We’re bringing back some of our faves of Summer this week. In this case we wanted to because any berry picking expedition requires a few tools including a bucket with a handle for independent berry picking toddlers. This little Sand Play set made by Green Toys contains the precursory bucket perfect for small hands with an eco-friendly rope handle, rake and shovel. Plus, a sand castle mold for days at the beach. And once again Green Toys amazes us with a cool product that contributes to improving the health of the planet. By using recycled materials such as recycled milk jugs, they reduce CO² emissions and fossil fuel use. Sweet. $19.99, here.

Lately, we get around. We’re always on the go and this past weekend  we played another rousing round of a new game we like to play called, ”get the toddler tired enough to take a nap”. So, we packed up our classic Radio Flyer Town & Country and headed for Sauvie Island for some messy blackberry picking. This is hands down one of our favorite picks of the season. We’ve resisted these classic wagons for so long and why? Our neighbors stand by theirs and our tots absolutely love it. It’s perfect for two; durable, maneuvers well and it’s just darn cute to see two babies sitting in a wagon. Endless photo opportunities to boot. Removable stake sides and an extra long handle for tall folk. Measures 36″ x 16.5″ x 9.5″. If you can’t find it locally, $110.99, here.

We love a good bonnet and especially one with a tie for days spent in the berry patch. We were so excited to come across this little beauty on Etsy. If Little House on the Prairie and Holly Hobby had had a baby bonnet it would  have been this one and with the tie it is oh, so handy for  mamas with babes who refuse to keep anything on their heads. Now, fill up that bonnet with some chubby baby cheeks and watch out, too cute. This bonnet made from found 1980s red and white gingham & candy stripe cotton is reversible with geometric and soft pattern florals. Dots vintage cotton bias tape ties. Featherstitch, hand embroidered look top stitching. Adjustable back for maximum wearability. Available in three sizes, S, M, L and different fabrics, custom bonnets too. It’s a keeper and will last through a couple of kiddos. $22.50, here.

Our kiddos love to play hide and seek. They play it with their younger sibs and dog often gets in on the fun. There is something so cool about seeing our tots wonder over discovering something hidden, even if they can see a lab’s tail wagging from behind a bush. We recently happened upon this print of an original collage depicting a bug in the forest playing a game of hide and seek. We love it and think it would make a cool addition to a playroom or any kid’s bedroom. Print measures 8″ x 8″ and is printed on a luster finish archival paper with signature, title and edition number on the back. $20.00, here.

Our tots love to hang out in our tent. We set it up in the backyard and they take blankets and pillows, a few books and favorite plush buddies, making it a second bedroom of sorts. The idea of acquiring a tipi came about when we were at a friend’s house recently who’d made one for their tots. Since we’re still somewhat challenged on the sewing machine (read: dang bobbin), we decided we’d better find a DIY tipi kit pattern or one already made for us. We couldn’t find a kit, so we opted for the ladder. And really, what could be better than your own custom made tipi? Of course Etsy pointed us in the direction of these sweet tipis made by  Oregon seamster, and High School English teacher, NickMaxMama. Each tipi is constructed from duck cloth and measures 52″ tall. The teepee is held up by PVC pipe, making it easy to move and durable. Custom made, orders usually take a couple of weeks to complete. Price is perfect for what you get. $80.00, here.

Memory games have always been a great way to get kiddos to sharpen their recall skills, but these games also help tots understand the basics of hide and seek. We love this game by Djeco and our toddler is crazy about it, too. The graphics are so cute; animals playing & holding musical instruments, which our tot loves because she’s currently interested in knowing the name of each instrument. The game pieces are circles with scalloped edges, a nice touch for younger siblings. easy to pick up. We had to start out using 5 matched sets at a time because it was too overwhelming for her to figure out the game with 32 pieces on the floor. This game has worked wonders for us on learing how to take turns and the concept of matching. Observation is FUN. We can’t seem to find this game online, and we received it as a gift. It must be out there somewhere.

We recently picked up “Who’s hiding?” at the library while rummaging through the shelves, and it’s a keeper. Our tots are enamored with Satoru Onishi’s brightly colored, animated animals. Some animals crying, some backward, all adorable and the kiddos love trying to figure out who’s hiding on each page. They’re totally engaged and learning the art of observation and discovery, and we love it. “Who’s Hiding?” is the perfect puzzler book for the 2 and up crowd, giving them a sense of accomplishment after they identify each animal. 18 furry friends like a dog, tiger, hippo, zebra, bear, reindeer, kangaroo, lion, rabbit, giraffe, monkey, bull, rhino, pig, sheep, hen, elephant, or cat. Great stuff. If you can’t find it at the library, when in stock, $10.17, here.

We’ve had a very busy summer with little time to sit down and blog, but we’re doing our best to get back to writing some reviews, see dance party fun below, and we’re really excited to announce a new giveaway sponsored by our friends at fawn & forest. f & f are one of our favorite online retailers. We love that they’re not huge fans of plastic, formaldehyde or toys with a million buttons. They sell thoughtfully made brand name and handmade products for eco-conscious kids and their families. These adorable mobiles by The Modern Baby Company are made from laser cut birch wood are simply beautiful and minimally difficult to assemble. They make a perfect addition to any nursery or kiddo’s room. And we’re giving one away. So sweet. Giveaway ends at the end of the month and as always, we love to hear from you on facebook and twitter, even though we’ve been twitter slackers of late. Sign-up, follow, tweet and let us know who needs one of these sweet mobiles, you may just win.

We recently toured a preschool with a special dark room for children to explore and have fun with flashlights. We had a hard time getting our tot to leave the room, she was having such a blast making shapes on the ceiling and dancing about that we decided we’d better bring this entertainment home. We were initially hoping to find a solar-powered flashlight, but we couldn’t find one that we thought would work for a toddler, so we settled on Melissa & Doug’s Sunny Patch Bibi Bee Flashlight. It’s lightweight, brightly colored and the handle is easy for small hands to grasp, plus the on/off switch is pretty easy-to-use. No eco-friend here, but we’ll keep searching. Meanwhile, our toddler can continue her flashlight dance party and strobe light simulation with this sweet little flashlight and it can also be used outside at night or when camping. $12.48, here.

Another score for Nana, who bought this tutu for our kiddos second hand. Everytime our tot hears music, it’s “tutu time” and “tutu time” has become an intergal part of our dance party routine. We aren’t especially girly or into pink, but there’s just something to be said for dressing up in a frilly outfit and dancing. Any tutu will do, of course, but we like Danskin’s all-in-one tutu+leotard combo with a sweetheart neck and attached tulle tutu. It’s perfect for burgeoning ballerinas and recreational dancers alike. We also appreciate that this one piece saves us a step when getting dressed, leaving us more time for dancing. Yay. Turn up the music, it’s time to dance. Available in sizes 2T-6x-7. If you can’t find used, $29.00 & up, here.

No dance party would be complete without an instrument or two. We say the drums are the perfect instrument to help our kiddos get their groove on, so we’re bringing back a cleeo & bea fave this week. And since our dance party instrumentals started with a set of pots, pans and wooden spoons, it quickly became clear we needed to upgrade. Plan Toys makes a great starter drum kit, perfect for toddlers. It comes equipped with drumsticks, two toms, a guiro and cymbal. Made from reconditioned rubber wood, this kit is durable and stylish, though the cymbal is a little wonky, and is the perfect size for storing in our kiddo’s tiny room. As a first drum kit, Plan’s set is not too loud and satisfies our tots. Dance on little ones! Not cheap, but will provide solid entertainment, priceless. Measures 13″ x 13″ x 10″. $50.00 here.

We’ve always loved surf music and now The Venture’s play Telstar is our kiddos’ number one summer jam. We had no idea our little ones could cut such a rug until we put this record on. This awesome 60s soundtrack music reminds us a little of summers past, watching Gidget reruns with Grandma, eating jello pops and slip n’ slides. If you can’t get to the beach (sometimes you just can’t), this record is a great alternative in a pinch. Originally released in 1962, like most Ventures releases, the songs on Teltstar are surf versions of familiar songs. Try listening to “Percolator” or “Let There Be Drums”, both are silly and will turn any tot’s frown upside down. And “Green Onions” has been a family favorite for years, plus seeing our tots dance to these songs is pretty great. If you can’t find it any other way, get it in tandem with the Ventures In Space, $8.95, here.

We never thought it would come here in Portland, but summer has finally arrived and it’s been a scorcher. With so many sunscreens on the market and as many as we see at playgrounds around town, the cleeo & bea mamas have been doing some very official research to get to the bottom of which ones will protect our tots skin without harsh chemicals. One of the most important facts we’ve learned are to avoid these two ingredients, oxybenzone and retinyle palmate (vitamin A) as both have been linked to cancer. Here are a few of our favorites and their differences, with our preferences and why. We’ve been big lovers of Badger’s sleep balm for restless little badgers, but haven’t tried their sunscreen until recently when one of our neighbors suggested it. This sunscreen lives up to Badger’s stealth reputation and we do like it. And a little goes a long way, which we love. naturally water resistant, safe for children of all ages, blocks both UVA and UVB rays, and thoroughly moisturize while they protect your skin. Natural, organic ingredients sunscreens create a physical barrier with zinc oxide instead of chemicals to protect from the sun. A little gritty, water resistant up to 40 minutes. main ingredient is zinc 20.5% . Consistency is pretty greasy, everything is going to stick to it and takes awhile for it to absorb, but has an excellent rating on the skin deep website of a 1. Smells great and works like a dream. Not cheap, but we think worth every penny. 2.9 oz. $16.00, here.