Drive Away with the Perfect Heirloom from Smiling Tree Toys

As my little ones have gotten older, I’ve quickly learned of the difference in quality of children’s toys. In all honesty, we’ve never really showered them with an insane amount of toys but, over the years through birthdays and holidays galore, we’ve certainly had our fair share of playthings. Having two boys, it has been great to see some items passed down from our oldest to our youngest but, let’s be real, not every toy is going to last that long, through that year, that month, or even that week. Surely, some toys are better than others in regard to quality and sustainability. And, for those of you wondering… no, an item’s quality does not necessarily reflect on its price tag. These days, instead of opting for the greatest “it-toy” of the moment, I do my best to find something long-lasting, something of meaning, something great. And in doing so, oddly enough, I’ve fallen back a few decades into the wooden toy phenomenon.

I’ve always been quite fond of the idea. To me, anything crafted by hand uniquely for you has great value both in its worth and its sentiment. Anyone can grab the same item off of a toy store shelf but, when an item is made with its intended recipient in mind, the thought behind the item is of great value in itself. In addition to being enjoyed by children upon receiving it, the majority of these items can be passed down for generations to come. My own little ones, for example, regularly enjoy adorable wooden toys that once belonged to their father. I would much rather they enjoy toys like this than buy a mass-produced plastic something that’ll break within a week. Not only does the quality draw me toward it but the sweet thought that lies within the crafting of each and every item certainly has me sold.

There are a great number of companies and individuals that provide wonderful, handcrafted items like such but one of my favorites is Smiling Tree Toys.

After living in West Africa while serving as Peace Corps volunteers, Justin and Kathleen found themselves back on US soil and surrounded by modern luxuries. As young parents wanting to follow their own passions while simultaneously working their own little one into the mix, the idea to create beautiful, handmade wooden toys was brought to life.

With an incredible product line ranging from rattles and teething toys to puzzles, building blocks, and more, there truly is something for everyone. With my own little ones being quite keen on anything and everything with wheels, the Smiling Tree Toys Fun on Wheels collection was beyond perfect for them.

Recently, I (or my little ones, rather) had the opportunity to try out a couple of their goodies and I could not be happier. Smiling Tree Toys sent each of my little ones a Jeep vehicle from their Off-Road Adventure Sets:

• 3-Piece Off-Road Adventure Set with Boulder
  
  
• 3-Piece Off-Road Adventure Set with Tunnel
  
  
• 4-Piece Off-Road Adventure Set with Boulder & Tunnel
  
  

Wanting to be able to feature, both, the full sets in addition to the individual vehicles with the personalization option, we opted to share with you the Jeep vehicles from the Smiling Tree Toys play sets. Each of my boys, already Jeep nuts as it is, received their own personalized Jeep vehicle.

Each of the vehicles is crafted beautifully with great care and precision.

“Every Smiling Tree Toys item is handcrafted from certified sustainably harvested hardwood, hand sanded silky smooth, and finished with our homegrown organic oil blend.”

Using only the finest, FTC-certified American grown hardwoods and coating each product with a unique, organic finish, Smiling Tree Toys is sure to provide you and your child with a perfect (and safe!) heirloom piece that can be enjoyed for generations to come.

With these, much like any of their toy vehicles, you and your little one can adventure off the beaten path and into a wondrous world of great imagination. Regularly available in the adventure sets listed above in addition to individual truck, car, helicopter, racer models and a 3-piece vehicle set, there is surely something to spark your child’s interest.

Now, my little guys have a plethora of toy cars, trucks, and things (an entire bucket full to be exact) but since many of them are simple, little matchbox cars I think that there are more broken than intact at this point. They usually go through a favorite car of the day phase; somebody wants the red one, someone picks the monster truck, someone opts for the one with the superhero logo, someone chooses the light-up one, and more often than not they always want the one that is in the hands of one another. With Smiling Tree Toys, however, that problem is no more. Welcome to the world of personalization!

As I briefly touched on before, in addition to each item being specially handcrafted for your child, each item can also be personalized. While some products, like the Keepsake Blocks, offer as much as full names, birthdates, special messages, and more, the Smiling Tree Toys Fun on Wheels products are perfect for personalizing with a child’s first name.

Since receiving our new goodies from Smiling Tree Toys, the little ones have quickly (and finally!) found their favorite toy vehicle. They take them just about everywhere we go from supermarket trips and simple car rides to playground adventures and even making the school show-and-tell rounds.

Whether you’re planning for these to simply be a sweet addition to your baby’s nursery or are expecting some rambunctious play, Smiling Tree Toys are ideal for the masses.

BUY:
You can purchase Smiling Tree Toys, including the entirety of the Fun on Wheels collection directly from their website at www.SmilingTreeToys.com. Prices for this particular collection start at $15.

CONNECT:
Be sure to keep up with Smiling Tree Toys via their social media outlets on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest pages to stay up to date on all of the latest news, biggest sales, new product releases, special promotions, giveaways, and more!

And, speaking of giveaways…

How would you like to ride away into the sunset with an amazing win and a brand new handcrafted wooden heirloom toy?

That’s right! Thanks to the generous folk over at Smiling Tree Toys, Eighty MPH Mom readers have the chance to do just that!

THE GIVEAWAY
One (1) winner will receive a personalized Smiling Tree Toys Fun on Wheels collection individual item of their choice from the following:

• Old-School Truck
• Love Bug Car
• Classic Racer

Giveaway open to US residents only. Ends 6/5/14. ARV of $20.

No purchase necessary. Open to residents of US only. Giveaway ends June 5th, 2014 at 9:00 p.m. (PST). ONE ENTRANT PER HOUSEHOLD/IP Address! I check all entries – cheating will not be tolerated. Winner will be notified via email and needs to reply within 48 hours, or a new winner will be chosen. Please make sure you check your spam folder – I will not be responsible if you did not receive winning email notification. Winners name(s) will be displayed on the post, and will also be posted on Winners List shortly after drawing has occurred. Winners will be chosen randomly by Rafflecopter. Screenshots of winners available by request. Prize will be shipped directly from sponsor or their PR Agency unless otherwise noted. Eighty MPH Mom is not responsible for prizes lost in transit, although every attempt will be made for prize delivery.

**By entering this giveaway, you confirm that you have read and agree to my giveaway rules. Sponsor reserves the right to limit one prize per person/household (of this item/prize pack). Please allow 6-8 weeks for delivery of prize {though it is usually much sooner}. This promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with, Facebook. We hereby release Facebook of any liability. Odds of winning: The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. All prizes will be awarded. Void where prohibited by law.

*Randi received the above product(s), free of charge, to facilitate this review. All opinions are those of the reviewer only.