I can’t think of anyone who has a bigger heart than Adriana Shuman. When Adriana and Mark first moved to Santa Barbara they learned their new home had been a Design Showcase House for Calm. They immediately researched the organization and found out the mission: to prevent, assess, and treat victims of child abuse. They became donors but their involvement did not stop there.
When Adriana opened Summer For Kids it was very well received. Adriana worked very hard but felt like something was missing from her goal of having a successful safe children’s store.
She dug deep into her big heart and realized she wanted to give back to the community in an even bigger way.
Two years ago the Shuman’s decided to give all of their profits from their store to local non-profits.
This is such an innovative and selfless way to educate the public and to help the children in our community.
Adriana is certainly one of a kind. How lucky we are to have her and her family in Santa Barbara!!
- Meredith Scott, CALM
Made in Germany, Bruder Toys are produced from the highest quality plastic and are completely functional. It’s no wonder these toys are so popular in Europe! Bruder Toys goes out of their way to make sure that they use the safest materials in production of their toys. They even recycle and reuse scrap materials to enhance their sustainability and protect the planet.
Summer For Kids strives to bring you NEW and SAFE products every month!
10% OFF On Any Bruder Toys This Friday Only!
Thank you to all who donated toys to our 3rd Annual Toy Drive and for making
it a huge success!
By nightfall we had over eight huge boxes filled with donations! All of the
toys have been donated to American Family Services Foundation at their
United Family Thrift Shoppe! Thanks to you, many less fortunate kids will
have access to toys in this post-holiday season. We hope you all had a Happy
New Year and will join us again for our toy drive next year.
Peaceful Kingdom books are now at Summer For Kids! Printed with non-toxic vegetable and soy-based inks, these books are cute and safe. Peaceful Kingdom board books are the perfect size from your tiny reader, making it all the easier for them to imitate reading. Your child can begin interacting with colors, shapes, ABCs, and day to day activities with these petite books! Peaceful Kingdom also makes stimulating and educational stickers, a fun addition to your child’s next art project. Come by the Summer For Kids store today to check out all of our new products. We have new additions every month!
Summer For Kids is happy to announce that Squishables have landed on our shelves. What are Squishables? They’re huge, plush, round fuzzy animals! Perfect for hugging and cuddling, your child will love their Squishable. Fair warning: be prepared for silly, giggly fun when your child sees their first Squishable!
What sets Squishables, Inc. apart from the rest? Since their launch in 2007, they have donated a portion of their profits to over 27 charities and are currently raising funds for Feeding America. At Summer For Kids, we are always excited to partner with companies who share our passion for giving back!
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Child-sized craft tables give your children a special place to do projects, draw and do homework. Summer For Kids loves Little Colorado’s classic and stylishly designed wooden table sets. Little Colorado is a USA, family run company based in Colorado. They believe in manufacturing safe, wooden children’s furniture that is both high end and affordable. Each piece of children’s furniture starts off as raw wood in Little Colorado’s factory before it is handcrafted into the high quality and great looking finished product you see in our store.
These well-made, sturdy table sets are built to last and are perfect for children ages two to seven. The drawers allow you to store your child’s supplies from paper to markers, crayons and anything else your little artist desires to create his or her masterpieces. Little Colorado also uses a water-based semi-gloss finish on all of their products to allow for easy clean up.
Order online at www.summerforkids.com/ <http://www.summerforkids.com/> or come into Summer For Kids today to check out our Little Colorado arts and crafts table set as well as other fantastic Little Colorado products.
We at Summer For Kids always suggest, that as consumers we need to read the labels on bath and body products the same way we would a food label. Unfortunately, there are very few regulations on what companies can claim on their label, and therefore labels can be very misleading!
Companies are allowed to put “Natural” or “Organic” on their label when they actually have little, if any, organic or natural ingredients. In fact, even when they claim to be natural or organic the product can contain “chemicals linked to cancer, infertility, hormone imbalances, birth defects, neurological issues and other health problems,” because the FDA does not regulate products before they go on the market.
The bottom line is always be sure to read the labels before you buy a product. Look for percentages, and red flag ingredients that indicate a product is not natural such as parabens and phenoxethanol (completely unnatural, synthetic preservatives.)
For more red flag terms, check out Beth Greer’s Huffington Post article here http://www.huffingtonpost.com/beth-greer/natural-products-labels_b_1024143.html <http://www.huffingtonpost.com/beth-greer/natural-products-labels_b_1024143.html> . You can also read more about the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics at http://safecosmetics.live2.radicaldesigns.org/article.php?id=221 <http://safecosmetics.live2.radicaldesigns.org/article.php?id=221>
The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics has been campaigning for Johnson & Johnson to remove potential carcinogenic chemicals from their baby products. Quaternium-15, a chemical that releases formaldehyde, and dioxane, a chemical byproduct created in the process of making a product more soluble on the skin, are two of the chemicals the campaign is especially worried about.
For countries with stricter safety regulations, like the UK and Denmark, Johnson & Johnson has already removed these and other chemicals from their products. As our government safety regulations have not caught up with those around the world, Johnson & Johnson is free to and does include these harmful chemicals in their products sold in the U.S. Since Johnson & Johnson is the biggest baby body product manufacturer, this information does not sit well with the Summer For Kids team!
Even if a chemical is only a “potential” carcinogen, why risk it when there are completely safe and effective products on the market? Get a SAFE, natural, and organic brand like Nature’s Baby and cut down your family’s exposure to toxins. There are no perfumes, chemicals, preservatives, or ANY artificial ingredients in Nature’s Baby that can cause harm to you or your baby. Take a step closer to nature, and a step away from toxic chemicals to join the movement for safer world.
You can read more this campaign in a recent Huffington Post article: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/11/01/johnson-johnson-baby-sham_n_1069123.html?1320149768&ncid=webmail1
Saturday, October 1st was a fun-filled day at Summer For Kids as we kicked off our month long shoe drive and celebrated our third anniversary. Thank you for joining us that morning for Mani / Pedi Day and Slovakian treats! We had a blast and hope you did too!
Summer For Kids would like to thank all who came out and donated shoes for our Soles4Souls shoe drive. Thanks to YOU, families affected by poverty and natural disaster will have footwear to protect their soles. Although we may not think about it much, shoes allow us to walk and run around comfortably and safely, as they protect our feet from harsh weather, sharp objects, and harmful bacteria.
In the month of October, we collected over 550 pairs of shoes! Soles4Souls’ mission is to change the world with one pair of shoes at a time and the Santa Barbara community has generously brought them closer to that goal. Thank you everyone!
All of the collected shoes are organized and boxed, waiting to be shipped to Soles4Souls this week!
If you’ve been in our Summer For Kids store, then you’ve probably seen our stylish P’kolino chairs for your little one. These Little Reader chairs are lightweight and stable—meaning you or your child can move it anywhere in the house without a problem, but it is not going to topple over when they sit in it like other foam chairs due to its wide base. It’s made with soft, stain resistant faux suede that is easy to clean and even has pockets on the side to store your child’s favorite books!
Now P’kolino has launched their Reader Chair. Much like the Little Reader in design and structure, the Reader Chair is larger and will therefore be a comfortable addition to your older children’s rooms. Your child will be able to use this larger chair until they are approximately 8 years old. This chair is perfect for your child to spend their quiet time in, whether they’re reading, coloring or just watching TV. Made with premium quality fabric and high density foam, you never have to worry about quality when it comes to P’kolino.
Both the Little Reader and Reader Chair are recommended for children ages two and up.
Love P’kolino? Don’t forget to check out their other great products like their Sleeper Sofa or Book Buggee!
