Winter Wishes - IKEA Soft Toys for Education

Thanks for joining us for our second annual "Winter Wishes" Gift Guide! We've put together some great gift ideas this year and have some awesome prizes to give away too! This event will run through the New Year, so make sure to check back often to see what's new! Our gift guide page has all of our gifts by category, which you can see by clicking the image above.

Once upon a time I used to live out in the wonderful city of Seattle which happened to be near an IKEA store. Having the opportunity to actually GO to an IKEA store is a remarkable experience. There is no other warehouse shop like it, where every section of the store is a display of elegant and fun rooms; especially the kids area where my eldest spent a lot of time fantasizing about his dream room. It is like walking into a magazine!

Now that I'm in the Midwest, I don't get the luxury of going to an actual store, but I still love shopping at IKEA online and this year there are so many wonderful things to purchase for your home, families, friends and of course - kids!

Since 2003, IKEA has had a global initiative for the IKEA Soft Toys for Education Campaign that engages customers and co-workers of IKEA stores around the world in helping to realize children's rights to quality education. Starting on the 4th of this month until late December, every soft toy sold in an IKEA store will have one Euro split between Save the Children and UNICEF for educational products in almost 40 countries. Since this campaign began it has generated $61.75 million in donations worldwide and has helped over eight million children through 70 different programs. In 2011 alone, customers and co-workers (in partnership with IKEA Foundation) donated $16.2 million dollars! 

The difference this makes in children's lives is astounding. You purchase a gift for your child and in doing so are providing the gift of education (which is priceless) to children around the world.

I was given the opportunity to review a few of IKEA's Soft Toys, specifically from the DUKTIG line.

Each set is recommended for 3+ and has been tested and approved for food contact. 

• The 5-Piece Utensil Set is made from stainless steel and reinforced polyamide. It comes with a spatula, whisk, ladle and tongs. 
• The 7-Piece Baking Set is made Molds are made of Aluminum, the Bowl/ Plate from Steel with a Tin plating. The Tray is made from Steel which a Non stick coating and the Wooden parts are solid Shima with Acrylic paint and clear acrylic lacquer. 
• The 4-Piece Cookware Set is made from Stainless Steel as well. 

The wonderful thing about the DUKTIG line is that it promotes role-play with children. This has been an essential part of my son's Individual Education Plan (IEP) since he has delays in certain areas. My little man can come into the kitchen while I am cooking and 'help' Mommy! Sometimes I put cereals into the baking bowl for him to stir or whisk and once we created cookies from clay, let them dry and painted them for ornaments for our Christmas Tree!

There are so many IKEA Soft Toys available, from soft foods, plush animals, wagons, puppets, cars, mobiles, baby gyms, dolls and even books! 

One thing I know personally is that IKEA really expands the imagination of children as well as adults. To visit their website or go to their shop personally is to open your mind to so many ideas for your home, rooms, playtime and learning. The IKEA Foundation has at it's heart a passion for offering children around the globe better quality lives, purchasing one of the multitudes of Soft Toys available allows you to be a part of that during the coming Holidays. It's a simple way of giving back from your heart. You are not only giving a gift to your child, you are giving a gift to another and that is what the Holidays are all about - compassion.

Connect: You can connect with IKEA on Facebook and/or @DesignByIKEA on Twitter!

Gift It! You can purchase the DUKTIG Baking & Cookware sets for $9.99 (Member Price is $4.99) and the Utensil Set for $3.99.