My son got a special treat for his birthday in April: the Shuttle Imagination from KidsCraft Playhouses.  That’s him in the photo right after he first spotted his new “spaceship.”

Since then, we’ve had lots of fun decorating his spaceship with stickers and crayons, and it has held up for many hours of
“make believe” play. My son enjoys peeking out from the shuttle windows and opening and closing the doors.  Since he loves the Toy Story movie and books about space travel, we’ve had many happy hours playing astronauts or Buzz Lightyear.

We just love Rosie Hippo and mom, owner Kim.

An amazing survivor and dedicated mom, Kim left the corporate world to pursue a dream of offering beautiful toys that inspire imaginative exploration.

So, we are delighted to share a Shop Rosie Hippo for Organic, Earth Friendly Toys. Use Rosie Hippo Discount Code MAMA10 for 10% off until end of April 2010.

Nicole Caccavo Kear is a college friend, a fabulous actress, and a stunning writer–plus she lives in Brooklyn and has launched a witty, honest, and insightful blog about motherhood, A Mom Amok. So, she is a natural fit for checking out New York City events for kids and parents. She visited the Hasbro Showroom and found some new twists on classic toys and games…

One of my favorite stores is donating 25% of all Valentine’s Day purchases to Haiti. Click here to visit Rosie Hippo and to donate 25% of your purchase to Haiti use coupon code: HELPHAITI.

RosieHippo.com is the place to shop for hip, eco-friendly toys. Many of their toys are on-sale right now, so you can get a great deal and make a donation to Haiti at the same time.

As a mom and an educational consultant, I believe in the power of play. A few carefully chosen toys can boost creativity and problem solving–here are a few of our top picks this year. With the best educational toys, your children will not even realize how much they are learning!

If your little ones are crazy for cars, make their holiday dreams come true with this line of exclusive cars from RosieHippo.com.

RosieHippo.com is a top source for organic toys, wooden toys and handcrafted quality toys. All of the toys have been carefully selected by owner Kim Bloom. Kim is a mom, and the line of exclusive cars and trucks came from her son Ethan’s requests.

Going to the toy store is a magical experience and a real treat for kids. Local toy stores often have impressive displays of stuffed animals, dolls and trains. My son’s favorite spot is the train table at our local store.

While he plays happily with Thomas the Tank Engine and friends, I have the opportunity to discover some high-quality toys unavailable at the big box stores. And I can count on the friendly store owner to provide expert advice on the best gifts for the kids on my holiday list (and free gift wrapping on my purchases).

Another helpful source of shopping advice is the American Specialty Toy Retailing Association (ASTRA) 2009 Best Toys for Kids Award Winners. Over 500 of America’s top independent and neighborhood toy retailers selected the Best Toys for Kids based on their experience and understanding of what kids like.

Children are naturally creative. A few well-chosen toys are great “props” for their imagination. The Creative Pretend Play Winners from our Hottest Holiday Toys Awards all support role playing, creative exploration, and discovery…

I love the puzzles and games from Melissa and Doug. They are my go to brand for affordable wooden toys. Their safety record is great–in fact, they teach other toy makers how to manufacture safely! I regularly give these beautiful, quality, educational toys for birthdays and holidays.

This week only, save 30% on all regularly priced Melissa & Doug products at Little Jet Set. To receive discount, coupon code M&D30 must be entered during checkout. (Offer Expires: April 14, 2009 (11:59 p.m. Eastern Time)

You can also find Melissa & Doug on Sale at Amazon.com right now.