Don't forget the Amish!

I'm back on my soapbox regarding US-made toys, having finally found a domestically produced dollhouse and set of doll furniture for my girls for Christmas. JontiCraft, maker of the sturdy furniture and equipment you see in kindergartens or daycares, also makes a basic, functional dollhouse. The price was comparable to many of the imported brands and I got free shipping/no sales tax to boot! The doll furniture is made in California.

Then there's the Amish. We own several small Amish-made wooden toys, a favorite being the dial telephones. My children use these for playing office, playing house and when they set up whatever "business" they're in that day. Google "amish-made toys" and see if you don't find a plethora of well-made and safe products. Even if it's too late for this Christmas, keep them in mind for upcoming birthdays or "just because" times.

If you need two more reasons to avoid the plastic claptrap made in You Know Where, here they are:

Phthalates -- chemicals used to soften plastics and made them rubbery are also linked to a big list of health problems. Unless a soft plastic toy, pacifier or sippy cup is labeled "phthalate free" take time to contact the manufacturer to find out what's in whatever your child just put in his mouth.

Landfills -- I can't find the statistic at this wee hour of the morning, but somewhere someone calculated the enormous additional burden to our landfills when folks discard the tons of broken plastic toys generated in this country every year. Unlike wooden toys, many plastic toys cannot be repaired if they fall apart so they end up in the trash.