Graco Stroller Recalls -- Infant Deaths and Finger Amputations

This is horrible! A number of children have been injured and several died before the product was recalled!

Here is the list of strollers recalled

Infants and Toddlers: Simple Beautiful Musical Instruments

Simple musical instruments for infants and toddlers are the perfect way to begin early appreciation of music. We found a beautiful example of a wooden xylophone (shown above) by Jim Doble at Elemental Design.

Look for musical instruments made from natural materials to provide the best sound and tactile experience possible for your child.

Jim has an inspiring collection of musical instruments made from wood, stone, tools, and more on his Children's Museum page.

Montessori and Infants: Movement and Motion

I found a fun video to share!



The infant is absolutely focused on his or her movement and the parent is letting it all happen naturally. Really cute.

Infants, Rattles, Montessori: Great Example of a Wooden Rattle

We found a great cherry wooden rattle on the Australian site Eco Toys here. As a cheerful example of what TO buy, we love it!

Bitable, simple, wooden, unpainted, no tiny parts, and no plastic. A fabulous sensory experience for your infant as he or she transitions from mobiles to developing key motor skills.

Infants, Rattles, Montessori, and Safety: Do NOT Buy This Recalled Rattle

Sorry for all the bleak posts lately! We kept coming across newly recalled infant items and wanted to make sure we shared them...but the posts are still bleak.

This recalled plastic rattle by Manhattan Toys is a perfect example of what not to buy, even if it had not been proven dangerous.

Let's dissect it:
1. Plastic (wood is highly recommended)
2. Too many little parts (one of them will break, and they're small, so they're choking hazards)
3. Tiny parts inside (definitely choking hazard)
4. Too busy (look for a simple rattle with wooden beads inside or similar)
5. Garish colors (if it is wooden and unpainted, your chances of encountering toxic materials are much less)

More (cheerful) what TO do's in our Montessori teaching albums for infants.