Baby Gear

There are a few things I have seen my kids love at other people’s houses so much I had to get it for them for home. I mean just because they like something doesn’t mean they have to own it! That is what playdates are for.
When we visited a family member one day and my twins were 8 months old this little couch she has was perfect to plop my kids down and let them sit and play with toys. This couch made for kids is one we had to have.

P’kolino now makes the Little Sofa. Available in two-toned green or red microfiber, the dense foam Little Sofa offers kids age 2-6 and up a great place to sit and play with toys, or cozy up with a good book. The Little Sofa comfortably fits two children sit side by side, and a book pocket on either side is awesome for keeping their favorite books. The best part is that The Little Sofa folders out into a sleeper! This is what sold me, I would fold the sofa down and put the two babies on it, when my nephew was visiting for a weekend, it was his bed!

My twins LOVED there sofa and now baby K does too. The one I have has a revovable and washable cover. But the Little Sofa has stain-resistant microfiber. You have to also check out their original Little Reader chair.

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My baby loves his toys but his REAL tried and true favorites are simple, non-toy toys. A plastic water bottle and its cap, my eyeglass holder, balls. Some of the favorite of all my kids have been simple things that function as many different toys. Today I want to highlight some of them and give you more bang for your toy bucks.

Parachute. My kids fell in love with this at Gymboree class. Have your child sit under it and wave it over his head, put balls on top and bounce it all over, or use it to drag him all over your yard. This can also be used as a amazing fort for 6 year olds!
This parachute is $25 and comes with a bag for storage.

Stacking cups are my other favorite. Inexpensive and kids love them for many reasons. they love to stack them up (or for you to stack them up) and push them down. They can do this for hours-I know! They love to put them inside of each other or put things inside of them and take them out again. They also love them at the beach, in the pool or bath tub.
Scooping water and dumping it out for hours is total fun for a toddler.

I want to know-what are your child’s favorite not-really-toys toys?

toys, toys reviews, toddlers, babies, kids, baby gear, baby gear reviews, mom reviews

I have seen KABOOST on the internet for at least a year. While I haven’t had the chance to try one, or the need, I always thought they were very cool. I still have not had the chance to try one out myself, but in theory it is a great idea.

KABOOST is a compact and portable chair booster that raises the height of any four legged chair so your child can sit at the table just like everyone else. Children reach a point where they don’t want to use a high chair or booster seat anymore and KABOOST is the perfect solution. KABOOST has spring loaded arms, rubberized grips, and collapsible design that make it safe, secure, and portable. It will stay attached even while the chair is moved.
In addition to raising the chair itself, KABOOST’s wide base actually enhances the chair’s stability. In fact, a chair with KABOOST is actually more stable than the same chair without KABOOST. It’s rubberized feet prevent slippage and won’t damage floors. KABOOST is lightweight and has a compact fold so that you can take it with you to visit friends, family and going out to your favorite restaurant.
It will hold up to 300 pounds so it is more than enough to hold your growing child.

Features:
Snaps-on chair in seconds
Engineered to improve chair stability
Stays attached even when chair is moved
Non-slip, won’t scratch floors
Fits 4-legged chairs (round or square legs)
2 Height positions
Same heights as standard booster seats (4.5″ and 3.75″)
Grows with your child
No assembly required

KABOOST will not fit:
Chairs with a seat height over 20″
Chairs with a diagonal leg distance over 30″ / less than 19.5″

Do you have a KABOOST? I would love to hear about your experience with this chair booster and if you think it would work in yoru family.

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Summer time in our house is filled with sun and fun. We spend a lot of trime outdoors and even though the kids and I do tan we also have fair skin and a family history of skin cancer. I love to find great family friendly sunscreen at a good price. We use a lot of it, so I am always on the search.

Substance Baby Natural Sunscreen has an SPF 30 and includes zinc oxide–making for an even stronger sun barrier. We love that, in addition to the zinc and the SPF, it is also chemical free!
I just love that in a sunscreen, especially for my children.
It also happens to be waterproof, a necessity in this house of swimmers. From the site: This chemical-free sunscreen also helps shield babies and children from skin damage caused by weather exposure, and keeps their skin hydrated with nourishing natural oils of shea butter, sesame seed oil and jojoba oil.
And with a certified herbalist behind this formula, it’s no surprise that Substance Baby Natural Sunscreen also includes an anti-oxidant-rich botanical blend of calendula, grapeseed and green tea extract to gently cool and soothe skin that’s been heat- and sun-exposed.

It smells like fresh mint and summer orange, not chemicals! Buy now, Substance Baby Sale: Save 20% on all Substance Baby products through July 31.

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Car seats for our kids is a stressful subject in this house. We are always making sure our seats are installed correctly and that we have the safest seats on the market. We recently moved my twins into booster seats and even though they are old enough at 6 years old, it still scares me.

When the chance to review SeatSnug came up, I really wanted to try it.
From the site: “SeatSnug® is a first-of-its-kind product that enhances both the safety and comfort of children riding in booster seats. It allows the lap belt to be lightly tightened around a child’s hips while riding in a vehicle, preventing seatbelt slack or looseness from developing.”

Children in booster seats are at risk of injury and death due to seatbelt slack. A standard seatbelt allows slack to develop in the lap belt portion while you are riding in a vehicle. Seatbelt slack is acknowledged in the auto industry as a major contributor to injuries and deaths in vehicular accidents!

By gently securing a child while riding in a booster seat, SeatSnug® substantially eliminates bouncing, rocking, tipping, falling over, and ejection, thus reducing the potential for injuries and death in vehicular accidents.

Installing SeatSnug was easy but it warns to follow the directions carefully because taking it off is not so easy, so kids cannot take it off themselves.
This is a great product I will recommend to all of my mom friends.

[tags] SeatSnug, booster seats, car safety, traveling with kids, safety, car safety, parenting, safe booster seats, product reviews, mom reviews [/tags

I am loving the availability of great, eco-freindly toys that are out there now. They are making their way into the market place as many of us parents demand to have safe, simple toys for our children.
As we all know babies and kids can be content with a pot and a spoon, or a box well beyond their attention to a light up, musical plastic toy.
Today I want to feature two items that are on my list of great, must have toys for kids.

This Uncle Goose ABC Blocks With Wagon is fantastic. Beautifully handmade upper case wooden alphabet blocks with wooden wagon
handcrafted from basswood in Michigan which includes 28 blocks,
4 complete alphabets, 3 sets of numerals, and 28 different animal pictures. It looks like something I had a child.
Each block is made with brightly-colored, child-safe, non-toxic inks.
Perfect for ages ages 2+.

How adorable is this Wooden Lawn Mower? From the site: A favorite among toddlers, our solid Wooden Lawn Mower Toy encourages active play as the moving balls make gentle clinking sounds. It is made from contrasting hardwoods and finished with vegetable oil for safety.
This is a classic children’s toy that has long-lasting play value–our wooden mowers will be used for years!
Not bad for $39.99!
Minor assembly is required: the handle will need to be screwed on to the tumbler using the included screw. Perfect for a first birthday!

I love that what is old is new again!

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After having three kids, I know that shoes do not have to just look cute they have to be well made and comfortable for my little ones. There are too many shoes that don’t fit the bill, but I have found a company that does and is really unique too: WeeSqueak.

WeeSqueak shoes are adorable, but they have a little extra secret: they squeak with each step your child takes! My one year old LOVED that he was making the noise he heard with each stride in his navy fisherman sandals and it was adorable to watch. Not only are these shoes fun for kids and parents but they come so many cute styles for boys and girls!
Think you may get tired of the squeaking? You can disable the squeaker in the shoe if the need be- ingenious!

From the site: As parents of infants and toddlers, our inspiration for WeeSqueak shoes was watching our children in these shoes. We discovered these little gems while in China adopting our oldest daughter, Chloe. However, during the adopting of our youngest daughter, Ellie, we had the idea to bring some shoes back for our friend’s children. Our company, WeeSqueak, was born! We are fun parents, with fun shoes for fun kids! Wee Squeak donates 5% of our profits to Half the Sky and to The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.

Check out how cute they are on my little one:

Win your very own pair of Wee Squeaks! One lucky reader will get to choose between the Orange Girl’s Sandal with Yellow Daisy, Turquoise Girl’s Sandal with White Daisy, and the Navy Fisherman’s Sandal (each in size 5).
Just leave a comment telling me which shoes you would chose if you won.

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Babies love to put everything in their mouths, all moms know that. Babies will put any fuzz, piece of food or even your hair in their mouths, just like a puppy! In addition to having to wear my hair back, I had to limit my jewelry wearing when I had the twins because any dangle earrings, or necklace went right into their mouths. Gross and dangerous!
Now there is jewelry that is not only adorable, but is OK for babies to put into their mouths.

Smart mom jewelry makes non-toxic, phthalate free, silicone teething jewelry for mom. The material is non-toxic, latex-free, food–safe, even dishwasher-friendly.
Whether it is a pendant or a matching bangle bracelets, all are cute for mom and safe for baby. No more picking up the teethers from the floor and having to clean them off before you can give them back to your child, now they are attached to you.
I also love that this is a mom owned business!
The best part of it?

I love my teething bling and I have had so many other mothers come up to me and asking me what they were and where I got them from.
Go order away, they make great shower gifts. With Mother’s Day coming up get some for your babysitters, Grandmothers or Aunts.
Plus, they are a perfect way to keep a teething baby occupied!

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I love the idea of a tricycle for my littlest one, so I have been researching and thought I would share with you!

Skip Hop WishBone Bike- 3 Bikes in 1 !
Unlike any other running bikes, the Wishbone bike evolves with a child’s different stages of development.
It starts at age 1 as a trike, converts to a running bike as the child grows, and by four to five years old, the ‘wishbone’ frame is flipped, making the Wishbone Bike one of the largest running bikes on the market.
With its environmentally sustainable design and innovative 3-bikes-in-1 feature, the Wishbone bike, designed in New Zealand, really is the ultimate pre-bike.
It is recommended for ages 1-5.

I LOVE this Radio Flyer tricycle, it is exactly like the one I had as a child! Much easier on the pocketbook at $85.
This is a classic Retro red and white styling and frame, it has controlled turning radius for safety and balance, Ringing chrome plated bell and a adjustable seat for different heights.
Perfect for ages 2 to 5 years old! These are a little heavy compared to newer types of trikes, but there is a reason these are a classic!

Lastly, I love the look of this Wheely Bug. Looks like a bug, rolls like a car. The Wheely Bug from Prince Lionheart is a cute wheeled push car for kids up to 50 lbs. The seat of this light push trike is made of compressed foam, padded with a 1″ layer of soft sponge. The Wheely Bug comes in three designs and two sizes.

Tell me, what kind of tricycles do you have in your house?

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Summer is here and time for many little ones to head to the pool for the first time. What to put on that baby’s bottom for her first time in the water? Well, what you DON’T want to do is leave her in her regular diaper, it is unsanitary! There are options though and I know, us parents like options.

There are disposable swim pants like Splashers and Little Swimmers. They work well and are inexpensive if you are visiting the water like once a week. If you are constantly in water, buying these will add up, they cost about $7-$8 a package. There are a ton of coupons available for them in the weekly paper or online.
Some pools require rubberized swim pants over the swim diaper.

Reusable swim diapers especially make sense if your child’s in the water a lot or if you live in a warm climate with a long swimming season. They can cost anywhere from $10-20.

The i play Ultimate Swim Diaper Original are for any little one who will spend anytime in the water this summer or at your local pool. They are pool approved and can be used at YMCA’s and Hotels.

Sun Smarties Adjustable Swim Diaper. Made of soft, peached microfiber, with an absorbent terry lining and waterproof inner coating. UPF 50+.

What do you prefer, disposable swim diapers or reusable ones?

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I really don’t like traditional juices on the market today for kids. Is it from concentrate? Are their artificial colors and flavors? Is it even 100% juice? These are all things I have to think about when I buy juice for my kids. First Juice is designed specifically for toddlers with parents in mind.

First Juice is naturally low in sugar- 12g per 8 fl oz compared to 27g in traditional apple juice. All of their juices are organic and they are as appealing to me as they were to my son! With flavors like banana + carrot, apple + carrot and peach + purple carrot (yes, purple carrot, they were originally purple and are filled with antioxidants!) how could it be bad?

Not only did my toddler love it, so did the 6 year old that live here too. I still water down their juice and this is a perfect way for my kids to get all the nutrients without the sugar!
First Juice has NO artificial sweeteners, preservatives or high fructose corn syrup.
Their plastic packaging is free of BPA and phthalates and their awesome single serving 8 oz bottles can be repurposed as a sippy cup! So clever.
They also make a 32 oz size for at home use.
Check out their web site for more information and where to find a store that carries it near you, I found mine at Babies R Us.
Also, First Juice offers coupons for $1 off. Check their website to find out how to get one!

Win It: First Juice is giving 8 FREE coupons for First Juice to one lucky reader. The coupons may be used for either the 8 ounce or 32 ounce bottles of First Juice.
To enter go to the First Juice website and look around. Then come back here and tell me which store near you carries First Juice.

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Summer vacation is 9 days away for our kids and we plan on visiting our new state’s beaches this summer. We love the beach, the sun and the sand as much as our kids do. There are some challenges with a baby on the beach, but we found some new products that are great for the beach and for our family.

Surfer’s Secrets was invented by two moms and a a dermatologist and it removes the moisture between your child’s skin and the sand, allowing you to just wipe away the sand easily without using water! I couldn’t believe how easy this was. No more waiting for the showers to be free to rinse off my kids, and ourselves. No more trying to rub off the sand with towels leaving my kid’s skin irratated, and best yet, no more sand all over my car!
Surfers Secrets is Talc free and has grape seed oil and aloe vera in it to help sun exposed skin. Go try some and I know it will be a staple in your beach bag like it is in mine!

The one thing I hate about all the strollers I have had, it that when the baby is reclined, the shade never fully covers the baby. I am forced to put a blanket over the baby to shade him from the sun but it is hot! Protect-a-Bub is a great sun shade that protects baby from the sun’s harmful rays with its 50 SPF protection!
Easy to use, this shade covers baby’s entire body. No more blankets that fall off or making sure you have a shady spot to park under. These great shades will fit any size stroller you have. Protect-a bub also offers shades for car seats. Also check out their blankets, swimwear and hats!

These are terrific products for all of your family’s fun in the sun!

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We have a love affair going on in our house with Little People. We have the villages, the barn and the zoo. At Christmas my son even became the owner of the Fisher Price Little People School Bus ride On. He loves getting on and off of it and riding around the house!

One button plays a stop and go on to school song and the two Little People in the front of the bus spin to the music. Press another button and hear the bus driver tell everyone to please sit down so we can go to school and another button is the horn. Press the two Little People in the front seat and hear them laughing. My son loves the pictures of Little People passengers on the sides of the bus and the colors of the bus, red and yellow, are bright and attractive.
The seat also opens for storage of whatever my baby needs with him at all times.
He loves being pushed around by his big brother or sister by the handle at the back and that handles was terrific when he was learning to walk. He would push that bus everywhere and think he was a big deal. A good toy for $34.99.
School Bus is for ages 12 months to 3 years, but I still catch my 6 year olds on it every once in awhile!
What is your favorite Little People toy?

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I am always looking for cool new toys for my children. The baby doesn’t have very many *new* toys because he has his brother and sister’s old toys. When I see a new toy I have to have though, I tell everyone I know, because I am a smarter consumer now. I know what my kids are going to like and if it will “grow” with them.

Kushies has everything you can want for your baby and their toy line is fabulous! Kushies toys are colorful, playful and adorable- everything you and your child could want in a toy. They have toys for infants, babies and toddlers. From teethers to sensory toys and many are brand new to the line.

Their Magnetic Activity Garden is adorable! This unique garden window box doubles as a zippered carrying case for toddlers on the go! The many ways to play and succeed encourage independent play and build real life learning. My baby LOVES this toy and won’t stop playing with it as well as my twin 6 year olds! My son loves putting them into the zippered part and taking them out again and carrying it around by its handles. I love that it travels easily!
It is brightly colored and no detail is left undone.

All Kushies toys encourage explorative play, flexible thinking, dexterity, self-expression, self-confidence and independent play!
How cute are the zolo stacrobats? Or the photo album to go? Any one of these toys will be my next baby shower gift!

For my readers: order from Kushiesonline.com and get 10% off your next order with code rbg10 Happy shopping!

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Baby K hates his high chair. He is not one of those babies who will sit and play sitting in his high chair or is content to watch what is going on. He wants to get in, eat and get right out. I know that he will not be in his traditional high chair (which I hate anyway) for every long.

Enter the Mutsy Grow Up booster seat. You will never find a more stylish, modern booster seat. What makes the Grow Up different from traditional booster seats is the padded seat reducer so your child is super comfy. The flexible seat along with the base allows your baby to sit comfortably on a average grown-up chair. It has an easy to use harness to keep baby in the seat.

The Grow Up is so easy to clean- just wipe down with a damp cloth. A huge plus with me is that the botom of the seat did not scratch my chairs like others I have had in the past! I love that is comes in four bright colors: raspberry, apple, mandarin or aqua. This seat is suprisingly light too, easy to take on and off. Perfect for traveling to friends or relatives houses with or even bring it to your local restaurant.
This seat fits kids up to four years old!

This of this seat for a baby’s first birthday, shower or new mom gift!

The Mutsy collection is available at Goores for baby to teens. For Reviewing Baby Gear readers use code rbgmu for 10% off ANY Goores order!

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