Advice, ideas, discussions and stories about raising children, being pregnant, and planning a family. We love talking about living naturally & organically, baby wearing, cloth diapering, breastfeeding and having fun raising your children.
Looking for an Easter idea? This year I’m giving the special little one in my life this beautiful picture book!
Rabbityness by Jo Empson is about Rabbit who enjoys doing un-rabbity things! It’s a great book that not only celebrates individuality but also creativity! It’s a little sad, but I think it has a very positive approach to dealing with loss.
My favorite thing about it is the illustrations, especially the pages that are splashed in color and ink. They remind me of my niece, who’s a little girl with a big personality and a lot of creativity. Her favorite activities are drawing, singing, and stealing her dad’s drumsticks so she can drum on pretty much everything! (She’s 18 months old, and she can already hold a beat almost as good as her dad!)
A tradition I started with my niece is that whenever I buy her a book for a holiday or birthday, I write a short message about why I chose the book for her. My gift at my sister’s baby shower was a starter library for my niece, and in the covers of those books I wrote a short wish or blessing that I hoped my niece would discover both within the pages of her books and in life.
With Rabbityness, I explained why the book reminded me of her as well as why I was giving it to her for Easter. She might not understand my reasons now, but I hope one day when she picks this book up again, it will ring true for her then just as it does for me now.
Before working at Franklin Goose, I was an English teacher, so Sheri asked me to share with you what kind of gifts I thought a teacher might like.
Sure thing, Sheri.
A little pampering never hurt anyone. A teacher comes into contact with a lot of kids, parents, and other teachers. A bottle of hand sanitizer, like The Honest Company’s 8 oz Hand Sanitizer Gel paired with soothing lotion like Little Twig’s Calming Lavender Bodymilk would be a nice, practical gift. Or have your daughter pick out her favorite shade of Piggy Paint for her favorite teacher.
The Honest Company’s Healing Balm is a miracle product. Yes, it works great healing diaper rash, but it can also do wonders for chapped hands and dry skin.
Another great idea would be a lunch gift set. Kids aren’t the only ones at school having to choose between a bagged lunch or chancing the cafeteria’s menu. A gift of a Sugar Booger lunch sack with one of Sugar Booger’s fun prints, and a Itzy Ritzy snack bag inside would be a good choice. Or an Eco Vessel Stainless Steel Water Bottle, which is insulated to keep hot drinks hot for 8-10 hours, and cold drinks cold for 36 hours. No need to reheat coffee in between 3rd and 4th period!
If you’re looking for a nice gift for a teacher, either for a close friend or family member, or if your child’s class is going in on a gift together, why not spring for a really nice bag, like the Lassig Black Melange Urban Green Label diaper bag? Sure, it’s a diaper bag, but that makes it an excellent choice for a teacher! It’s got lots of pockets to organize keys, money, and all the little things, plus extra pouches, and enough room for stuffed folders and a laptop!
And since it was designed to be a diaper bag, you know it can endure interaction with kids.
I don't know about your grandmother, but when I shop for mine, I like to find her gifts that are practical, but also a little luxurious. I really like to pamper her.
Wean Green containers are made with glass and have a watertight lid. They’re not only great for kids’ lunches but for saving leftovers, too.
The Wean Green Lunch Cubes come in a pack of two. You can give them as is, or you can you fill them and make a fun gift with the ingredients for a tasty dish or a spa treatment. Check out our holiday post from last season for more ideas: Gift Ideas For Friends, Co-Workers, & Teachers.
(Don't forget, The Honest Company is doing an awesome Buy 2, Get 1 Free deal on select Body Care Products!)
If you want to get really creative, why not give a homemade sugar scrub, using The Honest Co’s Body Oil? Franklin Goose’s very own Stefanie came up with this recipe, and we think it’s pretty fantastic!
You could even put it in a Wean Green Lunch Cube!
Baltic Amber necklaces work wonders with children who are teething, but did you know they can help adults, too? An adult Baltic Amber necklace can relieve back, neck, and head pain, or can be wrapped around wrists and ankles to help with arthritis.
I gave my grandmother a Baltic Amber necklace when she told me she sometimes had pain in her legs. She wears it from time to time as an anklet and says that it helps a lot.
If you’re looking to really pamper your grandmother, how about an Aden + AnaisBamboo Daydream Blanket? Similar to Aden + Anais’ Dream blanket for children, the Daydream blanket is adult sized, incredibly soft, and wonderfully warm. We love them!
One of our favorite companies, Nook, is well known in our store for their fantastic crib mattresses, but did you know they also make pillows? They’re incredibly soft and comforting, and made with the same are and quality found in Nook's mattresses.
Finally, we love Kickee Pants’ adult nightgowns. They’re made with the same silky soft bamboo found in their pajamas for kids. The nightgowns are available in a lovely Berry or Stone color, as well as Stone Lattice. Pair it with a Kickee Pants adult robe in either Berry, Stone, or Stone Lattice.
What are you getting your grandmothers this holiday season?
With 5 layers, the Hape Beleduc Your Body Puzzle allows children to learn about the different muscles, organs, and bones within the human body. Available in Boy and Girl (pictured).
The petitcollage Alphabet Art Cards are a beautiful way to encourage kids to learn their ABCs. The On-The-Go cards (pictured) feature gorgeous pictures of submarines, motorcycles, and hot air balloons, while the Animals A-Z cards have animals like alligators, yaks, and zebras.
If you have a child who loves imaginary play, a play kitchen is just what she needs. We love the Educo Gourmet Fridge, which comes with a pretend ice-maker and 6 ice cubes.
Every kid (and dad) who visits our store loves to play with the Plan Toys Musical Band (pictured). Add the Plan Toys Banjo (pictured), and your children are ready to jam.
If you’re looking for a fun dollhouse, try the Smart Gear Wonderworld Eco House (pictured). Furnished, the house also comes with a recycle bin, a rain barrel, solar panel, wind turbine, and a scooter.
If your child is more interested in adventures off this world, try the Educo Discovery Spaceship & Lift Off Rocket (pictured). It comes with 2 astronauts and 1 alien who are ready for any mission.
Encourage your child’s artistic talents with a fabulous arts and crafts gift. We love the P’Kolino Art Easel (pictured) because it can be a traditional easel as well as a whiteboard, blackboard, and puppet theater.
The new Eco-Kids Art Pad (pictured) is ready for your child’s creativity. Eco-Kids has a great range of art supplies like the eco-crayons, eco-finger paint, and eco-dough. The eco-coloring book (pictured) is printed on recycled FSC certified paper with soy inks.
Splash away with the Boon Odd Duck (1), the perfect bathtub toy specially designed to keep out nasty mold.
The Green Toys Rocket (2) is ready for blast off with its two molded astronauts and detachable capsule.
For the little artist, the P’Kolino Art Easel (3) is a great way to allow creativity to develop. Not only is it a traditional easel, but it can also function as chalkboard, whiteboard, or puppet theater, and can hold a large roll of paper. The art easel is available in orange or white. A smaller art easel - the P'Kolino's Little One's Art Easel - is also available and has a chalkboard on one side with a whiteboard on the other, and can hold a roll of paper as well.
With the Educo Cash Register (8), your child can not only enjoy hours of imaginary play but also practice counting and money value.
The Wonderworld Cleaning Cart (9) comes with a mop, broom, hand brush, dust pan, and a storage pouch for the little one who loves to be a big helper.
For the kid who loves to build, the Plan Toys City and railroad toys are great. We love the Plan Toys Figure 8 Train Set (10), which comes with 20 track pieces that can be attached to other wooden train tracks.
Plush toys like the Apple Park Farm Buddies are great, and we love the larger Farm Buddies like the 22" Ballerina Mouse, the 18" Pirate Pig (14), and the 22" Boxer the Dog.
Shopping for a rockstar-in-the-making? Why not get a band together with the Plan Toys' Musical Band (18) and Banjo (19)?
The Skip Hop Starfish Stay-Put Stacker (20) can be used in many different ways, from stacking on top of each other, to floating or sticking on bathroom walls, providing your little one with entertainment during bath time.
Get geared up for an out-of-this-world adventure with the Educo Discovery Spaceship and Lift Off Rocket (22). With its 4 floors, astronauts and alien, and removable shuttle, your little one will enjoy exploring the stars with this spaceship.
What gifts are you buying this year for your 2-3 year old?
3. Petitcollage Nesting Blocks – These gorgeous blocks can nest within each other or can be stacked on top. Each block features multiple alphabet letters and animals.
When played, the Plan Toys Solid Drum (4) has a similar sound to that of a steel drum. Comes with a rubber-tipped drumstick to soften the sound.
5. The Green Toys Rocket comes with 2 astronauts, plus the capsule at the top is detachable for special space missions. Green Toys also makes lots of trucks, boats, and planes.
17. Boon Glo is a fantastic light/nightlight. The bulbs can be picked up by a child and retain the glow of the light, making them a portable nightlight for little kids who wake up in the night.
It's November, and at Franklin Goose we are getting ready for the holiday season. We asked our staff for their the holiday gifts they love to give and receive, and we thought we'd share our favorites with you!
The Nuna Leaf is a unique baby swing that sways from side to side, and it's recommended use is between birth and 130 lbs, so it's a gift that can be enjoyed for many years to come!
Playmats for children are great, and we love the Nook Lilypad because it's so comfortable and can be used indoors or out!
New at FranklinGoose.com is the Babyhome So-Ro Cradle! We're so excited about it! It's so unique and easy to use. Plus, when your child outgrows it, you can turn it on it's side for a fun child-sized table! Also available in a twin cradle.
You can never have enough bibs, and the Burpy Bib by Aden + Anais is a great option because it doubles as a burp cloth, too! And it's so soft!
We're also fans of Apple Parks' Farm Buddies toys, like their plush animals and teething rings.
Alphabet blocks are a beautiful traditional baby gift, and we can't get enough of Uncle Goose's wooden blocks! Their gorgeous, handcrafted, and available in so many different languages and styles!
Art Cards like the ones by Wee Gallery are great for little eyes still developing. They also double great as art for your child's nursery!
Teething toys are both fun and helpful for kids, and Sophie the Giraffe has proven to be a favorite with children everywhere. We're also big fans of Baltic Amber necklaces because they work so well with teething.
If you're looking for clothes, we love Kickee Pants (pictured) because they're so silky and soft. We also really love Purebaby clothes, too. Add to a stylish outfit a pair of Babiators, and you'll have one cool baby!
And if your little one is in cloth diapers, we recommend BabeeGreens' wool diaper covers. They're made from recycled sweaters and are so adorable!
What are your favorite gifts to give and receive for babies under 1 year?
Hey there, friends! Have you seen our Outfits of the Day on Instagram? If not, take a looksee at what we've put together recently. Every day, one of our employees creates an Outfit of the Day to share on Instagram, and they're pretty cute!
At Franklin Goose, we help a lot of people with baby shower gifts. Often people will ask us what is a good gift to get a mother who is having her second or third or even sixth child. Recently one of our customers purchased a Petunia Pickle Bottom Cross Town Clutch for such a mom. We thought it was such a great idea, especially after we saw how many things could go in it.
The Cross Town Clutch is a bit like Mary Poppin's carpetbag. On the outside it looks like a stylish clutch bag: we used Petunia's new pattern, Sleepy Segovia.
On the inside, well, it holds a lot:
Inside we have
1 travel size bottle of hand sanitizer from The Honest Co;
I love all things British--I think the fault lies mostly with PBS shows and my love for The Chronicles of Narnia--so I'm sure you can imagine how excited I was when I woke yesterday morning to the news that the Duchess of Cambridge had been admitted to the hospital and was in labor.
In honor of all the princes (and princesses) born yesterday, we've put together a few perfectly royal gift ideas:
1. The Prince's Bedtime: Written by Joanne Oppenheim and illustrated by Miriam Latimer, this adorable book is about a young prince who refuses to go to sleep, something that all parents, royal or otherwise, know well. Features an audio CD narrated by Jim Broadbent.
6. Tots Bots Easy Fit Diaper in London: The London diaper is so cute with its map of the Underground, double-decker buses & taxicabs, and Beefeaters! What a great diaper for a royal bottom!
8. Wood Teething Necklace: The Duchess of Cambridge needs something fun and pretty, too, and this wooden teething necklace is absolutely beautiful and unique.
9. Rockin' Baby Sling in The Ground Beneath Her Feet: Duchess Kate and Prince William can keep in style and stay close to their son with a Rockin' Baby Sling! Come on, Kate--all the cool moms wear their babies!
10. Mudpuppy Flip & Draw Knights: Now, I understand the little prince might not quite have the fine motor skills for this item just yet, but Prince Harry is going to need something to do while the baby is sleeping and he has no one to play with. This would be a great older sibling or any child adjusting to a new little one.