I like to think that I’m raising global kids; ones who are excited to learn about different cultures and visit as many places as they can in their lifetimes. Sometimes instilling that love of different cultures is as easy as my daughter seeing a movie or reading a book and deciding she wants to visit France or Japan or Brazil all on her own, but other times it means introducing her to a new culture in a fun and exciting way that really resonates with her. The best way to do that is through play. 
This is why I love the new Global Girl Dolls that celebrate the differences of girls all over the world while sharing the stories of 6 fictional characters. 
Toys & Games
DIY miniature pot rack from champagne muselet for Lundby dollhouses
A muselet (French: myz.le) is a wire cage that fits over the cork of a bottle of champagne, sparkling wine, or beer to prevent the cork from emerging under the pressure of the carbonated contents.
We ended up with a muselet from a local hard cider a few months back, and after it was removed from the bottle, I set it in my windowsill while I debated what I could make it into. I've seen cute little chairs for fairy gardens made out of muselet and I considered making my own. But, then one day I decided my Lundby dollhouse needed a pot rack and went looking for supplies and found the muselet just waiting to become a lighted pot rack for the house.
Want to make your own miniature pot rack for your dollhouse? It's super easy, doesn't require many supplies, and the end result is really adorable! 
You can make a difference if you Lift Your Voice
When I think of my biggest wishes for my daughters, at the top of that list is that they always understand that their voices are powerful. Their voices unfortunately have the power to hurt others, but they can have the power to make someone feel loved and special. It’s up to them to use their voices for good. And, just like they can choose whether to use their voices to hurt or to help, their voices also have the ability to make a real difference in the world. 
Melody Ellison™, the newest BeForever™ doll from American Girl, is learning the power of her voice and has arrived just in time for my daughters to really learn from her unique story. Her story is full of life lessons that give us a glimpse back into our past as well as ways to empower our girls to make a difference in the future.
Imaginations At Play with bright and beautiful MiO toys {DIY schoolhouse}
It’s a rare toy that all of my kids play with together, so when I find one it’s a very happy day. Such was the case when I found the new MiO line from The Manhattan Toy Company. With chunky pieces that my littlest one loves, open-ended building pieces that my son adores, and the fact that it fits my oldest’s love of miniatures, this is the perfect family toy for my crew. 
But, it’s not just my family who is smitten with the MiO line, it seems like everyone is going crazy for these cute and modern toys that appeal to kids of all ages. Yes, they are technically intended for the preschool crowd, but don’t tell my kids and their friends that.
But can you blame them? Even I want to play with all the different sets and see all the ways I can design a MiO world. 
The world of MiO consists of beautiful modular wood building pieces that you can configure and redesign as often as you’d like as well as MiO people made of hand painted wood heads and beanbag bodies. The collection is designed to nest and store compactly so you can keep your MiO accessories and pieces together for play at home and away.
Introducing the WellieWishers line at American Girl
As you know, we're huge American Girl fans around here. So, whenever the brand debuts something big, we get lots of messages and questions asking about the new products. Such was the case this past month when American Girl introduced the new WellieWishers line to their already full product offerings. If you've been wondering about the line and excited to learn about the new dolls, this is the post for you. 
About the WellieWishers
American Girl describes the WellieWishers as a sweet and silly group girls that are helping kindness and friendship bloom. The line has 5 main characters: Willa, Kendall, Ashlyn, Emerson, and Camille. Each friend brings something unique to their group, but they all have the same common goal: to be a good friend. To better understand each others' perspectives, they are encouraged to take a step in each others' wellies {aka boots}, a spin on the idea of "taking a walk in each others' shoes".
Their signature wellies and their flair for fashion make them really popular with both kids and adults. Every time we've visited the Seattle store since their release, the WellieWishers area has been swarming with parents and girls picking out their favorite doll while fawning over the cute accessories and fun details. And, I can't really blame them, the line is adorably enticing.
Make your Oribel PortaPlay even more amazing with two awesome new accessories
I’ve said before how much I love our PortaPlay Convertible Activity Center from Oribel. We’ve had it for a year now and it’s still one of my favorite items we got for our little one. This is because the PortaPlay bouncer/activity table isn’t just for babies. The PortaPlay converts as baby’s needs change, so what started out as a bouncer/exersaucer for baby becomes a toy-covered or flat-topped activity table that can be used for years. 
After almost a year of use as a bouncer, we recently converted the PortaPlay to an activity table and my new little walker was super excited to walk around the table and play with the toys from a new angle. And then when the newest Oribel accessories arrived and we converted the PortaPlay to a flat-top art table, she was super excited to use the PortaPlay with her favorite dolls and toys.
What we’re playing with: ZOOTOPIA toys
In celebration of next week's ZOOTOPIA DVD and Blu-ray release, we're sharing some of our favorite toys of the season that are based on the movie.
Aren't these so awesome?
We picked these adorable poseable figures up at our local Disney Store. We actually got most of them before the movie was even in theaters because my wife and kids thought they were so cute.
The Judy Hopps Meter Maid Pursuit Set came with a meter maid mobile, so I knew it was going to be a huge hit with the kids. I was definitely correct.
Educational fun with the SmartMax Mega Ball Run
I can’t even tell you how many times I have refused or returned a self-contained pre-made ball run that has been given to my kids. It’s not that I’m against kids learning about gravity and momentum by way of a ball run, it’s just that I can’t justify the space that they require for the momentary fun of dropping a ball down a chute a few times before the kids get bored.
But, when I was told about the SmartMax Mega Ball Run, I realized that someone finally got it. By adding in the fun of a construction toy and the power of magnets, SmartMax allows you to build your own ball run over and over again to enhance the play value and keep the kids busy for hours.
Let your little one follow their heart with Aeromax
We tell kids to dream big all the time. We say that they can be whatever they want to be… when they are older. But, what about now? What if we gave them the tools to follow their hearts today?
You won't even mind that what they want to be changes by the hour when following your heart is as easy as slipping on a new costume from Aeromax Toys. If you’re unfamiliar with Aeromax, I highly suggest you check them out. I was first introduced to their line of dress up gear at our local children’s museum, and even though the costumes had likely been worn and washed hundreds of times, it was clear to me that Aeromax Get Real Gear was special from first glance.
American Girl GOTY Lea-inspired DIY walking stick craft
Remember my post about Lea Clark, the 2016 Girl of the Year from American Girl? If so, then you understand how excited we are for her release. She is an American Girl Doll who loves photography, starts a blog, and loves nature. Lea is basically everything we were hoping for in the new Girl of the Year, and then more. 
As excited as I was to see that Lea has an accessory pack with a camera, I was almost as excited when I saw Lea's Rainforest Hike Accessory Set that comes complete with an adorable walking stick. I’m a huge fan of hiking with a walking stick as it makes it so much easier to navigate rough or slippery terrain, and this is especially true for kids. 