Our tots are newbie students this year and though their school day is limited only to a few hours and snack is provided, we still love finding convenient and green solutions for when we’re on the go. Toddlers (at least the ones we know) seem to graze in between heavy play time, so we like to have snacks on hand at all times. We recently picked up a few of these snack-sacks by snackTAXI at our local grocer and we think they’re pretty nifty. Perfect for dry snacks like bunnies and raisins, these little pouches are easy to carry and washable. Can be used for carrot sticks and other fruit, too. SnackTAXI makes several styles including sandwich and snack-sacks from super cute fabrics. Measures 6″ x 4.5″. $6.95, here.

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.

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.