Be Kind: Awesome, Virtually Unbreakable Tempered Glass for Children

As a follow up to my review of the Be Kind Silisippers, that we've been using (and loving!) for about a year now, Be Kind was very generous and sent me some of their large 9 inch plates and their 8.5 oz graduate picardie glasses.  The plates are amply sized and an excellent transition for those growing appetites of older children.  Here is a photo of dinner for my just turned 3 year old, and I used a steak knife to show the scale of the plate.  I love that I have plenty of space to cut up her food on it, and she has plenty of room to eat without knocking things off the plate.  My daughter still mostly uses the 7.4oz Silisipper glass, the only plastic free training cup that I've found so far, but has no problem drinking from the graduate glass and will no doubt be using it regularly very soon.  As you can see in the comparison shot, the graduate glass (without the sipper lid) is slightly taller and wider, but still easy to grasp.




But the real selling point of these wonderful dishes, bowls and glasses (besides the fact that the Silisipper is GENIUS and AWESOME!) are that they are nearly unbreakable.  The glass is manufactured in France, and the silicone Silisipper lids are made in China.  I love the fact that they have created a line of stackable, non-toxic, glass dishware for children that are easy to take care of and are difficult to shatter.  For those who think they can't survive without plastic plates because they fear the glass ones will be tossed, but worry about microwaving on plastic...look no further!  These are made of tempered glass, 2.5x stronger than regular glass.  Don't believe me that they won't break?  Then here is an adorable demo video the people of Be Kind have put together.



ON SALE NOW!

Interested in getting some?  It just so happens that the Be Kind Kid Shop is in the middle of their summer sale!  Until August 8th, you can get 50% off the Silisippers and Training Tops, and
the Perfect Place Settings that include a Silisipper, Dish and Bowl in small or large sizes are marked down from $16.95 each to $10 for the small size and $12 for the large place setting!

Be Kind has truly thought of everything and even packages their products in a conscientious manner.  The glasses are shipped in trays made from 100% recycled fibers, and the packaging for the Training Tops is made of biodegradable cellophane.  I always get excited when a product arrives in packaging like that!  These are an excellent investment and will not disappoint!

Be Kind Silisippers

Picardie Silisipper 7.4 oz

Read my review on the complete Be Kind tempered glass line here.

Now that we are trying to transition my daughter from sippy cups to glasses, and I am admittedly type A when it comes to messes and keeping things tidy, I got tired of worrying about soiled clothing and big spills on the carpet.  That's when I found the Silisipper by Be Kind.  The lid is made of (top rack) dishwasher safe silicone, and the stackable tempered glass is microwave and dishwasher safe.  Admittedly, we just use ours for milk and water, but it has taken a lot of pressure off of monitoring my daughter while trying to teach her to use a glass.  Does she still like to tip it and sprinkle some of the contents out to paint with milk on the table?  Of course she does!  But the mess is now far more contained and easy to deal with, especially if it tips over (the lid stays put quite nicely). 


We got these just a little after her second birthday and she was using them like a pro right off the bat.  I opted for the "Picardie," because I liked the way it was designed and thought my daughter would be able to grip it more easily.  I was right - the first time she used it she was grasping the glass one-handed, chugging away!  At 7.4 oz, it is sized just right to fit in her little hand, yet still holds enough to drink along with her meal. 


Gigogne Silisipper 7.75 oz

Be Kind Silisippers are available with four different color silicone lids, in bright festive colors of Carolina Sky (blue), Grass is Green, Sunny Day Yellow, and Rosie Red.  These glasses are available at Stork Organic Baby Boutique, that has a fantastic selection of glass, stainless and nontoxic food and drink storage/serving options, as well as other natural childcare items.

 

Brinware Tempered Glass Dishes

I first came across Brinware about a year ago, while searching for plastic free options for toddler dishes.  They are made of tempered glass with adorable designs etched into the back of  them, and are covered by a brightly colored removable silicone sleeve that helps protect against breakage. 

Admittedly, I didn't really start reaching for them until my daughter was about 2.5, when her appetite called for larger plates.  Until then we were just using the 6 inch ceramic plates that came with our set.  However, my daughter has never tossed a single plate, even at an early age, so if that had been a problem I definitely would've reached for these sooner. 

They are extremely durable, and I love the fact that the silicone can go in the microwave, so there is no need to microwave children's food on plastic.  After heavier use recently, I have not noticed any wear, even to the etched design.  While I love the fact that both the glass and the silicone can go in the dishwasher, it is worth mentioning that I separate them to do so, and water inevitably gets trapped under the silicone rim.  I end up drying it when I take it out, and storing the dish and silicone separately so no remaining water gets trapped in there.  Not a very big deal, but worth mentioning. 

Overall I think Brinware plates are a fantastic option for those seeking plastic free dishes for children.  They are even large enough (7.5 inches) to continue to use with older children, with or without the silicone sleeve - a very worthy investment.  They also have matching placemats with cute alphabet designs on them.

If you are interested, you can always keep your eyes peeled on sites like www.ecobabybuys.com.  That is where I found mine for half off!