her a little better, too. If you’re not familiar with Sarah’s Silks, when you’re done reading the interview, head on over to Bella Luna Toys, and take a look at the play silkstoys and dress ups from Sarah’s Silks. (Though sadly, photos on a website just cannot covey the rich, shimmering colors, and the wonderful tactile experience of silk!)

When did you start Sarah’s Silks and can you tell us how your company came to be?

I started Sarah’s Silks 16 years ago, shortly after my middle son Noah was born.  I wanted to stay at home and nurse him, yet still be able to pay for my four-year-old to attend a Waldorf kindergarten.  Our local school, Summerfield in Santa Rosa, California, had a lovely teacher, Ellyn, who had play cloths in her classroom. I saw the creative play and use of the cloths and thought it would be wonderful to have some at home, too. I bought some silk scarves and dyed them with the help of my neighbor and our four-year-olds, while wearing Noah in a sling.

Friends started asking for some and soon I was selling them to the local Waldorf toy store. Then my four-year-old son, Josh (now 20 and an artist), wanted capes and tunics to dress-up in, so I expanded to dress-ups too. I made the first silk blanket for Noah. He loved the silky feeling, and I found silk wonderfully warm.

Voila! Sarah’s Silks was born.

Last February, I attended the NY Toy Fair where I saw many cute dress-ups for children, but noticed they were all made from polyester or other synthetic fabrics. Why silk?

Silk for no itch!  Many children are sensitive to synthetics; they may like the look of dress-ups but wear them only briefly, as they don’t feel good. Silk is also a renewable resource, encouraging Mulberry Tree farmers to plant trees in China. Furthermore, silk takes dye beautifully and flows well.

Where are Sarah’s Silks products dyed and made? Can you describe the process?

In the beginning all of our silk was dyed here in our home.  We still dye some items here, like most of the play silks.

However, cost became an issue and so my husband Mike went to China and worked closely with a man named Yue Fung, who has a degree from a Silk College!  He works with people in a small village who hand sew and dye much of our silks.  The rainbows are painted with a paintbrush.  Mike has visited the village, seen the women sewing in their homes, and carefully monitors the dyes for safety. We use non-toxic acid dyes, which are called acid because they use vinegar as the solvent.  It is much like dyeing Easter eggs!

toys boys girls maine wood

There has been much concern lately about toy safety and worries about toys made in China. How can customers know that Sarah’s Silks products are safe and non-toxic?

We employ small village workers who are closely monitored.  Also, all of our products have been safety tested to the highest European standards and the new U.S. CPSC standards by independent test labs.

Continue Reading

You Might Also Like