Käthe Kruse "Rainbow Baby"

I first saw this adorable teething toy on Facebook.com. It was being advertised by one of the baby discount pages through European toy retailer Oompa.com. The Rainbow Baby teething doll is made in Germany by Käthe Kruse. Käthe Kruse has a rich 125 year history in doll making. They place a great deal of emphasis on quality craftsmanship and eco-friendliness.

I'll admit, the first reason I even considered buying it for my baby daughter is because it is just so darn cute. This particular toy comes in many solid colors and various striped print cotton nicki fabrics. Nicki is a plush fabric much like velour. It's very soft and velvety. The ring is made of Beech wood with a beeswax coating and is removeable for washing. This toy is organic, but not vegan.

My oldest daughter is thirteen and when she first saw this toy her comment was, "oh, that's one of those 'crunchymom' toys." I happen to like "crunchymom" toys. There is nothing wrong with a toy made of natural materials. And one that encourages a child to entertain herself is even better. Plastic musical toys with blinking lights have their place, but I prefer the simplicity and innocence of toys like this one. Käthe Kruse has a wonderful array of dolls, puppets and teethers. I plan to buy more of their products in the future. The Rainbow Baby pictured above is my favorite (and the one we now own).  I bought ours from an online eco-friendly and organic toy retailer called Julabug.com. They are also available on Amazon.com in a more limited color selection. Rainbow Babies run about $14-18 depending on where they are purchased from.

My youngest daughter is nearly six months old now. She is the child I purchased the Rainbow Baby for. The toy is rated for babies age three months and up. When my daughter was three months old, she could grip the wooden ring of this toy, but didn't do much with it beyond that. Now that she is a bit older she uses it for its intended purpose as a teething toy. I imagine as she grows older (and beyond teething), it will become a beloved friend that she won't want to part with. Since the wooden ring is removeable, she will be able to sleep and play with it as a regular doll. It's also small and easy to carry in the diaper bag. I highly recommend this toy (and all Käthe Kruse toys).