15 Things to Love at Modern Natural Baby
(Crystal A. Proxmire, Aug. 14, 2016)
Ferndale, MI – Modern Natural Baby is a locally-owned store for parents that specializes in products that are high quality, environmentally-friendly, and made from natural materials as often as possible. They are also extra cool because they are an advertiser on oc115, and because very little of what they carry is divided into pink or blue.
This weekend I decided to check out the store at 200 W. 9 Mile in Downtown Ferndale and share some fun finds with you.
Most of this stuff you can order online. Just click on the name for more info.
1 – Crazy Forts – Pretty self-explanatory why this is awesome. Bonus for being glow-in-the-dark.
2 – Skip Hop Zoojamas – There are lots of adorable clothes for babies and toddlers, this bright yellow bee set is just one of many good choices.
3 – Elemental Blocks – <3.
4 – Skip Hop Forget Me Not Lightning Backpack – There are a few neat designs, my favorite being lightning.
5 – Green Start Books – These sturdy books made of recycled materials have neat illustrations and stories with good messages about working together and protecting the environment.
6 – Folkmanis Sloth Puppet – So soft. So adorable. This couple was sure having fun playing with it!
7- Amber Monkey Necklaces – These are pretty, plus the couple that was looking at them seemed to be really excited about finding such a large selection of them that I couldn’t resist getting a picture.
8 – The Happy Bowl – John Murray, who owns Modern Natural Baby along with his wife Emily, tells me that the Happy Bowl was invented in Michigan and that their store was one of the first to carry it before the product gained national success. The Happy Bowl uses suction to stick to tables or highchairs so that babies can’t knock it over. Seems useful.
9 – Pockit Stroller – This is just impressive. It’s marketed as the world’s smallest folding stroller and it’s also incredibly simple to use. I asked another random stranger to pose with it and she was amazed by how light and small it was. The material seems light but sturdy and it’s got quality double-wheels. There’s one on display in the store if anyone wants to check it out.
10 – Begin Again Rubberwood Tic Tac Toe Travel Game – This is not available on their website but is in the store in an area dedicated to high quality wooden toys that can be passed down from one generation to the next.
11 – Chooze Lunchbox – These easy to clean cloth lunchboxes come in several fascinating patterns. My favorite, shown here with planets and stars, is called “navigate.”
12 – Life Factory Reusable Glass Baby Bottles – I liked that these seemed very sturdy.
13 – Twinkles to Go Octo – This is a simple little plastic globe that projects stars onto the walls and ceilings to help youngsters who can’t sleep.
14 – Frankie’s Food Truck Fiasco and other games – There is a series of kids’ games based on the food service industry and preparing food for customers. I’m just going to steal the website’s description for this one: “A shape-tastic recipe for fun! Business at Frankie’s famous food truck is brisk! Customers just can’t satisfy their craving for this cool cat’s unique, shape-inspired menu. Kids take turns using the fun Frankie Squeezer to fill orders while they practice identifying geometric shapes, a beginning math skill, and develop fine motor skills. It’s a simple recipe for fun, but watch out for greedy guests, slippery banana peels, and other hazards. The first to deliver a 5-course meal is the winner!” Exciting isn’t it?
15 – Cloth Diapers and accessories – Modern Natural Baby started with Emily and John selling cloth diapers at festivals. Seven years ago they opened “No Pins Required,” which has grown into the large, fun shop that it is. Check them out online at www.modernnaturalbaby.com and in person at 200 W 9 Mile Rd. Suite B Ferndale, MI 48220.