droolicious : toddlers

Get Arty for Their Next Birthday Party

JeanneSager — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 20:35:00 GMT

If you're all about sending your kids' party guests home with something that kept them occupied through the party, you'll be stocking up at Wallaroo.

The company known for suiting up moms, dads and kids with hats has an Art Hat for kids to get their crafty out.

The cute microfiber sunhats come packed with six non-toxic paints and a brush, so the kids don't need to fight over a collective set of paints. The hats themselves are UPF 50 plus to protect the kids from the sun's damaging rays, while the little drawstring pouch they come in can be stuffed with a thank you card from the birthday kid or a few tchotchkes to celebrate the day. Or you can just call it a day with the hat, the paints and the brush - a full goodie bag, and you didn't have to spend a day hitting up craft and dollar stores to get it done.

Get them for $20 at Wallaroo Hats.

To Market, To Market, With a Sweet Little Bag

JeanneSager — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 19:21:00 GMT

The best part of the green movement? There are finally fun bags for your kids to take to the store and help mom and dad with the shopping.

German company Reisenthel has been my favorite for organization for awhile now, and their Carrybag won points for propping up like the real grocery store baskets and folding back down to almost nothing when it's time to pack it back in the car. The tear-proof polyester is easy to wash and holds up to the gallon of milk, carton of eggs and everything the kids can grab off the shelves and throw in.

With spring upon us, it's the perfect size for the family picnic and for toting all the little goodies they collect from the woods back to the car.

And now our kids can tote a Carrybag too - Reisenthel's made a child sized version of the collapsible shopping basket, so they can carry them around the house, the store or bring their little toys along for a tea party in the woods.

Get the child size from Chic Bambini for $29.99 or an adult size for $39.99 from Amazon.

Better Batter Baseball is a Home Run

Cathy Hale — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 14:30:00 GMT

We got this toy when my oldest turned three and it's been a blast ever since! If you're looking for a fun activity that will entertain your little guy (or gal), you've got to check out the Better Batter Baseball from Fisher-Price. The tee-free design lets toddlers play without having to routinely reset the ball. They simply tap the plate and the balls automatically load thanks to the Velcro on the arm (it sticks to the ball). The trainer is height adjustable too. It says ages 3+, but I think younger children can easily get the hang of it. Retails for $40 at Target. Batter up!

Calico Critters Goes Plush

JeanneSager — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 13:30:00 GMT

I always thought the one downfall of our little buddies from Cloverleaf Corners was the lack of cuddle-ability.

Not anymore. The Calico Critters line of sweet little forest animals and their playset homes has gone plush. And they're taking the cuteness with them.

With a rabbit, mouse, bear and cat - just like their harder, miniature versions - the Calico Critters soft varieties let them play friends of the forest, and when they're done, take them off to bed for sweet dreams of friendly critters.

Priced at $13.99, you can get them all at Amazon - Willow Cottontail Rabbit, Lauren Fisher Cat, Penny Petite Bear or Nibbles Norwood Mouse.

Want to win one? I'm giving one away - click here.

The New Way to Wear a Tutu

JeanneSager — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 20:58:00 GMT

Who knew you could make a tutu anymore girly?

Isn't frothy toile (or is it tulle?) and bubblegum pink enough? No? OK, then your ballerina needs a Tutu Hair Clippie stat.

With alligator clips dripping in pink ribbon, an intricately crocheted ballerina oufit and net skirt adorned with little beads, the tutu clips from BowChic are for little girls who still dance like nobody's watching - even though no one can keep their eyes off her sweet little cheeks.

They're also a total steal at $6.75. So dance on over to BowChic at Etsy.

Look Who's All Grown Up

JeanneSager — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 16:30:00 GMT

I was all over the PediPed line when my kid was still learning to walk and needed the flexible sole for her growing feet. If your kid's aged out like mine, I've got good news.

PediPed's grown up!

The newest addition to their Flex line brings all the advantages of the super-soft soles and uppers that move with their little tooties instead of against them from babies to preschoolers. Extra cushion for pushing off for a run around the back yard and slip-resistant soles keep them going all day long.

Available in sizes 5 through 12 (cut slightly large so kids won't grow out of a shoe before the summer's out), Flex's spring/summer line of sandals is stocked with sweet Mary Janes for her and open-aired shoes for little men on missions.

Get them at PediPed.

Tauntaun Sleeping Bag: And I Thought They Felt Cozy On The Outside

Chris Ford — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 23:00:00 GMT

April Fool's Day has come and gone, and in it's wake we might just have the coolest kid's product I've ever seen. Too bad it's fake (for now at least).

Apparently every April Fool's Day online nerd product purveyor ThinkGeek comes out with a list of fake products, and at the top of the list this year was this fake sleeping bag for kids in the shape of a Tauntaun from The Empire Strikes Back. For those that don't remember (and at the risk of letting my geek-flag fly) - the Tauntaun is what Han Solo puts the nearly frozen Luke Skywalker in to keep him warm over night. While they're on the ice planet Hoth. After the Tauntaun dies from exhaustion. Before the Empire finds them.

Well, this idea has had such a tremendous positive response, ThinkGeek is now taking names from interested buyers in the hopes that they can one day bring this to market. I for one am sure hoping they do.

(Oh, and if you haven't noticed yet, check out the pattern of the lining).

Tauntaun Sleeping Bag, ThinkGeek.com (via The Consumerist).

Etsy Alert: Monsters - Cute or Not? You Decide

JeanneSager — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 15:32:00 GMT

Move over Ugly Doll, you've got monsterous competition from Etsy shopowner Diane Koss and her one-eyed wonders.

Want to get your kids in the mood for their first trip to Monsters and Aliens? Check out Koss' Cutesy but Not Cutesy, hand made creepy things that are so ugly you want to take care of them.

Every creature's got a story, and they're made with Koss' quirky eye for detail (check for little birds nestled in antlers, on heads and perched on the arms of her monster hydrant) in cuddly felts and plush cottons. Koss throws in recycled fabrics where she can, making these monsters a little green and that much cuter.

Sorry Diane, they are sooooo cutesy, and we love them.

Get Ben (above) who loves taking long drives through the mountains and occasionally hopping out to run around and take in the scenery and his buddies at Cutesy But Not Cutesy.

Taking the Mud Off Piggy Toes - And Leaving the Toes

JeanneSager — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 20:55:00 GMT

My daughter is such a little girl this tomboy mama has to shake her shaved head sometime. But there's nothing like a good old-fashioned girls' night with the toenail polish and a chick flick (while Daddy's banished with his XBox - like he's REALLY complaining).

But I've never been comfortable taking polish off her sweet little toes with a bottle of something that smells like it could have been dropped out of a chopper in Apocalypse Now.

Hello Piggy Paints Natural as Mud Nail Polish Remover! Completely stink free and not designed to remove the surface from my wood floors when my kid squirms during polish removal, the non-toxic formula leaves their sweet little piggy toes in perfect polish-free form.

Aloe Vera and Vitamin E have been added, so it even leaves a little love behind for their delicate cuticles.

Get it from Piggy Paint.

Boy-rettes - Hair Accessories For Long Haired Boys

Chris Ford — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 22:00:00 GMT

I'm not quite sure what to make of this one. As a father of girls, I fully appreciate the need to keep the hair out of my kid's eyes. So I can understand how you would want to keep it out of a boy's eyes too. The Boy-rettes from Kidcosmic.com will definitely get the job done, but a barrette for a boy? I think you will have to be the judge.

Kidcosmic.com not only sells Boy-rettes, but another hair accessory for boys called "Boy Bands" - a kind of a hair band for boys. The Boy Bands look kind of cool to me, but honestly I just can't get behind the Boy-rettes. All I can think of is the sixteen year old boy of the future mortified while looking at pictures of himself in barrettes.

The Boy-rettes come in a skull design (pictured) but there are more designs coming soon.

Skull Boy-rette, $8.50. Boy Bands (various), $13.00 from Kidcosmic.com

The Snuggie For Kids: Only Better

JeanneSager — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 16:34:00 GMT

It's probably a little unfair to compare the Merino Kids sleep bags to that ridiculous blanket with sleeves thing they peddle on night-time TV. Oh well, too late.

But there is good news - Merino Kids Go Go Bags have all the cool advantages of the snuggie/slanket/whatever off brand - without the silly sleeves.

I loved the little fleecy sleep bags when my daughter was an infant, but the bigger she got, the harder they were to find. And there was this little thing about needing to get her feet out to walk. . .

Problem solved. The sleeveless Go Go Bags zip from bottom to top, so you can leave them wide open for little legs to run or close up shop when they're ready for bed and need the extra warmth. Made in sizes newborn to twenty-four months and two to four years, they also take up space in the dresser longer than any kid clothing piece I've ever found - call it more bang for your buck.

There are winter weight sets for the really cold nights, but the merino wool of the summer sets breathes, letting kids who sleep in air-conditioned bedrooms stay warm without overheating.

Get them straight from BabySleepBags.

Zen Shorts by Jon J. Muth

Chris Ford — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 00:30:00 GMT

I almost never write about books on Droolicious (which should probably change come to think of it), and with this book I am probably late to the party, but it is so great I had to evangelize it a bit more. Zen Shorts by Jon J. Muth is the story of a panda named Stillwater, and the three short tales he tells children.

The book itself is beautifully illustrated in watercolors, with each of the individual stories illustrated with sort of asian brush-strokes. The stories are simple, peaceful tales not meant to teach as much as show different ways of looking at situations that kids find themselves in all the time. It's rare that my kids and I actually discuss a book after reading it the previous night, but with Zen Shorts we ended up talking about examples in our lives where the stories apply.

It is easily the best book I've bought for my kids in the last year, and I highly recommend it. In fact, the newer book from Jon J. Muth is out now too - Zen Ties. Read about that one on Babble here.

Zen Shorts, $15.23 for the collector's edition from Amazon.com

Twinkle Kids Hair Accessories

Lisa Estall — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 05:16:00 GMT

Now that I have a baby girl, I occasionally look for cute hair accessories to put in her hair when it gets long enough. I discovered these adorable hair clips by Twinkle Kids, Their handmade wool felt hair snaps and bands come in different styles.

Your child can wear animals, treats, initials or swanky snaps in their hair and be the unique one at playgroup. I particulary like their cow and duck snaps.

$15 for set of two.

Visit twinkle-kids.com

A Child's Modern Rocking Chair

Lisa Estall — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 20:54:00 GMT

This Mod Rocker would look sleek in any room. For extra comfort you can even get a Mod Pad ($25) with a...

non-skid underside. It's available in maple, cherry stain and walnut.

Sold at Modern Nursery for around $300.

For tots 18 months. Too bad they don't have an adult version!

Go Ahead, Touch and Feel

Lisa Mulcahy — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 12:28:00 GMT

Usually we’re telling our toddlers “Don’t touch!” But here’s a chance for them to quench that insatiable desire to touch everything in sight and learn in the process.

This Montessori-style feel and find puzzle set, $22, challenges kids aged three and up to reach into the drawstring bag to find the right puzzle piece without looking. What a great way to build their senses and keep them occupied.

Naptime Is The New Happy Hour

Lisa Mulcahy — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 23:32:00 GMT

The title says it all, Naptime is the New Happy Hour. In fact I’m enjoying “happy hour” right now as I write this. When your loving little infant gets to be a rambunctious toddler you will appreciate naptime more than ever. But naps aside, this book tackles all the nitty gritty you need to know about managing life with a toddler in tow. And just in case you’re not at the toddler stage yet Stefanie Wilder-Taylor’s preceding book, Sippy Cups Are Not for Chardonnay, offers honest advice for the first year. Happy reading!

$10.94 on Amazon.

Go Ahead, Give Your Toddler A Cactus

Cathy Hale — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 19:00:00 GMT

It's just like Jenga, but it's a cactus and made from plantation rubberwood. And it's loads of fun for youngsters. Build their imagination and sense of balance with this Plan Toys Balancing Cactus Game. It's just challanging enough to be fun, but not too hard to be discouraging. $19.99 at Moolka. Ages 3+

Ahoy, Mateys! Pirate Ship for Toddlers

Cathy Hale — Sat, 27 Dec 2008 20:00:00 GMT

This ship may have set sail last year, but it's still a wonderful toy for youngsters. Thanks to chunky wooden pirates that are easy to grasp and the perfectly sized playset, the Play Town Pirate Ship is a favorite with little kiddos. The working anchor, spinning wheel, cannonball launcher and telescope are interactive, yet no small pieces to keep up with or worry about. It also comes with a cute board book as an added bonus. The ship is on wheels so it can scoot without waves. A few left at Amazon.

The Babble Review: Put Cheekeyes Under Your Tree

editors — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 20:25:00 GMT

My grandfather had a wood shop and every Christmas there were golf tee puzzles under the tree; and once a stunning doll house that would go for thousands at Neiman Marcus today. When I got a load of The Cheekeyes I cursed myself for unloading grandpa’s toys at garage sales and then promptly coveted all six animal sets for my daughter. Elizabeth talked about these wooden wonders before but they just scream ‘holiday gift’ and here they are again, for your consideration.

These wooden and artistic toys come in Arctic, Africa, Dino, Farm and Forest. Their environments are also simply but beautifully made from the fir trees to the icebergs, so you can go with a theme or pretend you’re on LOST and mix the polar bear with the murula tree. - April Peveteaux

Get it at Oompa Toys for $29.99.

Stop Wars: The Tee

Erin Behan — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 19:22:00 GMT

Given the popularity of my Star Wars election post, I thought Droolicious readers might equally appreciate this riff on Star Wars, the Stop Wars T-shirt from Clothing of the American Mind. As befits a T-shirt worn to stop wars, a portion of the proceeds go to stop wars and is made in a sweatshop-free environment, printed with soy ink in a solar powered facility on 100 percent organic cotton. Available in 2T, 2T and 6T at Nimli for $32.

Convert-O Trike To A Convert-O Bike

Chris Ford — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 00:11:00 GMT

Design Within Reach is revealing a new product each day this shopping season, and today's it's a pretty cool kid's bike called the Convert-O Bike. It's basically a tricycle that, when your kid gets older, you can remove the rear axle and put one of the wheels in the center.

The Convert-O Bike is made of an aluminum alloy with solid rubber tires and a seat that can be moved back and forth. The construction looks solid and it looks like a very cool tricycle, but when you put just one wheel in the back (as seen in the picture above) it kind of makes it look like one of those old-timey 19th century bicycles - except a space-age silver version.

The Convert-O Bike is $360 from Design Within Reach. Limited items available and all sales are final.

Mozart Magic Cube: A Whole Orchestra in Your Hands

Erin Behan — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 20:57:00 GMT

I remember the revelation of sitting in music class and hearing the individual parts of an orchestra being broken down--flute, violin, French horn, etc. I'm impressed, then, that this toy teaches babies what I had to wait until kindergatden to learn (the horror). The Munchkin Mozart Magic Cube (a tidy 6"x6") makes sure your child won't be left in the dark. It plays eight tunes and touching each instrument button either adds that instrument to the mix or subtracts. There's also the option of playing the full orchestra version of any song. If you're looking for a well designed, durable musical toy that won't take up a lot of space, this is it. Buy the cube at Amazon for $19.96.

Violet Affleck’s Velcro Sneakers

alibaba — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 19:19:00 GMT

Photo from babyrazzi.com

Suri Cruise may be the most glamorous girl in New York, but Violet Affleck has casual chic down pat – plus she has dimples that just don’t quit. In addition to carrying with her the cutest backpack of all time, I love her no-time-for-laces Velcro pair of sneakers. The ones she 's frequently wearing these days are Superga Torinos. I think she’s been photographed wearing the same pair in pink. And Supergas aren’t just for babies – they carry great canvas styles for mom and dad, too - even in gold and silver!

Torinos are pretty affordable for celeb baby shoes at $45 per pair on www.superga-usa.com.

Suri Cruise: Where’d Ya Get Those Silver Shoes

alibaba — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 14:49:00 GMT

Photo from JustJared.buzznet.com.

Suri Cruise seems to have a thing for silver shoes, and who can blame her? Always the mini-fashionista, she seems to favor Mary Janes in shimmering metallic shades. Thanks to the paparazzi who follow Suri and her lovely mommy everywhere, we know for a fact that she’s got pairs of decadent Bonpoint Mary Janes in both silver and gold. But her latest silver pair appear to be by a Danish shoemaker that is a little hard to find state-side.

Unfortunately the shoes, made by Bisgaard, formerly known as Cocomma, are sold out at Toddle2teen.com but appear to be available through this British site: e-directory.co.uk (a site from which I have never ordered).

(shown above: Bonpoint silver ballet flats)

The Bisgaard pair are considerably less expensive than the Bonpoint pair with the ankle strap, which start at $230 at Bonpoint stores in the U.S. However, consider yourselves warned, would-be big spenders, the Bonpoint pair worn by Suri throughout the summer are sold out at the Bonpoint downtown store in Manhattan.

Star Baby: Adam Sander’s Daughter Loves…

SunnyChanel — Sun, 09 Nov 2008 18:14:00 GMT

When wondering what a little girl or a little boy adores, you needn’t look farther than what is depicted on their backpack. So, what does Adam Sandler’s daughter Sadie love?

Princesses! But not just one, but apparently all of them. As any parent of a princess lover knows, sometimes it’s hard for them to pick a favorite. This carryall is an equal opportunity princess pack with Snow White, Cinderella, Aurora, Belle and Ariel all depicted. Although we couldn’t find this exact backpack (do you know how many Disney princess backpacks there are out there, the selection is mind blowing), we did find this Princess pack with all the above mentioned princesses as well as the added bonus of Jasmine. You can get yours here ($21.99).

(photos via Just Jared)