The Biz

With young children, learning can be fun. With new Wooden Magnetic Sets by Mudpuppy, children can learn with fresh, bold, and memorable letters, animals, fruits, and numbers! These magnetic sets are simple but modern, and they offer a welcome twist on classic toys. Mudpuppy’s Wooden Magnetic Sets make things pop with artistic patterns that give them an edge over typical refrigerator magnet sets. Even if toddlers drool over these wooden wonders, no worries! They’re made of nontoxic inks, as well as 80% recycled wood.

Diva Chics is an all-natural line of hair products from Lucky 11, designed for tweens and teens. The salon-quality products include a shampoo and conditioner, detangler, styling product, and hair and body glitter. Diva Chics is designed for the “It Girls” — girls with enthusiastic personalities. Salon-tested products are created to provide the perfect balance of strength, moisture, and shine. The most natural and mild ingredients are used in each product to provide maximum benefit without causing build-up, flaking, and needless exposure to chemicals.

Little Orphan Annie reminded us that we’re never fully dressed without a smile. What a great message for children to remember. A smile goes a long way and is quite contagious. Gloominess can be contagious too! It’s no fun to be around someone who is grumpy. The Pout-Pout Fish Book & CD Set by Deborah Diesen is a delightful children’s story about a gloomy pout-pout fish and his cheerful ocean friends who try their hardest to turn his frown upside down. Dan Hanna’s vivid illustrations of the frowning fish and his well-meaning friends give life to this inspiring story.

For summer traveling or just hanging out, take note of a new line of tee shirts that celebrate fabulousness and adventures. Lately Lily is the star of the show, a curious girl who loves to visit foreign places accompanied by her bright yellow suitcase. The tees come in twenty-five versions, each with a hand-drawn graphic and a hand-drawn hangtag that details Lily’s thoughts on the places she’s visited. Lily’s adventures give shoppers a way to bring home the gift of curiosity, a quality Lily has in abundance. The tees and tags are also a way to motivate kids to keep notes on the world around them.