HeidiKlum.aol.com - Summer Travel Toys for Kids

An award-winning HABA toy - Fliffix Catch Game was mentioned on Heidi Klum's AOL blog as one of the top summer travel toys for kids. Check it out!

Taking a trip with the whole family this summer? Before you get anxiety about keeping the kids occupied in the car ride or while you're at the hotel, sift through this list of summer travel toys.

These toys fit easily into travel bags, don't take up a ton of room, and best of all, they provide hours of entertainment, whether you're traveling or not!

Click here to read the full article Summer Travel Toys for Kids.

Get Those Creative Juices Flowing!

Not only does Maukilo.com strive to feature some of the coolest and most durable toys on the planet, but we've also been stocking up on unique and hard to find arts & crafts sets.  While we believe that playing is about dress-up, pretend store and house, board games and outdoor adventures, it's also about creating and using the imagination! Unlock your child's artistic potential -  Browse our Arts & Crafts section, featuring sticker books, all-natural crayons and paints, model construction sets, paint and design kits, modeling clay, stencils and more!

We've handpicked some favorites of our own below!

HABA Terra Kids - Musical Gears Construction Set - $35.09

Make beautiful music with the Terra Kids - Construction Set Musical Gears! Once assembled, this crank gear musical model will create varying musical sequences with three bells. Perfect for curious kids, the Terra Kids - Construction Set Musical Gears combines physics, music, and fun in one awesome model! This set comes with over 80 pieces to glue together, developing your child's building skills. Once assembled, use the hand crank to create varying musical sequences with the three bells. The set is made of durable plywood that lasts!


Seedling - Design Your Own Shield - $39.98

Creativity and adventure collide with this DIY Wooden Shield kit from Seedling. A blank wooden shield is included, along with acrylic paints and brushes. Now your little Picasso can show off their artistic talents and protect the family coat of arms!







Glob - Natural Art Bundle - $44.99

Grab this set for everything you need to create colorful nature scenes. Instead of purchasing each product separately, you will save $9 when you buy this bundle! Includes 4 garden prints on handmade seed papers made from 100% natural, biodegradable and recycled fibers, seeds and plant material, the Bamboo Brush Set and the Natural Paint Set made from 100% natural non toxic ingredients.

GLOB arts and crafts products are sourced from natural, recyclable and biodegradable materials. The vibrant pigments in GLOB have been used by different cultures throughout the ages in food, artists' paints and body products. From the garden to the studio, GLOB handcrafted paints naturally inspire. Go ahead, GLOB it on.

Chalk City - Road Maker - $14.99

The Chalk City Road Maker holds 2 pieces of sidewalk chalk and allows kids to easily create cities, raceways, and obstacle courses right in their own driveway. A fun way to make designs for classic games like hop scotch and tic tac toe. You get the maker and two pieces of sidewalk chalk. Easily cleans up with just water. Spin it and swirl it and make geometric patterns and shapes.






Aladine - Farm Modeling Dough Set- $14.95

Get rollin' on the farm with this wonderful modeling clay set from Aladine. The soft, non toxic modeling dough will not stain or stick. Dough will air dry without cracks, so the animals created can be played with over and over! Comes with color directions to follow, or use your imagination to create the wildest creatures imaginable! Five colors (red, blue, yellow, white, and black) are included as well as a play mat with colorful outdoor scene for extra fun down on the farm! Encourages sensory awareness, creativity, fine motor skills, and imaginative play.


 HABA - Stickerworld Safari- $11.24

Lion or little monkey? Who is supposed to zip across the page? Oops, the giraffe stickers want to join in. No problem! Here creative children can let their imagination run wild and, as the stickers can be peeled off, design their own picture book over and over again. Includes 6 sheets with stickers of 3 different motifs.

HABA USA Launches New Website!

Maukilo LOVES HABA toys, which is why we couldn't help but share HABA's brand new website with our customers!

Just launched and chock full of lots of information! From company history and toy safety practices, to their product development process and environmental philosophies, this new site is a treasure trove for the toy-lover.  Check out the complete catalog of products and library of informational videos, so you can learn all there is to know about HABA!

Shop Maukilo's HABA selection, offering some of the best prices on the web!

The Importance of Pretend Play

We ran across a very interesting journal article titled: The Role of Pretend Play in Children's Cognitive Development. Obviously, children love doing it because it is fun, but it is interesting to read about why they enjoy it so much, and how beneficial it really is.  Some excerpts of the article that really caught our attention are included below.

"The relationship of pretend play (especially socially interactive pretense) to cognitive development has long been a topic of research interest among educators and psychologists, and a number of studies conducted in the late 1970s and early 1980s supported hypotheses about this relationship. For example, early studies linked play to young children's mathematics readiness (Yawkey, 1981), linguistic/literacy abilities (Pellegrini, 1980), cognitive functioning and impulse control (Saltz, Dixon, & Johnson, 1977), representational competence (Pederson, Rook-Green, & Elder, 1981), and problem-solving skills (Smith & Dutton, 1979). Recent research has explored some cognitive components hypothesized to be strongly related to pretense, such as mental representation ability (i.e., theory of mind), problem solving and other cognitive strategies, social and linguistic competence, and academic skill development."

"Lillard suggests that younger children probably see pretend as an action not a mental representation. However, she recently has suggested that pretend play may function for children as a way to create a "Twin Earth" that allows them to participate in and reason about nonactual situations (Lillard, 2001). Most TOM studies have been conducted in laboratory settings, and some researchers have noted that younger children often show understanding of others' thinking and beliefs in their naturally occurring pretend play. Other researchers have used adapted experimental methods to clarify what aspects of TOM younger children may have."

It is also believed that naturally, children participate in pretend play in order to "practice" for real life.  We find this especially interesting! Now we know why we loved to play store, house, post office, pirates, circus, doctor, teacher, etc.  I don't know about you, but I would have went bananas over some of the play food and costumes from HABA, play cash register and vacuum from Wonderworld Toys, and the play kitchen and accessories from Janod.

Encourage and cultivate your child's cognitive, linguistic, problem solving, and academic skills from an early age - check out our complete collection of pretend play products!

As if the HABA play food isn't cute, interesting and just plain fun-looking enough, watch this adorable video of a child and her father. We betcha a million bucks it'll make you smile!

Summer Time & the Livin's FUN with HABA!

Starter Set with Water Seesaw - $44.99

Little ones are sure to have tons of fun in the sun, as they construct their very own mini Water Park in the back yard. Maukilo absolutely loves these sets from HABA, and you and your family will too!  Check them out over in our store and even better, enter to WIN the Water Park Starter Set at Tales From the Nursery!


Simply ingenious - The seesaw controls the flow of water. Introduces movement to water games. Ideal for experiments: first the water gathers in the water seesaw. Then, when it fills up, the seesaw topples downwards and the water drains out. Contents: 4 tracks, 2 big struts, 4 medium sized struts, 1 sand water trowel, 1 water seesaw.

Check out the video below, demonstrating how much fun this these sets can be!!

Go, Go, Domino!

Who doesn't enjoy watching a crazy pattern of dominoes fall??  Check out this video from a store in Finland! They literally line every single aisle of the store with objects, including pallets, cereal boxes, shelving, cases of drinks and many other products found throughout the store. How fun, but could you imagine the clean up process when it's all over!??



That was neat, right?? How about creating your own domino rally at home with these cool domino and ball track sets from HABA! It's super fun and the clean up is a cinch!

Put on a show with HABA Little Miss Fidget!

Check out this brand new video demo of HABA's Little Miss Fidget hand puppet toy! Bet you didn't know it has so many fun little ways to occupy your little one.

Like what you see? Purchase it!

NEW Spring Arrivals!

We just added a bunch of new stuff! Including items from HABA and Lilliputiens, as well as some really unique items by companies brand new to Maukilo.com! If your kids are into playing with their food, they'll LOVE the quirky Food Face plates from Fred. Our favorite addition is The Digasaurus Sand Station which might be one of the COOLEST things you've likely never heard of (until now)! It will bring the educational excitement of the pre-historic era right to your very own backyard. Made to look just like real rock and includes hand-molded "dinosaur bones" created by Master sculptor Timothy P. Schmalz that kids can excavate and learn about. We also adore the Spring Fever wooden Push Bike - this balance bike is sure to dazzle as your little one zooms around the neighborhood!

There are a lot more toys on the way, so keep checking back soon!

Visit Maukilo.com

HABA Biofino Fabric Food

HABA Biofino Fabric Play Food

We just love all the HABA play foods including the Biofino line that came out only a few years ago. Now they have fruits and vegetables, fish, chicken, sandwiches, hamburger, German sausage and pretzel, cold cuts, cheese, cookies, sweets, ice cream and so much more. These play food items are nothing like you've ever seen before and are sure to be a hit with your little chefs!

Click here so view all the HABA Biofino play foods.

The Stage is Set Game by HABA reviewed by Hayden

Check this out - another great game review by Hayden. This time it's 'The Stage is Set' by HABA. Take a look:

Dancing Eggs Game by HABA reviewed by Hayden

Check out this great game review by Hayden. We think he did a fantastic job explaining this fun game. Take a look:

If you want more info or place an order for your own copy of this game just visit Maukilo.com - Haba Dancing Eggs Game.

New HABA Toys in Stock

I just added a few NEW HABA toys and there are many more to come!
Check out the new clutching toys, pull toys and hammer games - which are a big thing in Germany. I remember playing with a hammer game in Kindergarten. It is so much fun hammering the little wooden tiles into place with the wood hammer and little nails. This is a great toy for practicing fine motor skills and you get a pretty picture in the end.

Cooking with Paula Deen Magazine December 2009 HABA Soft Vegetable Basket and HABA Wooden Eggs

Hey y'all - I almost could not believe my eyes when I saw some of our HABA toys in Paula Deen Magazine. No wonder, if little chefs are cooking with the best why not the big ones, too. The HABA Wooden Eggs come in a pack of six and are the size of real, small eggs. The HABA Soft Vegetables are conveniently packaged in a wooden crate for easy transportation. Included are 1 wooden crate, 1 leek, 2 carrots, 1 banana, 2 tomatoes.

Click here to shop for HABA Pretend Play Food

HABA Game Wiggling Cow Wins Multiple Awards by 'The Toy Man'

HABA Wiggling Cow Game - "A Masterful Creation of Stimulating Play"

Evaluated by:  Rev. James G.W. Fisher | The Toy Man® - Product Evaluation Specialist

Product Evaluation Summary Date:  10/26/2009

HABA Wiggling Cow has received the following awards from 'The Toy Man':
The Toy Man® Seal of Approval
The Toy Man® eco-Recognition Seal™
The Toy Man® Award of Excellence
The Toy Man® eChoice™ Award

Elsa the wiggling cow loves to eat fresh grass. In this game the question which comes into play is how much grass can you pull from under Elsa before she tips over? It looks a lot easier than you might think. It is definitely a curious game of skill and technique.

HABA has always been known for the very best in quality in the products they produce and the Wackelkuh - Wiggling Cow Board Game holds true to that same quality. This game is such a perfect example of how simplicity can be so deceptive as you will soon see.

Here you have a wiggling cow who goes by the name of Elsa. The game board has an image which is a simulation of a field or farm yard upon which you place the firm square shaped tiles which represent grass. Elsa is then placed on top of these grass tiles, (easier said than done.) You have to remember that Elsa is a "wiggling" cow. She must be carefully placed on the tiles or else her legs will wiggle and down she goes!

What comes next is each player has to take the wooden fork which comes with the game and try to see how much grass they can remove from beneath Elsa without her beginning to wiggle and topple over. The concept of this task is such a creative masterpiece of deception, creating an illusion of a simple task to perform which soon afterward evolves into a quite stimulating challenge which will keep a child thoroughly engaged.

Click here to read the complete 6 page review.

Click here to shop for the HABA Wiggling Cow Game.

HABA Nativity Sets - get them before they are sold out!

I know it seems a bit early to advertise nativity sets already, but last year we sold out of the HABA Nativity Sets early and with only about 200 left in stock we are not sure how long they will last.

If you decide to get either of the two HABA Nativity Set and the Advent Calendar together, you'll receive a  HABA Boot and Star Pendant Set for FREE + FREE shipping!

Just like all of our other toys - they don't last, they outlast.

HABA Nativity Sets & Pieces

About.com Loves our HABA Toys: Top 6 Wooden Baby Toys

Encouraging your baby to play and learn with wooden toys is one of the best things a parent can do. These wooden baby toys are hygenic, easy to clean and safe for your little ones. Wooden baby toys are durable and will stand up to rough play through several children. The manufacturers of these wooden toys are well known in the toy industry. These hand crafted wooden baby toys are of the best quality. Take a look at these must-have wooden baby toys.

By Dipika Mirpuri for About.com

1. HABA Stack the Trix Mix Pull Toy
This wooden baby toy consists of a stacking and pull-push toy rolled into one. Our mini toy testers liked this toy from Haba so much, they made a beeline towards it in their next play session too.

2. HABA Salto Clutching Toy
This colorful teething ring has movable center pieces which will entice your 6-month old or older to pull, push, or grab.

3. HABA Discovery Blocks
You can pick up a block and use it as a rattle, look at your reflection in the "mirror" on a block, play with a bell on the third and even look through a kaleidoscope through a fourth block.

4. HABA Goblin Truck
The Goblin wooden toy truck is a pull and push toy for your baby. Once the blocks are loaded correctly onto the trainer, the journey can begin. Colorful wooden that are educational and fun.

5.  Ballino Clutching Toy
Ballino by Haba is a grasping toy which makes clicking noises when squeezed by your baby. This is a great cause and effect wooden toy which will keep your baby entertained.

6. HABA Discover Ball
These colorful and very safe wooden balls are fun to roll around. It's fun to watch them roll around as the colors and patterns blend into each other, creating optical illusions.

About.com Loves our HABA Toys: Just Desserts

HABA is in a class of it's own! The wonderful toys from HABA are special in many ways. They are of really good quality, they are unique, they are safe and babies love them. I personally like all of the HABA toys I've played with and found that they last for a long time. If you have a sweet tooth, you're going to love what's featured here. Here's a look at the selection of pretend play food that is sure to be a hit with your kids - Just Desserts from HABA!
By Dipika Mirpuri for About.com

Click here to shop HABA Fabric Pretend Play Desserts