I was recently contacted by Eco Market and asked to become one of their official bloggers. I was really pleased to be asked, not least because it means someone reads my blog, or because I get to support a lovely ethical eco company, but also because I’ll be sent products to review.
They sell so many different things, and I was asked to put together a wish list of products to review. I spent a lot of time browsing the kids section, and choosing things I thought Ebony would enjoy. My first review product arrived two weeks ago, and I’m excited to say it was the very first thing I added to my wish list. As soon as I saw it, I knew Ebony would love it.
I was sent the EverEarth Flip Over Musical Triangle sold by Tread Lightly Toys. Ebony loves singing, dancing, musical instruments and general loudness, so I was pretty confident that this would be a hit. As soon as I opened the package, I heard a “Oooooh!” from Ebony as she clambered up onto the sofa to have a look.
EverEarth is the only toy manufacturer who owns 100% of the forests they source their wood from, meaning they can ensure all wood comes from sustainable sources. The distance from forest to factory is just 50 miles, limiting the amount of transportation required to produce these products.
The packaging is made from recyclable materials and looks great, I think this would make such a brilliant gift. It’s a high quality children’s toy that looks attractive even in the packaging. The toy is two sided and features a xylophone, click wheel, scratch wheel, drum, washboard and tap activity.
When I’d taken it out of the packaging, I sat the toy next to Ebony and let her explore it for herself. I didn’t want to show her how to use it, because I wanted her to discover it all independently. She instantly recognised the drum and xylophone functions and was happily bashing away on them. The drum and xylophone are smaller than ones she has used previously, so they will be good for improving her coordination. The washboard and tap activity were next to be discovered, as she worked out what to do with them. The washboard was hit with the drumstick a few times before she located the correct tool.
The click and scratch wheel are a bit too advanced for her yet, although she can manage to rotate each part way, she can’t spin it yet. The toy is recommended for 2+ so I’m sure she’ll grow into this function. She knows what she’s meant to do, but just can’t quite seem to control the small handles well enough just yet.
The toy has taken pride of place on the bookshelf, and is pulled out most days for a session. We also played with it outside quite a bit last week, to make the most of the weather. I set up a den to give Ebony some shade, and put some of her favourite toys in there to entice her into the shade. This toy was a clear winner and kept her shaded long enough for me to read a chapter of my book (Instructions for a Heatwave by Maggie O’Farrell - which was amazing, in case you were wondering).
We also used it as in-car entertainment at the weekend. Ebony isn’t a huge fan of car journeys, so I always end up packing a bag full of toys to try and keep her happy in the car. Packing the EverEarth Flip Over Musical Instrument meant I didn’t need to worry about packing other things. There were enough bits to keep her entertained, and she liked singing and playing along to the radio.
This is such a beautiful toy, I think it would make the perfect present for a toddler. It is high quality, entertaining, sustainable and eco friendly - what more do you want?
Tread Lightly Toys was set up by a stay at home mum who was fed up of paying over the odds for eco friendly and fairtrade toys. The company prides itself on working with suppliers who use wood from sustainable FSC forests, alternative materials and fairtrade items. For every item you buy, Tread Lightly Toys makes a donation to the woodland trust and the fairtrade foundation.
