tumbles.of.fun

I know it's a little early to be thinking about the holidays, but I like to plan--and order--my gifts ahead of time in order to avoid morphing into a frazzled, mall-crawling maniac during the "most wonderful time of the year." So from now through December I'll be blogging about great holiday gift ideas from CSN Stores that you can order from the comfort and relative calm of your own home.

I'm kicking things off with Bilibo's innovative Play Shell. This toy is perfect for the child who has everything because it can truly be anything thanks to its simple yet ingenius design.

Let's start with the basics: What is it made of? This has become a really important question now that modern parents must contend with scary toy recalls as well as concerns for the environment. The Bilibo shell is made of shock resistant high density polyethylene. Don't let the big word scare you: polyethylene is non-toxic and 100% recycleable. And it comes in Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, and Pink so there's a color for every child's preference.

Phew. Cross that concern off of the list.

Now, what will your child do with it? The answer to that is almost anything either indoors or out, but let me give you some suggestions. First, the Bilibo shell is a great bucket. Little kids will love filling it with sand, dirt, water, or snow. And just think of the sand castle and snow man building possibilities.

Which brings me to my next suggestion: stacking. The shells can be aligned or stacked in many ways, like three-dimensional puzzle pieces. I love the way two shells can be joined to form a friendly-looking sphere that's perfect for building giant snow balls, among other things.

Children can also rock, sit, stand, or spin on these durable shells. This kind of active play helps develop motor skills and balance (no matter what the weather is outside). Plus, thanks to the shell's open-ended design, the shell promotes creative play, too. It can easily become a cradle, turtle shell, drum, cooking pot, ship, or even a fort for smaller toys.

Give your child a Bilibo Shell this holiday season and you're sure to discover a hundred more ways to play with it!