The Pumponator, a 4th graders invention, makes filling balloons with water (or air) as easy as it is to pop them. 8 year old Lexi was tired of filling teeny balloons at the sink and knew there was a better way. And she was right.

Even the toy experts at GIFT HERO are in love with it. “We love Pumponator because there is no better way to cool off on a hot summer day than a water balloon fight…it is just good, clean, fun for the whole family! We bring our Pumponators to the pool, the beach, the park and the backyard. It is light, portable and easy to use – to fill balloons with water or with air.”

So, LKE, you were right. Let’s get that teacher an apple. Wink, wink.

www.pumponator.com

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Enter Fruut Tree Storage.

Made from beautiful FSC accredited plantation birch wood, the newly launched Fruut Tree stands at just about 5 feet tall and is easily mounted to any wall for stability. The “sacks” which are sold separately, come in 4 different colors allowing you to customize your Fruut tree to your hearts desire. And, easily store anything from crayons to cars. What we love more than no longer stepping on Legos? That for each Fruut tree sold, a donation is made to Focus Cambodia to to help transform the lives of the children and their families in Cambodia. $300.

www.happylittlehippos.com.au

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Founded by Chris and Will Haughey, who decided that they wanted to use profit to do good in Honduras, they discovered a beautiful supply of hardwoods native to the area. While considering a number of different applications for these unique wood species, Chris and Will were exposed to Europe’s deep history of quality wooden toy invention and manufacturing. The rest is history.

And, what we love even more than the Tegu blocks themselves? The Haughey brothers are committed to providing a better future in Honduras. Through their time in Tegucigalpa (where the name Tegu comes from) they’ve been exposed to a community of families (parents and children) which work and live on a municipal trash dump searching for recyclable material which is sold to middlemen for pennies. Being committed to developmental play in their product design efforts, they’re doing their part to help children grow however they can, whether manifested in better product design or in Honduran support efforts. In short, they are supporting a local school that gets these kids off the dump and into school. So, when you purchase a set of Tegu blocks you get to choose how they help Honduras (replanting or funding a day of school). It’s their way of giving back as they make their product available to customers in the USA.

Available in sets of 26 or 52. Starting at $55.

Sure they’re pricey. But worth every penny.

www.tegu.com

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Once in a blue moon you come across a place you just can’t seem to get enough of. A hidden gem, a secret so good you almost don’t want to share it and keep it for yourself. Thing is though, word is out. And there is good reason why. Moomah, a creative space, delicious cafe and working classroom is top on our list. Stop by for a do-it-together project, a delicious healthy lunch with your kids or for fair-trade coffee on your way to work. Whatever you choose, you will not be disappointed.

We love that Moomah is a one stop shop for parents wanting to spend quality time with their kids without all of the legwork. It could be the easiest and most beautiful place to bring your children. They’ve thought of everything, down to the stellar line-up of classes for the pint sized set. What gets us most though, is how the staff gets kids and goes out of their way to accommodate them.

Moomah
161 Hudson Street
(between Laight and Hubert Streets)
New York City
212 226 0345

www.moomah.com

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When you talk about PLAY, one can’t get much more obvious than a good old- fashioned playground.  Childhood memories of swing-sets and sea-saws rush to mind. Lucky for the little ones of London, the Holland Park Adventure Playground resembles anything but your next door neighbor’s slide and jungle gym.  The Holland Park Adventure Playground says I see your see saws, and I raise you a zip line and trampoline area…plus a giant tire swing…and some sort of skateboard apparatus, that we couldn’t quite figure out, but looked super cool.  Yup, our first visit left us yearning to join in ourselves and only slightly uncomfortable at how long we stopped and stared, having no children of our own actually with us.  The giant playground is definitely for a slightly older set of kids rather than toddlers, but the whole of Holland Park has something for everyone, including a lovely Japanese Garden, roaming peacocks, a separate play area for under 8s, restaurants, and even a Friday morning workout session called Pushy Parents, for new mums trying to get back into shape! Suffice to say, we are big fans all a-ground.

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