Toy Whimsy

Amazon Frustration Free Packaging - Just How Easy Is It, Really?

Let me paint a picture for you, and if you are a parent, or have helped a young child with opening a present, I think you will be able to relate:

Little Sally just got a present!  Boy is she happy!  She is begging you to open it, she can't wait to play with the pink-princess-pony-rainbow-sparkle-extravaganza that she just unwrapped.  She is bouncing up and down, she starts to get a little higher pitched in her requests.  She says "Please?  Please?  PLEASE!".  You say "yes, yes, I will open your little present now, settle down."

Then you say the fateful words you will soon regret.

"This will only take a minute."

Thirty minutes later, you are still undoing twist ties, cutting through plastic, and trying to understand why each little piece is tied down so tight you would think they were made of crystal and not plastic.  You have used about 15 tools, 2 pair of scissors, your teeth, and a box cutter.  You now have three bandages on your hands, and you have had to tell little Sally you are very sorry for using "that bad word" five times already.  In between begging Sally to stop crying, you are trying to stop the bleeding on your fourth hand wound, and you are slowly adding to the huge pile of waste packaging from just this one toy. 

Shouldn't there be a better way?

Lucky for you, there is.  Amazon Frustration Free Packaging is here to help. 

But just how easy is it?  We here at Toy Whimsy decided to find out.

First up was the Fisher-Price Imaginext Ocean Boat:

Fisher-Price Imaginext Ocean Boat...

next up, the Fisher-Price Camera Kid-Tough Digital Camera

Fisher-Price Kid Tough Camera...

So what did we learn? With Amazon Frustration Free Packaging, when you say, "This will only take a minute.", you mean it.  It took us 45 seconds with the Ocean Boat and even less, 18.29 for the Kid-Tough Camera.  And as a bonus, the only packaging is a fully recyclable box that is easy to break down and put out at the curb.

To see more Frustration Free Packaging toys you can click here, and to see the full list Amazon.com offerings for Frustration Free, you can click here.

--Laura McMullan

Top 20 Green Holiday Toys

Green toys are some of my favorite toys to talk about.  I love the innovation by many of the toy manufacturers out there, and I love that we are trying hard to do something as an industry to create fun products that are a little better for kids, the environment, and even parents.  In putting together my green toy list this year, I have included some Amazon.com Frustration Free Packaging toys.  Not only are the toys great, the packing is a breakthrough for any parent who has ever cut a hand, tossed a package, or said some words not meant for children's ears- while opening a toy package.  (You can see all our Frustration Free Packaged items here).

And now onto the list, I hope it makes your holidays a little greener this year!

1. Sprig Toys Eco-Recycling Truck in Amazon.com Frustration Free Packaging.  - I wrote about this little wonder before, but I just adore this truck.  It is sturdy, it has a little recycling container that dumps into the back of the truck, there are no batteries to mess with because it is totally kid-powered, and the smell of Sprig Wood is just fantastic (because it is made out of recycled wood, combined with recycled plastic- it feels like plastic but smells like a forest!).  Also, because it is in AFFP, there are no ties, no extra cardboard, or wrap.  You simply open the box, pull out the truck, and play!

2. Idbid Waverly Eco-Friendly Starter Kit in Blue in Amazon.com Frustration Free Packing - Idbids are a darling way to teach your child about caring for the environment.  Made of organic cotton, these little plush friends come with a storybook, a field guide, and a cinch sack to carry everything in.  They also have an online component for more learning.  Again, because they are in FFP, they are open-and-go toys!

3. Plan Toys City Series Parking Garage - There is something about a parking garage that kids love.  My son still loves his that he has had since he was under a year old.  Plan Toys use rubber wood from trees that previously would have been burned after they were no longer producing rubber.  Plan takes these trees and makes fantastic toys that are simple and pleasing to even the adult eye.  

4. Planet Pixies, Kayla Doll - My daughter is just about as opposite as me as she could be.  While I was a tom boy who wanted to play with horses and He-Man figures, she is a princess-loving pink freak (and I mean that in the nicest way possible- she is an amazing kid).  I embrace this difference and have learned to love pretty, sparkly things (even Barbie!).  Something I know she loves are fairies of all kind so Planet Pixies are right up her alley.  These dolls are made out of organic cotton and teach kids about the environment with an earth-friendly message.

5. Eco Snoopers - Create Your Own Secret Diary Set - Need something for an older, maybe tween-age, girl?  The Eco Snoopers craft kits are made with recycled paper and are fun kits for some creative fun.  They come in a diary set, a scrap-booking set, and card making set.

6. Eitech Deluxe Solar Powered Metal Building Kit - Older kids will love this kit that helps them learn about alternative solar power.  This huge kit includes plans to build up to five models.  We have tested this kits before and found them to be very sturdy, and challenging to kids who love to build.  

7. Wonderworld Eco-Friendly Rainbow Sound Blocks - If you have a baby or young child on your list this holiday season, blocks are always a welcome gift.  Not only are these blocks eco-friendly and non-toxic, they are also fun for baby to discover the noises that they make.  Simple toys are usually the best and most used toys in the toy box.

8.ImagiPLAY Veggie Cutting Set - Kids love to pretend to cook.  These veggies are fun, eco-friendly, and also can encourage kids to eat healthy foods.  Chopping veggies is fun and safe with this preschool set.

9. ImagiPLAY Christmas Tree - I adore this natural wood puzzle.  It would be a great family tradition to bring it out every year and have everyone in the family help put it together.   

10. Green Sprouts Organic Cotton Splash Toy Set - Totally safe and non-toxic for baby, these organic bath toys will make quite a splash this holiday season. 

11. Under The Nile Jack Doll with Extra Clothes - Kids love to dress and undress dolls.  This cute organic cotton doll comes with an extra set of clothes.  it is hard to find boy dolls (I know from looking for one for my daughter when we knew she would have a new brother arriving soon) and this one is adorable, green, and soft.

12. Plan Toys Chalet Doll House with Furniture - I want to live in this house.  Seriously, I love modern design and this is just about the most perfect looking house out there.  Made from recycled rubber wood trees, this fantastic looking house comes with furniture and it ready for a family of dolls to move right in.

13. Classic ABC Blocks with Wagon by Uncle Goose - These blocks come from wood from a sustainable forest in Michigan.  They are very high quality and are hand painted with non-toxic paints.  They are beautiful, classic toys that will be passed down to many happy children.

14. Silk Dragonfly Wings by Sarah's Silks - Silk is a renewable resource, and makes a beautiful play material for children.  Sarah's Silks makes great dress up costumes that are 100% silk and itch-free.

15. Eco Kids Eco-Dough - Made from fruit and vegetable bases, this molding clay has no chemicals or artificial dyes.  Perfect for little hands (and curious little mouths!).

16. Wonderworld Eco-Friendly Wonder Work Bench - Your little builder can pretend the day away with the great little workbench just his or her size.  Made from rubber wood and painted with non-toxic paints, it is adorable and really works!

17.  Plan Toys The Green Dollhouse with Furniture - Remember how I said I loved the Chalet dollhouse?  Well it is only surpassed by my love for this green dollhouse that is not only made from green materials but also touts many "green" features.  There is a windmill, a solar panel, and a rain barrel.  There is also a "bio facade" used to give shade or adjust that amount of sunlight in the room.

18. Mary Meyer EarthMates, Fuzz That Wuzz 100% Recycled, Wee Pawzzzz Bear - he was once that plastic bottle of water you drank at the park on a hot day.  Now, he is an adorable stuffed animal. These cute and cuddly little guys are made from 100% recycled PET bottles.  

19. Sprig Toys Dolphin Adventure Playset - The Sprig guys are back at it with some really cool new playsets in the adventure series.  This set has two boats (that really float!), two dolphins and a captain that like to explore your bath tub, sand box, or even a local stream.  Made form Sprig Wood once again, this playset is ultra durable and totally green.

20. Wonderworld Eco-Friendly Cooking Center - This play center has plenty of room for multiple children.  Made from rubber wood and non-toxic paints, it will help your little ones cook up a pretend storm.

Hope you enjoyed this year's list and here's to another green holiday!

--Laura M.

Sprig Eco Recycling Truck - An Amazon Exclusive in Frustration Free Packaging

The Sprig Eco Recycling Truck might be my favorite toy of the holiday season, but admittedly, I have a soft spot for eco-friendly toys and the fantastic people over at Sprig Toys.  Today, as a special treat, I'll be introducing you to the Amazon Exclusive Sprig Eco Recycling Truck. Not only is it an exclusive, it comes in Amazon Frustration Free Packaging!  And who better to talk about this fun truck than some of the great people over at Sprig, Chris and Steve.  They both have some really good insight into the toy industry at the holidays, why frustration free packaging is important, and why getting kids to "be the batteries" is better for kids and the envirornment. My favorite part of the interview? Chris's quote:"5 million pounds of paper packaging waste is thrown out every holiday season on top of our regular waste load in the US."  That is a little stomach turning, and I am glad Amazon can be part of the solution to this huge problem with our Frustration Free Packaging. Keep reading below for more of this great interview where Chris and Steve tell us about the Eco Recycling Truck and Sprig's plans for the future.

First, introductions- who are you, what do you do for Sprig?

Chris Clemmer, one of the designers and a co-founder of Sprig. I work on toy design, marketing, packaging; sales…we all wear 20 hats here at Sprig.

My name is Steve Markey; I’m the VP of Sales here at Sprig. I work with retailers, sales reps and international distributors to make sure as many people as possible around the world have the opportunity to buy our fantastic toys.

What is Sprig core philosophy in a few sentences?
(Chris) Sprig was born from our desire to create toys that energize children with active, engaging play using smart sustainable design solutions. We want to let kids fill in the blanks instead of paint. We want them to be the batteries. We want to get them off the couch. Ultimately we want kids to play like we used to.

What are the holidays like around Sprig HQ?
(Steve) Holiday time is busy here at Sprig Shedquarters. We’re getting ready for the International Toyfair which is held every February in New York, as well as a trade show in Hong Kong where many of our international customers will be seeing the 2010 products for the first time. But we also find time for fun, including a party for the whole team and their families.

(Chris) BUSY BUSY BUSY. The toy industry is unique in that every holiday season you find yourself out on the trail talking about Sprig’s exciting new toys like Captain Owen’s Dolphin Explorer Boat, while back in our top secret headquarters we are busy engineering toys for the future….Toy Fair is coming!!

What are the holidays like for you and your family?
(Steve) I have three children, so we’re all about playing games (we’re huge board game fans), watching movies and just being together. My wife and I travel a lot for our jobs, so just being at home with no trips on the horizon is a blessing. And, of course, being in Colorado, we get out to the mountains for some skiing and snowboarding.

(Chris) We take the holiday time to visit family. This year we will spend time in New Mexico enjoying quiet time in mountains. It’s always fun for our daughter to get some quality family time in during the holidays. Santa Claus always seems to find us to the surprise of our daughter. Although she still wonders why I make toys and how that works with Santa’s agenda…

I have noticed that much of your “shelf packaging” for your toys is minimal, why did you make this kind of decision about how to display toys?
(Chris) We want our toys to play right out of the box. As a child, the thrill of getting a toy in a box that you can open and instantly play with is rare these days. With our toys, if the little ones can get past the security sticker they will be able to open the box and start to play. No little screwdrivers, no knives, no blister packs, no twist ties…just plain simple fun.
The benefit of not using twist ties and packaging blisters is we eliminate tons of material that usually ends up in landfills. During the holiday season, 5 million pounds of paper packaging waste is thrown out every holiday season on top of our regular waste load in the US. We wanted to be part of the solution and are always looking for ways to improve our packaging to make it as lean as possible.

(Steve) For me, there are two main reasons. Firstly, as an eco-conscious company, we try to reduce the amount of materials we use in our packaging, whether it be the amount of cardboard, or those really annoying twist ties that hold so many toys in place.
Secondly, as parents, we are often frustrated by large boxes with very little in them. We just don’t feel good about shipping vast quantities of air around the world.

Did you have to sacrifice anything else to make these kind of packages work?
(Chris) We are learning and experimenting with our packaging with each generation of toys we produce. With our Eco-Trucks we actually see a sales benefit to using minimal packaging. The Eco-Trucks are very accessible and lightweight allowing children to pick them up on shelf. In some cases we have used closed boxes in order to eliminate twist ties, but we are working on some great new open packaging that will still play right out of the box.
(Steve) Less packaging means less space to tell people about our products, to explain what is actually inside the box, so we have learned to tell our story in the most concise way possible. For example, using graphic icons to show that our toys are paint-free rather than actually spelling it out in words.

Why did you decide to partner with Amazon on Frustration Free Packaging?
(Chris) It makes perfect sense for to partner with Amazon on this, as “Frustration Free” packaging is what we call the “new normal” for Sprig. Designing a package that serves as a shipper is a great way to reduce our impact on raw material usage, as it’s one package for all. No Twist ties and reduced printing were things we do and we especially love it when retailers share the same vision as Sprig.

Tell us a little about the new Amazon Exclusive Eco Recycling Truck.  Where was it made? Why did you decide on a recycling truck?  What makes it different than other toy trucks out there?
(Chris) The Eco-Recycling truck is made in the beautiful Czech Republic (our toys are made in North America and Europe). We decided on a recycling truck as it really fits the message behind the toys. We make our toys out of Sprigwood, which utilizes bits of recycled plastic and sawdust. This bio-composite material is a great alternative to using virgin oil based plastics. Our eco-recycling truck smells like WOOD, is very lightweight, and has fantastic play value. What makes this toy different is its play value. The recycling truck features a great carry/push handle, 2 distinct dump mechanisms, a recycling garbage can, and a fold open truck cab. These features make this toy rich in play and smart in design. We don’t use any paints on our toys and they are also dishwasher safe on the top rack which is great for toys that are shared by lots of kids.

One of the first trucks my son recognized was our local recycling truck.  Do you think kids are more aware of recycling than we were at this age?
(Steve) Absolutely – maybe I’m showing my age here, but I don’t think I even saw a recycling truck as a kid, whereas now, my own kids would not dream of throwing away a bottle or a can into a regular trash can. My 5 year old daughter Ella says it best - “Reduce, Reuse, Recycle”.

(Chris) Definitely. When we were kids curbside recycling was very rare so we only had the garbage truck coming by our house in the mornings. It’s great to see curbside recycling become the “new normal” to our youngest generation.  It’s also a focus for a lot of elementary schools around the world as well. We find it refreshing when we hear kids telling their parents about the benefits and need to recycle. They are great little police officers for the planet.

What other plans does Sprig have for the future? Do you see Sprig heading into other directions in toys?
(Chris) While we have primarily focused on preschool toys, Sprig is excited to announce that we will be introducing a line of toddler toys for this upcoming spring. Just in time for earth day, our new Safe and Smart toddler toys will feature stacking, shape sorting, and active push around play. These toys will be made from our exclusive Sprigwood material, will use NO PAINT, and will be made in North America (closer to our material source).

That’s just  a snippet of what is to come from Sprig in 2010. We will leave the rest for another surprise.

(Steve) I’m especially excited about the toddler line Chris just told you about. We’ve taken classic toddler toys and “Sprigified” them. (We don’t just invent toys here, we invent words, too.)
Additionally, we will be introducing new toys to our boys and girls preschool product lines throughout next year, so keep checking back on Amazon.com to see our latest releases.

_________________
Thanks to Chris and Steve.  You can see the whole Sprig line here, as well as the awesome new Amazon Exclusive Eco-Recycling Tuck in Frustration Free Packaging.

--Laura McMullan

Citiblocs: New Kid on the Block(s) -- Guest Blogger Wendy Smolen

When I think of blocks, I have two favorite types: LEGOs and those beautifully shaped wooden HABA blocks that let kids build the US Capital or the Coliseum or a Mayan Temple. Both sets invite structured or open-ended play and inspire creativity, imagination, experimentation, and even a little bit of math and physics. I recently played with a new product called Citiblocs. They come in just one simple shape: 14 5/8” x 15/16” x 5/16”. Think: squared off, super fat tongue depressors made of ecologically-sound New Zealand pine. I tested the box of 100 (sets range from 52 pieces to 300).  Each box comes with an insert of finished projects and ideas. However, there are no LEGO-like step-by-step instructions. Basically, you’re left to your own devices. This is the ultimate open-ended toy. I dumped all 100 pieces on the floor. The good news: I could make anything I wanted. The caveat: It was a little hard to resist falling back on the classic log cabin that I always made with Popsicle sticks. My teenage son, a physics geek, delved right in and built an elaborate structurally sound tower. My young niece made a 3-D butterfly. Inspired (awed?) by their creativity, I attempted an Empire State Building. It was harder than I thought to make even levels and straight walls. Unlike LEGO or even Popsicle sticks, there’s no glue or teeth to hold the blocks together. It’s balance or bust. For a young kid, the knocking down is as much fun as the building up, so this shouldn’t be a problem. For a “builder” like my son, balancing is the fun part of the challenge.  For me, I gave up perfection at level six, knocked my building down, laughed, and started all over again. -- Wendy Smolen

Guest Blogger Wendy Smolen is co-founder of Sandbox Summit®.  She has been professionally evaluating toys for over 15 years. Her three children have literally gone from crib to college proving (or dis-proving!) her theories on play.

Toy Tips with Marianne Szymanski - Cleaning Our Toys

Editor's Note: Marianne Szymanski is a leading expert in toy reviews, and the founder of the Toy Tips Research Institute.  She is the author of Toy Tips: A Parent's Essential Guide to Smart Toy Choices and also the editor of Toy Tips and Parenting Hints Magazine.

 


Cleaning our Toys. We all think about it but how often do we do it?  For the last 18 years, the Toy Tips Research Institute tested thousands of toys. Many of them get dirty and while it is easy to think about cleaning toys, it's rarely done. As the founder of Toy Tips and mom of 2, I  just spent the last 3 years scrubbing, spraying, washing and soaking hundreds of toys as I developed my own all-natural non-chemcial Toy Tips Toy Cleaner.  Made without alcohol, bleach, dyes, artificial fragrances or phosphates, Toy Tips Toy Cleaner is a pure all-natural solution to gently rid toys of dust, dirt, spit up and grime.

Parents can use a bleach and water solution to clean toys but who really has the time, wants to smell the bleach and is comfortable with any chemical residue left on a toy that can be mouthed by a child. You can wash plastic toys  in a dishwasher but  many toys are just too big to fit. A backyard hose is great for outdoor toys but you n eed a soapy solution to really get them clean.

The Toy Tips Toy Cleaner is a convenient all-natural spray and wipe cleaning solution for toys of all types. It has a pure aromatherapy light scent of lavender and chamomile and smells very fresh.

With a regular household cleaning routine in mind, Toy  Tips Toy Cleaner  goes from the playroom to the nursery  to kitchen to the bath. Every parent knows toys are in every room of the house so it is made for surfaces of  plastic, hardwood, vinyl, aluminum and foam. It  even does wonders on windows!

There are no orange oils that over time can affect a plastic surface, no alcohol, bleach or chemical residue and no baking soda which can break down the oxides of metal over time for precious collectible aluminum toys. Take a bottle and spray plastic toys, vinyl toys, wooden toys, foam playmats, high chairs, cribs, strollers, car seats and  play areas including hardwood floors and  that tiny mirror in baby's first peek-a-boo.  It's formulated for toys, kids furniture, play areas  and toys  in the toybox but it  can be used on other surfaces around the house.

The spray bottle is a PETE #1 recyclable phlalate-free, lead-free container and is simple to use. Spray a surface, wipe clean and it quickly dries. The sprayer has a dripless closing feature and a ratchet neck for child safety.

The reason it took 3 years to develop the Toy Tips Toy Cleaner is because we have worked with lots of love and care with green chemists, toxicologists and microbiologists to perfect the recipe with all natural ingredients down to the preservative. Organic essential oils scent the solution to a calming smell of lavender and chamomile. So, open that toybox and start cleaning!

For Amazon.com customers, each 24 ounce bottle of Toy Tips Toy Cleaner includes a $20 subscription to Toy Tips and Parenting Hints Magazine.

Available NOW on amazon.com

--Marianne Szymanski

Win EcoFriendly Toys - Subscibe to Our Blog and Win!

Would you like to win a prize package of Eco Friendly toys for your tot?  From now until May 29th, it's as easy as clicking on this link, and signing up for the email digest of Toy Whimsy, and you'll be entered to win! Check out the details and rules here.

What's in the prize package:

One of each color of Idbids.

The whole line (4 sets!) of Sprig Hallow from Sprig Toys, plus an extra, unreleased set "Bee's Garden Home".

  
The new line from Green Toys, including the Recycling Truck, Dump Truck, Flying Saucer, Jump Ropes, and Tool Set.
 

For more about these toys, see our other posts on Sprig (including a video review of Sprig Hallow!), Green  Toys, and Idbids.

This prize package is valued at over $200!  Enter to win today!

--Laura McMullan

Idbids want you to have a Happy Earth Day

The older my kids get, the more I agree with Eddie's last post about simple toys.  My kids love all the lights and sounds, but give them a huge bouncy ball and they are in heaven and stay there - for hours! 
For Earth Day, I was also contemplating how simple toys really are best for the environment.  With no batteries to dispose of, no plastic parts to go in a landfill, and no lights or sounds, Idbids fit the bill nicely.  The Idbids kit is a soft plush toy, a field guide, a storybook, and an organic cotton cinch sack to carry it all in.  All the componets of the kit are made from eco-friendly and recycled materials and the field guide teaches kids about sustainability.  The cute storybook features all three Idbids- Scout the cloud, Lola the flower, and Waverly the water drop.  Cute, simple, and good for the earth- Idbids are just the ticket for Earth Day.

--Laura McMullan

Simple Toys

On a recent trip to (very warm and sunny) Los Angeles, I visited friends who have three children: a girl (age 5) and two boys (ages 8 and 13.)  In addition to being excited to see my friends and to see how much their children have grown, I thought it was a good chance to do some toy "research" and see, as they say, what the kids are into these days. 

When I arrived, no one heard me at the front door because the whole family was in the backyard playing Lazer Tag (check.)  Once inside, the kids wanted me to see their newly-installed basketball hoop (check.)  There was also a RipStik (check), a couple of bikes (double check) and a jump rope (check.)  That's when it got creative.  After I tried to ride the RipStik (and failed miserably) the boys started riding it while shooting hoops.  Then the jump rope got tied to a bike and the boys pulled their little sister around on it.  Then it turned into all of us just jumping rope...for almost an hour.  (Do kids ever get tired?)  It surprised me that with all the technology and pricey toys out there, the one that can get the most use is the simplest (and cheapest) one of all. -- E. Christian Moore

Sprig Toys Eco-Trucks - Tiny Toy Testers Review

Earth day is only about a week away- and we have a toy review and video from our Tiny Toy Testers that fits in nicely. The Eco-Trucks from Sprig are make of reclaimed wood and plastics and are totally kid-powered. Another great thing about these eco-friendly toys is the great price point of $14.99.  Check out the video below and then keep reading for the Amazon parents' review:

Parents' Review: 5 Stars for Wonderful, 1 Star for Terrible:

Assembly: 5 stars, "No assembly required"

Fun Factor: 5 stars, "My child was extremely eager and excited to play with this truck, as it had all the right components for him – a hatch that opened and closed for the driver, a scoop that actually picked things up with a gear shift handle that was the right size and placement for his hands, and a sturdy construction which allowed him to push it straight using his weight behind it.  He has not left this back-hoe (sp?) since I gave it to him, bringing it to day care during the day, and playing with it in the house first thing when he gets up.  He needed no guidance, and in fact explains to me it’s many functions."

Educational Factor: 4 stars, "Definitely good for imaginative play, if not educational per se.  For this reason, I believe it will remain a favorite."

Novelty Factor: 4 stars, "This is one of the most well developed trucks he owns, one of the special features that he likes is the fact that it can swivel, or be locked from underneath to support straight movement.  No other trucks we own do this, or have a handle that moves the scoop in such a logical direction."

--Laura McMullan

Green Toys Tea Set - Tiny Toy Testers Review

The second Tiny Toy Tester review today is another tea set. This one is from the Green Toys and is made from recycled milk jugs. Our Tiny Toy Tester is 4 yrs old and she was asked to give her Disney Princess tea set to mom to recycle in order to get the new tea set. As you can see, she was more than happy to do so. Watch the tea set in action, and then keep reading for the parent review.
 Green Toys Tea Set...

Rating System: On a five star scale, one being horrible, five being wonderful.

Assembly: 5 stars, The recycled cardboard box was easy to open and the toy came right out. There are no ties, no wires, and no extra packing material. There are also no brochures or added paper in the box. There are lots of fun facts on the box about how much plastic is kept out of landfils by making Green Toys. They make it easy to just put the packaging in the recycling bin when you have to toy removed.

Fun Factor: 5 stars, I love that there are no batteries, and no lights or noises.  As you can see in the video, this is the perfect toy for entertaining friends, especially friends who are dolls.

Educational Factor: 3 stars, I don't think that there is much to this toy that your child dosen't bring with their own imagination.  But that being said, this toy lead to a great conversation in my house about why the tea set that we already had, that was quite worn, and missing pieces, was NOT going in the trash, but in the recycling.

Novelty Factor:  3 stars,  We had a tea set, but what is unique about this is that it is made of recycled plastic.   More and more of our toys are made of recycled materials, something I think is great for everyone!
--Laura McMullan