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When designing a nursery today's parents demand more than ever, wanting to create stylish, innovative spaces in which their loved ones can grow and develop in a warm, welcoming and stimulating environment.
To help parents in producing such a space, Monkeyshine, the stylish kids retailer now has a great range of beautiful nursery artwork and contemporary lighting solutions that can heklp to add a chic accent to any child's bedroom.
Their nursery artwork is by renowned children's artist Ruth Fielding, who is well known for her inimitable colourful designs. The artwork is presented on stretched canvasses which carry the image all around the edge of the frame ensuring these pictures look amazing from any angle.
The new range of European designed nursery lighting is both hip and more importantly designed with a child's safety in mind. The superb range of both low and mains voltage feature unique designs which incorperate the lightbulb into the deign giving real eyecatching design that will wow your visitors.In the past choosing nursery furniture was easy, more than likely once you announced you were pregnant your friends, family and neighbours would fill your new nursery with hand me down furniture that had been doing the rounds for the past 20 years. If you were lucky enough to have a little money the choice was hardly breathtaking at your local Mothercare and anything other than a basic cot was pretty much unheard of.
With the rapid growth in personal wealth in the eighties consumers in every area became more demanding and this was also true of expectant mothers who wanted more choice, better quality, lower prices and above all a little designer chic to turn their nurseries into something special.
The explosion of interest in DIY and home renovations in the late eighties and early nineties fuelled the desire for designer nursery furniture with parents ever more willing to spend money to produce stunning nurseries for their impending arrivals. The dual desire to constantly reduce prices meant that the vast majority of furniture production became 'flat packed', self assembly furniture made from engineered timbers and modern fixings that produced incredibly strong nursery furniture that was relatively light and so cheaper to ship and easier to move.
With the retailers constantly demanding cheaper and cheaper baby furniture manufacturing moved over seas to the cheaper production areas of the emerging eastern European countries where wages were lower but production standards could be maintained. Then as a new millennium dawned the sleeping giant that was the Chinese economy awoke and factories sprang up across the nation attracting business from around the world. Inevitably the majority of nursery manufacturers followed the rush, moving their entire manufacturing base to China.
The move however wasn't entirely without problems. Moving the production base so far from the companies design and quality control meant they had limited control of what was being produced and as a consequence quality was sacrificed in the search of value. The furniture they produced had flaws that caused problems meeting European safety laws, which are the highest in the world for baby safety and the sheer distances between the factory and the consumer meant massive lead times with many ranges going out of stock for months at a time.
One company however chose not to make the move. Bebe-Jou was at the time a small independent furniture manufacturer that prided itself on high quality, design led furniture that created striking nurseries. By keeping their manufacturing close to home within Europe they were able to maintain standards and their market share grew rapidly becoming one of Europe's leading manufacturers of nursery products.
Their superb furniture is now available in the UK at Monkeyshine. With cutting edge design and brilliant attention to detail their cots, changing tables and wardrobes create beautiful nurseries that your baby will feel secure and comfortable in and your visitors will be wowed by!
So if you are looking to decorate a nursery why not take a few minutes to have a browse and see just how much nursery furniture has changed since those dark days of great aunt Pat's cast off cot!
With the rapid growth in personal wealth in the eighties consumers in every area became more demanding and this was also true of expectant mothers who wanted more choice, better quality, lower prices and above all a little designer chic to turn their nurseries into something special.
The explosion of interest in DIY and home renovations in the late eighties and early nineties fuelled the desire for designer nursery furniture with parents ever more willing to spend money to produce stunning nurseries for their impending arrivals. The dual desire to constantly reduce prices meant that the vast majority of furniture production became 'flat packed', self assembly furniture made from engineered timbers and modern fixings that produced incredibly strong nursery furniture that was relatively light and so cheaper to ship and easier to move.
With the retailers constantly demanding cheaper and cheaper baby furniture manufacturing moved over seas to the cheaper production areas of the emerging eastern European countries where wages were lower but production standards could be maintained. Then as a new millennium dawned the sleeping giant that was the Chinese economy awoke and factories sprang up across the nation attracting business from around the world. Inevitably the majority of nursery manufacturers followed the rush, moving their entire manufacturing base to China.
The move however wasn't entirely without problems. Moving the production base so far from the companies design and quality control meant they had limited control of what was being produced and as a consequence quality was sacrificed in the search of value. The furniture they produced had flaws that caused problems meeting European safety laws, which are the highest in the world for baby safety and the sheer distances between the factory and the consumer meant massive lead times with many ranges going out of stock for months at a time.
One company however chose not to make the move. Bebe-Jou was at the time a small independent furniture manufacturer that prided itself on high quality, design led furniture that created striking nurseries. By keeping their manufacturing close to home within Europe they were able to maintain standards and their market share grew rapidly becoming one of Europe's leading manufacturers of nursery products.
Their superb furniture is now available in the UK at Monkeyshine. With cutting edge design and brilliant attention to detail their cots, changing tables and wardrobes create beautiful nurseries that your baby will feel secure and comfortable in and your visitors will be wowed by!
So if you are looking to decorate a nursery why not take a few minutes to have a browse and see just how much nursery furniture has changed since those dark days of great aunt Pat's cast off cot!
Safety is important. Advances in Health and Safety legislation and knowledge means our working and personal lives have never been safer which can only be a good thing.
However the invasion of health and safety into our everyday lives is now seen by some as having gone too far and if left unchecked could have a detrimental effect upon our children.
Research carried out by various UK charities has shown a sharp decline in the level of 'outdoor play' enjoyed by the average 10 year old. With unsupervised outdoor play falling dramatically in the last decade.
The reasons for the reduction has been put down to a myriad of causes including
The rise in popularity and availability of 'video' games amongst young children.
The perceived level of danger faced by children on our streets
The reduction in the number of public outdoor recreational facilities, such as council run playgrounds and parks.
The results of such changes are having a direct impact on children's health and wellbeing according to researchers. They cite the dramatic rise in childhood obesity as one of the major results of the reduction of outdoor play and warn of the potential developmental issues children may face from being wrapped in cotton wool.
"Children need outdoor play and some level of danger in order to grow normally" claims child psychologist Emma Drayton. "Through normal outdoor activates such as climbing, playing with outdoor toys and playing sports children learn a great deal of both mental and motor skills that are essential for adult life"
So should we be more willing to allow children to take more risks in life, the resounding answer from the professionals is 'YES'.
However the invasion of health and safety into our everyday lives is now seen by some as having gone too far and if left unchecked could have a detrimental effect upon our children.
Research carried out by various UK charities has shown a sharp decline in the level of 'outdoor play' enjoyed by the average 10 year old. With unsupervised outdoor play falling dramatically in the last decade.
The reasons for the reduction has been put down to a myriad of causes including
The rise in popularity and availability of 'video' games amongst young children.
The perceived level of danger faced by children on our streets
The reduction in the number of public outdoor recreational facilities, such as council run playgrounds and parks.
The results of such changes are having a direct impact on children's health and wellbeing according to researchers. They cite the dramatic rise in childhood obesity as one of the major results of the reduction of outdoor play and warn of the potential developmental issues children may face from being wrapped in cotton wool.
"Children need outdoor play and some level of danger in order to grow normally" claims child psychologist Emma Drayton. "Through normal outdoor activates such as climbing, playing with outdoor toys and playing sports children learn a great deal of both mental and motor skills that are essential for adult life"
So should we be more willing to allow children to take more risks in life, the resounding answer from the professionals is 'YES'.
With the mass movement of companies manufacturing bases to China and Aisa it is becoming difficult to source European produced goods. This is true of nursery furniture with many big names producing their ranges in the East and shipping them to Europe for sale.
Thankfully Bebe-Jou one of Europes largest nursery furniture producers is still keeping everything much closer to home. Their design team are based in the Netherlands and the entire manufacturing process including the furniture, fixtures and fittings is still kept within the European Union. Not only does this ensure lower carbon emissions for transportation it also ensures they can have close control of quality.
This ensures items of Bebe-Jou nursery furniture are of the highest standards and we are pleased to announce we are now offering their eclectic range of furniture to our customers.
Thankfully Bebe-Jou one of Europes largest nursery furniture producers is still keeping everything much closer to home. Their design team are based in the Netherlands and the entire manufacturing process including the furniture, fixtures and fittings is still kept within the European Union. Not only does this ensure lower carbon emissions for transportation it also ensures they can have close control of quality.
This ensures items of Bebe-Jou nursery furniture are of the highest standards and we are pleased to announce we are now offering their eclectic range of furniture to our customers.
You'd have to live in a cave not to be aware of the environmental issues we are all facing. Global warming is now universally acknowledged as the biggest threat to mankind ever seen and will have devastating consequences for millions of people. It's therefore important we all do our bit to help reduce it's impact and governments are keen to encourage people to reduce their carbon footprint but how can traditional children's toys help in the fight? We all know that trees are important for the Earth's eco system using up CO2 and releasing oxygen into the atmosphere. This helps to reduce carbon in the environment and helps to offset everybody's 'carbon footprint'.This however is not the end of the story with two major flys in the environmental oint
ment.1. Young, rapidly growing trees are generally the most efficient at absorbing carbon dioxide and producing oxygen. Because older trees do not grow as rapidly they do not use as much CO2 or produce as much oxygen.
2. When trees die and decay, or are burned they use up oxygen and in the process release all the carbon they have been storing back into the atmosphere.
So how do we get the benefits of forest ecosystems without the penalties? Simple! Instead of allowing trees to grow old and decay we need to harvest them at a reasonable age and replace them with a new CO2 hungry sapling. Secondly we have to ensure the wood does not decay or burned so we therefore have to turn the wood into something useful such as furniture or better still traditional wooden toys!
So by buying a wooden toy not only are you helping to develop your child's motor, creative, linguistic and problem solving skills you are also doing your bit to save the planet!
This does come with some major caveats however.
1. It is important to ensure that the children's toy has been sourced from sustainable or replenishable forests. This is not always the case when buying Chinese made toys so it's important to check the packaging or ask for advice.
2. It'd no good throwing the toy away once your child has outgrown it as the toy is likely to end up decaying in a landfill and releasing it's carbon back into the environment. Most traditional toys have a lifespan that is much longer than it's plastic counterparts and toys such as a wooden pirate ship never go out of fashion so why not donate the toy to a local playgroup, nursery, doctors surgery or charity shop.
3. This is not a cure all for our environmental woes, it will offer short term benefits and should be seen as a very small piece of a much larger environmental jigsaw (a wooden jigsaw!)
So why not visit our traditional toy shop and invest in your child's future in more ways than one!
New guidelines published by the Department for Children, Schools and Families says nursery staff should resist a "natural instinct" to stop boys from playing with toy guns and other weapons.
The new guidelines claim that such role play under the right conditions can create the right environment to engage boys in educational activities and promote better engagement with learning.
The report says that many nursery owners and employees struggle to see value in such rough play when compared to the typical play activities of girls. The general view of such play is that it is destructive and non-productive however the new guidelines are keen to promote understanding of all types of play.
Boys regularly use "images and ideas gleaned from the media" as starting points in play, the advice says, which "may involve characters with special powers or weapons".
"Adults can find this type of play particularly challenging and have a natural instinct to stop it," the guidance continues.
"This is not necessary as long as practitioners help the boys to understand and respect the rights of other children and to take responsibility for the resources and environment."
Fostering these "forms of play" helps to "enhance every aspect of their learning and development", it adds.
However Union leaders have been quick to condemn this advice claiming that play with weapons are usually 'accompanied with aggression' and that such guidelines are simply 're-enforcing gender stereotypes'
Children's Minister Beverley Hughes said the advice took a "common-sense approach" to the fact that many young children favoured boisterous, physical activity.
Many boys liked pretending to be superheroes or playing at "Star Wars characters with their lightsabres", she said. "Although noisy for adults such imaginary games are good for their development as well as good fun."
But she added: "The guidance also impresses upon staff the need to teach children that they must respect one another and that harming another person in the real world is not acceptable."
The new guidelines claim that such role play under the right conditions can create the right environment to engage boys in educational activities and promote better engagement with learning.
The report says that many nursery owners and employees struggle to see value in such rough play when compared to the typical play activities of girls. The general view of such play is that it is destructive and non-productive however the new guidelines are keen to promote understanding of all types of play.
Boys regularly use "images and ideas gleaned from the media" as starting points in play, the advice says, which "may involve characters with special powers or weapons".
"Adults can find this type of play particularly challenging and have a natural instinct to stop it," the guidance continues.
"This is not necessary as long as practitioners help the boys to understand and respect the rights of other children and to take responsibility for the resources and environment."
Fostering these "forms of play" helps to "enhance every aspect of their learning and development", it adds.
However Union leaders have been quick to condemn this advice claiming that play with weapons are usually 'accompanied with aggression' and that such guidelines are simply 're-enforcing gender stereotypes'
Children's Minister Beverley Hughes said the advice took a "common-sense approach" to the fact that many young children favoured boisterous, physical activity.
Many boys liked pretending to be superheroes or playing at "Star Wars characters with their lightsabres", she said. "Although noisy for adults such imaginary games are good for their development as well as good fun."
But she added: "The guidance also impresses upon staff the need to teach children that they must respect one another and that harming another person in the real world is not acceptable."
I was recently contacted by an American gentleman who was making enquiries about British 'Folk Toys'. I'd honestly never heard this phrase before and was surprised to learn he meant traditional toys!
However I was fascinated by the term 'Folk Toys' and did a little research. This term dates back to the early part of the 20th century when children would fashion their own toys from wood due to the high cost and generally scarcity of retail toys. They would gather in gangs and make classic toys such as yo-yo's, marble shooters and Jacobs ladders many of which had complex mechanical parts. These hand made playthings slowly disappeared following WWII with the arrival of cheap mass produced toys, the rising standard of living and changes in children's attitudes towards 'home-made' items.
These is however a growing underground, particularly in the USA, of people with little cottage industries producing these wonderful toys by hand and keeping these wonderful toys on the market and not just in the museums.
Thankfully traditional children's folk toys have never really disappeared in the UK and are once again rising in popularity due to a general backlash against soulless plastic and electronic toys. It's good to know that this wonderful trend is being reflected across the Atlantic and with any luck we might see some of these American traditional toys in the UK soon!
However I was fascinated by the term 'Folk Toys' and did a little research. This term dates back to the early part of the 20th century when children would fashion their own toys from wood due to the high cost and generally scarcity of retail toys. They would gather in gangs and make classic toys such as yo-yo's, marble shooters and Jacobs ladders many of which had complex mechanical parts. These hand made playthings slowly disappeared following WWII with the arrival of cheap mass produced toys, the rising standard of living and changes in children's attitudes towards 'home-made' items.
These is however a growing underground, particularly in the USA, of people with little cottage industries producing these wonderful toys by hand and keeping these wonderful toys on the market and not just in the museums.
Thankfully traditional children's folk toys have never really disappeared in the UK and are once again rising in popularity due to a general backlash against soulless plastic and electronic toys. It's good to know that this wonderful trend is being reflected across the Atlantic and with any luck we might see some of these American traditional toys in the UK soon!
As the dust settles on another Christmas no doubt you are wondering where to store the fresh mountain of toys that Father Christmas struggled down the chimney with this year. Well here at Monkeyshine we have the answer with our great range of toy storage solutions from toy chest and toyboxes to shelving units and wheeled storage units.
Good storage allows you to quickly clear away toys at the end of the day whilst still leaving them at hand for when junior wants to play again. By dividing toys up it also allows you to easily spot toys that have fallen out of favour due to your kids growing up and then these toys can then take the trip to the charity shop for recycling!
So if you find your conservatory rapidly becoming a disaster zone have a browse in our storage section and clear that clutter.
Good storage allows you to quickly clear away toys at the end of the day whilst still leaving them at hand for when junior wants to play again. By dividing toys up it also allows you to easily spot toys that have fallen out of favour due to your kids growing up and then these toys can then take the trip to the charity shop for recycling!
So if you find your conservatory rapidly becoming a disaster zone have a browse in our storage section and clear that clutter.
The global media coverage of the problems US toy giant Mattel faced with their Chinese produced plastic toys appears to have been good news to retailers and manufacturers of Traditional Toys. 2007 was a disastrous year for the US company, famous for their Barbie, Hot Wheels and Fisher Price brands thanks to a series of product recalls for products incorrectly manufactured at some of their Chinese based factories. The three recalls affected a considerable amount of Mattel's toy products with problems ranging from high lead content of the paint used to poor design standards.
This disastrous year for Mattel however has seen customers moving to more traditional toys such as classic wooden toys, soft toys and old fashioned games.
Speaking from the companies East Yorkshire base Managing Director of Monkeyshine, Gary Clay, confirmed the company had seen a swing toward buying traditional toys; 'Customers have certainly been keen to buy wooden toys this Christmas and more and more of our customers are asking us the country of origin of many of our toys, clearly concerned by the recent scares suffered by Mattel. This has been good and bad for the company in that we have seen larger sales this year but unfortunately this has been duplicated across the world meaning many of our traditional toys sold out exceptionaly early'.
In the wake of the Mattel incidents Chinese officials have been quick to tighten up manufacturing legislation and control with health minister Chen Zhu insisting Beijing was "highly sensitive" to concerns over product safety.
This disastrous year for Mattel however has seen customers moving to more traditional toys such as classic wooden toys, soft toys and old fashioned games.
Speaking from the companies East Yorkshire base Managing Director of Monkeyshine, Gary Clay, confirmed the company had seen a swing toward buying traditional toys; 'Customers have certainly been keen to buy wooden toys this Christmas and more and more of our customers are asking us the country of origin of many of our toys, clearly concerned by the recent scares suffered by Mattel. This has been good and bad for the company in that we have seen larger sales this year but unfortunately this has been duplicated across the world meaning many of our traditional toys sold out exceptionaly early'.
In the wake of the Mattel incidents Chinese officials have been quick to tighten up manufacturing legislation and control with health minister Chen Zhu insisting Beijing was "highly sensitive" to concerns over product safety.
We have been telling people that our traditional toys are better for kids than electronic gadgets and video games for years and finally we have scientific proof that we are right! A team of psychologists from a US university have published a paper explaining the developmental advantages that traditional toys have when it comes to promoting a child's healthy growth.
The key areas identified included development of speech, motor skills, self confidence and social skills. In all these areas the traditional toy proved more valuable than an electronic alternative.
The researchers identified that electronic toys and games 'would usually only have one or possibly two definite goals from which the child was unable to deviate, whereas the traditional toy imposed no such fixed structure allowing the child to use their own imagination to use the toy in whatever capacity they wished.
The only area in which the electronic toys triumphed was 'eye-hand coordination'! Obviously they didn't have any of our cup and ball games to hand!
The key areas identified included development of speech, motor skills, self confidence and social skills. In all these areas the traditional toy proved more valuable than an electronic alternative.
The researchers identified that electronic toys and games 'would usually only have one or possibly two definite goals from which the child was unable to deviate, whereas the traditional toy imposed no such fixed structure allowing the child to use their own imagination to use the toy in whatever capacity they wished.
The only area in which the electronic toys triumphed was 'eye-hand coordination'! Obviously they didn't have any of our cup and ball games to hand!
Here at MonkeyShine we do everything possible to ensure our products do not harm the environment or the workforce that prodece them. To qualify and verify this commitment we are proud partners of Ethical Junction.
From our wooden toys to our baby accessories we do everything we can to ensure compliance.
The Ethical Junction Network provides information on positively screened companies and organisations and links you through to ethical and sustainable products and services provided by our members.
Ethical Junction Network came in to existence in 1999. The website was intended to serve as portal for all things ethical – from consumers looking for organic compost to ethical businesses looking for finance, Ethical Junction was set up to provide a universal ethical resource to the public. Its constitution as a not-for-profit Community Interest Company, ensures 100% of any profit that is generated by Ethical Junction will be donated annually to causes that promote sustainable living. For the first few years at least, all surpluses will be donated to Action for Sustainable Living which is written into the Community Interest ‘Asset Lock’ as beneficiary of any assets.Income comes exclusively from our members, who are annually screened against our ethically positive criteria. This revenue is in the form of annual membership fees, job adverts and sponsorship of sections of the site. The Co-operative Financial Services (Co-operative Bank, Smile, CIS) have joined forces with Ethical Junction and this will lead to many new opportunities.Ethical Junction is currently undergoing a comprehensive makeover to improve the service to its members and users. This new web site includes EthicalSearch® our screened ethical search engine, enhanced listings, a powerful affiliate hub, a jobs section, a News Room collecting stories from the whole sector and many other new and useful features. Ethical Junction has been around for 7 years now, slowly but surely building a solid and dependable brand - it receives around 35,000 visitors per month and has a Google rating of 7/10. It has helped hundreds of ethical businesses gain a higher profile since it began. Moving from a Membership Organisation to a Member Led OrganisationOur next phase is to bring members and experts together from all the main areas covered by our network, to collaborate, share experience and work towards not just growing the ‘ethical (and sustainable) economy’ but ensuring that the values and roots remain strongly informing the process of change.We want the direction of Ethical Junction to be led by our members. We have already called on many skills provided by members to develop the network and site so far and only want this active participation to grow.Moving from UK wide to Regional, City, and Local levelsIt is our intention over the next 6 months, to work with our members to set up ‘local directories’ so we might see as one of the first… www.manchester.ethical-junction.org and then potentially www.chorlton.ethical-junction.org . These web sites will ensure that products and services are purchased ideally from the most local ethical suppliers – helping to reduce delivery mileage as well as promoting local sustainability. Whenever someone searches in say Chorlton for an item and it is not available within a reasonable distance, this information will be recorded and start to generate statistics on demand which might help to encourage a local supplier to set-up. One of our new developments is a sophisticated Affiliate Hub, which will allow the local directories to easily set-up and maintain a large number of affiliate schemes and even feed into community ‘bulk-buying clubs’.The networks connected to the networksMany of ethical Junction network members are long established ethical businesses and organisations with their own networks of thousands of customers and friends. The combined networks must reach the vast majority of people involved in the ethical and sustainability field in the UK. The founders and staff of these organisations are very committed, with, in many cases a large professional and personal sphere of influence. Highly Positive FeedbackRecently an email to members gained a positive response to a call ‘for collaboration on a number of projects and developments’ – we got around 100 members responding within 48 hours. We have gauged a very high interest from members to get involved in ethical and sustainability projects.
It seems lots of us still want to change the world!
From our wooden toys to our baby accessories we do everything we can to ensure compliance.
The Ethical Junction Network provides information on positively screened companies and organisations and links you through to ethical and sustainable products and services provided by our members.
Ethical Junction Network came in to existence in 1999. The website was intended to serve as portal for all things ethical – from consumers looking for organic compost to ethical businesses looking for finance, Ethical Junction was set up to provide a universal ethical resource to the public. Its constitution as a not-for-profit Community Interest Company, ensures 100% of any profit that is generated by Ethical Junction will be donated annually to causes that promote sustainable living. For the first few years at least, all surpluses will be donated to Action for Sustainable Living which is written into the Community Interest ‘Asset Lock’ as beneficiary of any assets.Income comes exclusively from our members, who are annually screened against our ethically positive criteria. This revenue is in the form of annual membership fees, job adverts and sponsorship of sections of the site. The Co-operative Financial Services (Co-operative Bank, Smile, CIS) have joined forces with Ethical Junction and this will lead to many new opportunities.Ethical Junction is currently undergoing a comprehensive makeover to improve the service to its members and users. This new web site includes EthicalSearch® our screened ethical search engine, enhanced listings, a powerful affiliate hub, a jobs section, a News Room collecting stories from the whole sector and many other new and useful features. Ethical Junction has been around for 7 years now, slowly but surely building a solid and dependable brand - it receives around 35,000 visitors per month and has a Google rating of 7/10. It has helped hundreds of ethical businesses gain a higher profile since it began. Moving from a Membership Organisation to a Member Led OrganisationOur next phase is to bring members and experts together from all the main areas covered by our network, to collaborate, share experience and work towards not just growing the ‘ethical (and sustainable) economy’ but ensuring that the values and roots remain strongly informing the process of change.We want the direction of Ethical Junction to be led by our members. We have already called on many skills provided by members to develop the network and site so far and only want this active participation to grow.Moving from UK wide to Regional, City, and Local levelsIt is our intention over the next 6 months, to work with our members to set up ‘local directories’ so we might see as one of the first… www.manchester.ethical-junction.org and then potentially www.chorlton.ethical-junction.org . These web sites will ensure that products and services are purchased ideally from the most local ethical suppliers – helping to reduce delivery mileage as well as promoting local sustainability. Whenever someone searches in say Chorlton for an item and it is not available within a reasonable distance, this information will be recorded and start to generate statistics on demand which might help to encourage a local supplier to set-up. One of our new developments is a sophisticated Affiliate Hub, which will allow the local directories to easily set-up and maintain a large number of affiliate schemes and even feed into community ‘bulk-buying clubs’.The networks connected to the networksMany of ethical Junction network members are long established ethical businesses and organisations with their own networks of thousands of customers and friends. The combined networks must reach the vast majority of people involved in the ethical and sustainability field in the UK. The founders and staff of these organisations are very committed, with, in many cases a large professional and personal sphere of influence. Highly Positive FeedbackRecently an email to members gained a positive response to a call ‘for collaboration on a number of projects and developments’ – we got around 100 members responding within 48 hours. We have gauged a very high interest from members to get involved in ethical and sustainability projects.
It seems lots of us still want to change the world!
As we take down the tree and trimmings it's time to look forward to 2007.
We have a number of exciting new products that we are very excited to be involved with.
One of our most exciting new ranges will be an array of quality wooden playframes direct from the USA. These cedar climbing frames feature climbing frames, forts, club houses and swings all combined into a beautiful structure. These wooden climbing frames and swings feature high quality construction, robust components and come with a reassuring 12 year warranty.
We will be lauching this range in the Spring and will also be offering a full delivery & installation service to take the stress out of erecting your chosen frame.
More details will be posted as soon as we have a precise launch date.
We have a number of exciting new products that we are very excited to be involved with.
One of our most exciting new ranges will be an array of quality wooden playframes direct from the USA. These cedar climbing frames feature climbing frames, forts, club houses and swings all combined into a beautiful structure. These wooden climbing frames and swings feature high quality construction, robust components and come with a reassuring 12 year warranty.
We will be lauching this range in the Spring and will also be offering a full delivery & installation service to take the stress out of erecting your chosen frame.
More details will be posted as soon as we have a precise launch date.
Pedal cars have been around nearly as long as the automobile.
Early pedal cars, like the one made by the Kirk—Latty Manufacturing Company, reflected the design of their larger gasoline driven counterparts: they often didn't come with lights and, before the self starter engine became standard, they had cranks on the front. This Kirk-Latty's lights seem to have been added to the car at a later date (and they look like they are a product of the 1930s). There is no crank, it seems likely the car was manufactured before in the late 1910s or early 1920s.
Almost as soon as the first automobile took to the roads, American children played with car toys, read car books, and even learned how combustion engines worked. Making cars a part of kids’ lives—even kids whose families didn’t own cars—helped make automobile ownership appealing to future generations of car buyers. Because much of this material targeted boys, it helped shape a society in which women were far less likely to own and drive a car.
We now have a great selection of metal pedal cars at our online shop in all shapes and sizes including some that aren't even cars (pedal tractors, pedal planes and more)
Early pedal cars, like the one made by the Kirk—Latty Manufacturing Company, reflected the design of their larger gasoline driven counterparts: they often didn't come with lights and, before the self starter engine became standard, they had cranks on the front. This Kirk-Latty's lights seem to have been added to the car at a later date (and they look like they are a product of the 1930s). There is no crank, it seems likely the car was manufactured before in the late 1910s or early 1920s.
Almost as soon as the first automobile took to the roads, American children played with car toys, read car books, and even learned how combustion engines worked. Making cars a part of kids’ lives—even kids whose families didn’t own cars—helped make automobile ownership appealing to future generations of car buyers. Because much of this material targeted boys, it helped shape a society in which women were far less likely to own and drive a car.
We now have a great selection of metal pedal cars at our online shop in all shapes and sizes including some that aren't even cars (pedal tractors, pedal planes and more)
As the poodle haired band 'Europe' so rightly sang in '86 'It's the final countdown'.
Monday marks the last day for orders that are guaranteed to be delivered in time for Christmas. This means delivered by Friday 22nd December so don't hang around place your orders now.
Inevitably we are running low on many lines and are out of stock on one or two others. Due to some good forward planning we are currently out of stock on just one Radio Flyer line - The Retro Rocket.
So don't hang about, place your order! www.monkeyshine.co.uk
Monday marks the last day for orders that are guaranteed to be delivered in time for Christmas. This means delivered by Friday 22nd December so don't hang around place your orders now.
Inevitably we are running low on many lines and are out of stock on one or two others. Due to some good forward planning we are currently out of stock on just one Radio Flyer line - The Retro Rocket.
So don't hang about, place your order! www.monkeyshine.co.uk
Born in a small town outside of Venice, 16 year old Antonio Pasin (pictured above) dreamed of a new beginning in America. His family sold their mule to help pay for his voyage, and before long, Pasin made his way to Chicago where he looked for work as a cabinet-maker. Though he was a skilled craftsman like his father and grandfather before him, Pasin had little success finding work, and eventually became a water boy for a sewer digging crew.
He made his way through several jobs, and by 1917 had saved enough money to purchase some used wood working equipment and rented a one-room workshop. In this workshop, Pasin began fashioning wagons by night and selling them during the day.
By 1923, Pasin's business grew to include several employees. They became known as the Liberty Coaster Company, named after the Statue of Liberty, and soon created their first wagon Ð the Liberty Coaster. The No. 4 Liberty Coaster was handcrafted in wood and sold directly to stores by Pasin himself. Pictured here is the historic No. 4 Liberty Coaster — the first in the long line of historic wagons to come.
The roaring twenties was a decade that began with a sense of optimism and a carefree spirit, and ended with the fall of the stock market and the beginning of the Great Depression. But while many had to figure out ways to make-do in a troubled America, Antonio Pasin was on the way to revolutionizing his vision.
Despite the rising pressures of the times, Pasin and the Liberty Coaster Company pushed forward, with the automotive industry as inspiration. Pasin began using metal-stamping technology to produce steel wagons — and with his consistent eye for innovation, applied mass-production techniques to wagon-making, creating the first wagon, "For every boy. For every girl." These innovations earned Pasin the nickname, "Little Ford."
The Liberty Coaster Line was established before the Radio Flyer Line, which produced high quality, affordable wagons.
As times of the 20's grew tough, America, and American's learned how to make do, or simply do without. But even in tough times they dreamed of a better life for their children, and continued to demand the basic value that Radio Flyer delivered.
This was a decade of unparalleled uncertainty for the entire world. For America, the thirties lasted from the Great Depression's Black Tuesday to the bombing of Pearl Harbor in 1941. In 1930, the company is renamed Radio Steel & Manufacturing from Liberty Coaster Manufacturing, Co. and is already the world's largest producer of toy coaster wagons. With new designs for its now classic wagons, Radio Flyer now featured them to the public with a series of brochures and trade shows.
Antonio Pasin's wagons captured the spirit of the times. He named his first steel wagon the Radio Flyer, after his fascination with the invention of the radio by fellow Italian, Guglielmo Marconi; and Flyer, which reflected his wonderment of flight.
Here is a glimpse into the past with one of the very first brochures and advertisements featuring the now classic red wagon, and the "Streak-O-Lite", the company's first specialty wagon modeled after the popular Zephyr Train.
The spectacular World's Fair exhibit made Radio Flyer world famous. But it wasn't the only new idea to come out of the company during the Depression. In the mid-30's the company introduced the Streak-O-Lite, a coaster wagon that featured sleek styling inspired by the Zephyr streamline trains, complete with control dials and working headlights. Pictured at right is an early concept illustration for the Streak-O-Lite Wagon.
In the 1940's, America was at war --- and like many other American manufacturers, Radio Flyer was asked to alter its manufacturing rate. From 1942 to 1945 all wagon production ceased. Radio Flyer focused all of its manufacturing efforts to making five-gallon steel "Blitz Cans" for the war. On July 14, 1945 an Army-Navy "E" award was given to Radio Flyer for high achievement in producing materials needed for the war.
By the fifties, Radio Flyer had secured its name in households across America, rubbing elbows with auto giants such as Ford, Chrysler, and GM. World War II and the Great Depression were now over, affordable homes began to sprout up everywhere, and the baby boom was in full swing — a shift had begun for the country, and for Radio Flyer.
The Sixties were times of cultural and political revolution — it was the decade that witnessed the Civil Rights movement, listened to groundbreaking music, made strides towards the moon, and entered into the Vietnam War. In this time of rapid change, Radio Flyer forged ahead with innovative products and revolutionary designs, while maintaining their core values.
In the seventies, American culture flourished. Many of the "radical" ideas of the sixties had gained wider acceptance, and the decade took on a fast-paced style all its own. To keep up with the fast-paced changes of the time, Radio Flyer made various experimental product changes — from design concepts, to the look and feel of promotional materials, Radio Flyer took on the seventies with full force.
The Eighties, also known as the Reagan Era, witnessed the fall of the Berlin Wall and the birth of malls everywhere. It was a time of new technology — from video games to the VCR,
and from personal computers to synthesizers in every band, the Eighties were times of rapid change and big hair. But as in past decades, Radio Flyer forged ahead with new products and innovative designs to keep pace with the ever-changing needs of their consumer.
The 1990’s were truly a decade of technological boon. The internet boomed as dot com companies gained unheard-of ground. The world wide web shot to popularity as the preferred method of communication and learning. Personal computer ownership grew by more than 200% in a few short years, and cell phone sales exploded worldwide.
It’s a new world, and today’s families want safety, comfort and convenience – without fun ever taking a back seat! Today Radio Flyer continues to create new and exciting products that reflect the needs of today’s on-the-go family… Fueled by our imagination and the creative spirit that has propelled us from the very beginning, nearly 90 years of innovation and we’ve only just begun!
He made his way through several jobs, and by 1917 had saved enough money to purchase some used wood working equipment and rented a one-room workshop. In this workshop, Pasin began fashioning wagons by night and selling them during the day.
By 1923, Pasin's business grew to include several employees. They became known as the Liberty Coaster Company, named after the Statue of Liberty, and soon created their first wagon Ð the Liberty Coaster. The No. 4 Liberty Coaster was handcrafted in wood and sold directly to stores by Pasin himself. Pictured here is the historic No. 4 Liberty Coaster — the first in the long line of historic wagons to come.The roaring twenties was a decade that began with a sense of optimism and a carefree spirit, and ended with the fall of the stock market and the beginning of the Great Depression. But while many had to figure out ways to make-do in a troubled America, Antonio Pasin was on the way to revolutionizing his vision.
Despite the rising pressures of the times, Pasin and the Liberty Coaster Company pushed forward, with the automotive industry as inspiration. Pasin began using metal-stamping technology to produce steel wagons — and with his consistent eye for innovation, applied mass-production techniques to wagon-making, creating the first wagon, "For every boy. For every girl." These innovations earned Pasin the nickname, "Little Ford."
The Liberty Coaster Line was established before the Radio Flyer Line, which produced high quality, affordable wagons.
As times of the 20's grew tough, America, and American's learned how to make do, or simply do without. But even in tough times they dreamed of a better life for their children, and continued to demand the basic value that Radio Flyer delivered.
This was a decade of unparalleled uncertainty for the entire world. For America, the thirties lasted from the Great Depression's Black Tuesday to the bombing of Pearl Harbor in 1941. In 1930, the company is renamed Radio Steel & Manufacturing from Liberty Coaster Manufacturing, Co. and is already the world's largest producer of toy coaster wagons. With new designs for its now classic wagons, Radio Flyer now featured them to the public with a series of brochures and trade shows.
Antonio Pasin's wagons captured the spirit of the times. He named his first steel wagon the Radio Flyer, after his fascination with the invention of the radio by fellow Italian, Guglielmo Marconi; and Flyer, which reflected his wonderment of flight.
Here is a glimpse into the past with one of the very first brochures and advertisements featuring the now classic red wagon, and the "Streak-O-Lite", the company's first specialty wagon modeled after the popular Zephyr Train.The spectacular World's Fair exhibit made Radio Flyer world famous. But it wasn't the only new idea to come out of the company during the Depression. In the mid-30's the company introduced the Streak-O-Lite, a coaster wagon that featured sleek styling inspired by the Zephyr streamline trains, complete with control dials and working headlights. Pictured at right is an early concept illustration for the Streak-O-Lite Wagon.
In the 1940's, America was at war --- and like many other American manufacturers, Radio Flyer was asked to alter its manufacturing rate. From 1942 to 1945 all wagon production ceased. Radio Flyer focused all of its manufacturing efforts to making five-gallon steel "Blitz Cans" for the war. On July 14, 1945 an Army-Navy "E" award was given to Radio Flyer for high achievement in producing materials needed for the war.
By the fifties, Radio Flyer had secured its name in households across America, rubbing elbows with auto giants such as Ford, Chrysler, and GM. World War II and the Great Depression were now over, affordable homes began to sprout up everywhere, and the baby boom was in full swing — a shift had begun for the country, and for Radio Flyer.
The Sixties were times of cultural and political revolution — it was the decade that witnessed the Civil Rights movement, listened to groundbreaking music, made strides towards the moon, and entered into the Vietnam War. In this time of rapid change, Radio Flyer forged ahead with innovative products and revolutionary designs, while maintaining their core values.
In the seventies, American culture flourished. Many of the "radical" ideas of the sixties had gained wider acceptance, and the decade took on a fast-paced style all its own. To keep up with the fast-paced changes of the time, Radio Flyer made various experimental product changes — from design concepts, to the look and feel of promotional materials, Radio Flyer took on the seventies with full force.
The Eighties, also known as the Reagan Era, witnessed the fall of the Berlin Wall and the birth of malls everywhere. It was a time of new technology — from video games to the VCR,
and from personal computers to synthesizers in every band, the Eighties were times of rapid change and big hair. But as in past decades, Radio Flyer forged ahead with new products and innovative designs to keep pace with the ever-changing needs of their consumer.
The 1990’s were truly a decade of technological boon. The internet boomed as dot com companies gained unheard-of ground. The world wide web shot to popularity as the preferred method of communication and learning. Personal computer ownership grew by more than 200% in a few short years, and cell phone sales exploded worldwide.
It’s a new world, and today’s families want safety, comfort and convenience – without fun ever taking a back seat! Today Radio Flyer continues to create new and exciting products that reflect the needs of today’s on-the-go family… Fueled by our imagination and the creative spirit that has propelled us from the very beginning, nearly 90 years of innovation and we’ve only just begun!
The countdown has begun, we are now in the final furlong to Christmas. It's been a great year for MonkeyShine durring which we have gone from strength to strength. We have to admit time has really flown by this year and we have to keep pinching ourselves (and each other!) to try and accept that another 12 months has passed. I know it's a sign of old age when the years seem to pass quicker and quicker but we are still young at heart.
We hope we have made some new friends along the way and that we will be welcoming them back to our store very soon.
We have some big plans for next year with some exciting products direct from the States that will be sure to excite kids (both big ones and little ones), but we'll reveal more about that in the New Year.
In the meantime we are working hard to ensure everyone has a Happy Christmas.
We hope we have made some new friends along the way and that we will be welcoming them back to our store very soon.
We have some big plans for next year with some exciting products direct from the States that will be sure to excite kids (both big ones and little ones), but we'll reveal more about that in the New Year.
In the meantime we are working hard to ensure everyone has a Happy Christmas.
Over recent weeks we have had numerous questions about the company name. So just what is a Monkeyshine??
A monkeyshine is a mischievous or playful trick; a prank, tomfoolery. Often used in the plural ie. I laughed at my daughter's monkeyshines.
The first use of the term dates back to the 1820s and was used in a text to describe the activities of young sailors when ashore.
In later years monkeyshine became little used and this term fell out of favour with the greater use of the American phrase 'monkey-business'
When choosing a company name we wanted to sum up what we were all about, which at the end of the day is children having fun and playing. We also wanted a name which would be memorable with our customers so that they could find us easily online.
A monkeyshine is a mischievous or playful trick; a prank, tomfoolery. Often used in the plural ie. I laughed at my daughter's monkeyshines.
The first use of the term dates back to the 1820s and was used in a text to describe the activities of young sailors when ashore.
In later years monkeyshine became little used and this term fell out of favour with the greater use of the American phrase 'monkey-business'
When choosing a company name we wanted to sum up what we were all about, which at the end of the day is children having fun and playing. We also wanted a name which would be memorable with our customers so that they could find us easily online.
Hi everbody,
We are pleased to announce that we will be dispatching stocking filler packs to all customers who have bought from Monkeyshine this year! They contain a variety of items such as skittles, skipping ropes, villages in bags, pop ups and much more.
If you have bought from us in 2006 keep an eye on your post box for a special complimentary delivery!
We want to thank you all for the support you have shown us and we look forward to welcoming you all back very soon!
We are pleased to announce that we will be dispatching stocking filler packs to all customers who have bought from Monkeyshine this year! They contain a variety of items such as skittles, skipping ropes, villages in bags, pop ups and much more.
If you have bought from us in 2006 keep an eye on your post box for a special complimentary delivery!
We want to thank you all for the support you have shown us and we look forward to welcoming you all back very soon!
At this time of year Monkeyshine is, as you would expect, working at 110% disatching items to all over the UK and further afield.
The man who holds the whole thing together is Nick, our dispatch manager.
At this time of year Nick is understandibly stressed. VERY STRESSED! So to help relieve the tension this year we have bought him a stress ball. We'll let you know if it works!!
We are always striving to meet our 3 day delivery schedule and this ensures Nick's blood pressure goes through the roof in the weeks preceding Christmas.
So next time DHL knock on your door with your latest Monkeyshine order, spare a thought for our little wharehouse stress monkey!
The man who holds the whole thing together is Nick, our dispatch manager.
At this time of year Nick is understandibly stressed. VERY STRESSED! So to help relieve the tension this year we have bought him a stress ball. We'll let you know if it works!!
We are always striving to meet our 3 day delivery schedule and this ensures Nick's blood pressure goes through the roof in the weeks preceding Christmas.
So next time DHL knock on your door with your latest Monkeyshine order, spare a thought for our little wharehouse stress monkey!
Hello World,
This is the blogspot for www.monkeyshine.co.uk an online retailer providing stylish shopping for kids.
We sell quality toys including traditional wooden toys, cool clothes for kids and playroom and kids bedroom furniture.
Through this blog we hope to keep in touch with our current and prospective customers and allow us to pass on details of new products and news from MonkeyShine HQ!
This is the blogspot for www.monkeyshine.co.uk an online retailer providing stylish shopping for kids.
We sell quality toys including traditional wooden toys, cool clothes for kids and playroom and kids bedroom furniture.
Through this blog we hope to keep in touch with our current and prospective customers and allow us to pass on details of new products and news from MonkeyShine HQ!