You know what I find one of the difficult things about being a parent? Trying to make sure everything that our kids come into contact with is safe.

With so many products being imported to the U.S. and not necessarily being held to the same levels of quality control that domestically made products are, it can be scary.

It’s almost pointless anymore to save older toys because there’s often not a way to determine whether any particular product’s materials are going to cause your child to grow a third eye. So I can appreciate products that are practical, fun, functional and eco-friendly.

That’s why I like this Elephant Rocker at Giggle.

This rocker has a great, clean modern design that’s perfect in any room – kids’ room, playroom, you name it. It measures 26″ by 15″ by 25″ high.

The unit is made (in the USA!) of 100% post-industrial recycled wood residuals and covered in non-toxic and ultra odor-free paint.

I can just see my children trying to flip this elephant right over on its nose when they were about 3 years old. It’s a really cute rocker.

But – $180 for a rocker? It’s definitely a steep price to pay for an eco-friendly rocker that your child will outgrow in a few years. It seems to be that everything eco-friendly comes with a premium price.

If you’ve got a couple of little ones and you could get several years’ use out of this rocker, it might very well be worth making an investment you can feel good about. You can purchase the Elephant Rocker at Giggle.

OK, now I realize this is probably only for the kid who has just about everything, but I saw it and I thought I’d pass it along. If you’re looking for the perfect, indestructible chair that meshes with your contemporary home, then look no further…unless of course you’re on a budget, then this chair isn’t for you (or me!)

But, it’s way cool. Just look!

The Lou Lou Ghost Kid’s Armchair is a mini-version of Phillipe Starck’s famous chair. It’s made of the same transparent polycarbonate by Kartell as the grown up version.

Ahh, one can dream, right…

The Argington company was just brought to my attention and I wish I would have seen it two years ago when we were buying our nursery furniture. Not only is the furniture superb, but they are committed to sustainable design and having a minimal impact on the environment.

Since I’m now thinking about a “big girl room,” I love the Ayres Collection beds. Streamlined, yet comfy. The beds come in birch (shown above), ebony and white.

The company’s crib collections are also very cool. Shown above is the Sahara crib which has a sleek, modern feel with a fixed rail construction.

The Eiffel Book Case (see top) is similarly clean lined.

Plus, Argington’s bedding is among the best I’ve seen. Totally cute without being cutesy. You can check out the whole collection at the Argington website.

Animals, animals everywhere. I’ve been looking for Christmas gifts for all my nieces and nephews and have been finding some real crap.  I see so many stuffed animals that are more hideous than cute. I found some knitted stuffed animals that really are so adorable you and your tiny one will love them.

Check them out at Melange Collection.  They have a whole range of animals – we have the cow and my daughter just loves to chew on it’s ears.  I’d show a picture here, but the thumbnail on the website is too small to see here so go check it out for yourself.  Oh, there are sock monkeys too!  And mobiles!