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Probugs organic kefir drinks ($4.50 at Whole Foods) have two major selling points for kids: they look like bugs, and they taste like yogurt. Parents will appreciate that, while the kids are sucking down their bug-milk, they're also ingesting 10 probiotic cultures — "friendly bacteria" that helps combat food allergies and lactose intolerance. Both the Orange Creamy Crawler and Sublime Slime Lime flavors are tasty; however, they're significantly less sweet than most mainstream kid foods. If your child has trouble making the transition from more sugary dairy snacks, just point out that Go-Gurt is not shaped like a bug. — Gwynne Watkins |
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As a mom who has wrestled with the question of how best to store breast milk, I know a good storage solution when I see one. Slim Lines Milk Trays ($16 for two) are a breast milk freezer storage system developed by two Florida moms.Each plastic tray has eight one-ounce compartments, making eight milk "popsicles" guaranteed to fit into any bottle. Upside: my tray didn't leak one bit, even while wedged upside-down between the veggie links and the frozen burritos. Downside: a little on the expensive side for a simple piece of plastic. Unexpected plus: excellent for making juice pops for older kids. — Alisyn Cobb |
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Comedian Mitch Hedberg once said, "People who smoke say you don't know how hard it is to stop smoking. Yes, I do. It's as hard as it is to start flossing." Which is why you should get your kids into the habit early. The Otto dental floss holder from Alessi ($14) is good incentive; who could resist stealing the floss out of this little guy's mouth? And unlike the myriad disposable flossers aimed at children, Otto takes refills, so he's as good for the environment as he is for your gums. — Gwynne Watkins |
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The jury is still out on BPA, the chemical that allegedly leeches out of plastic bottles into your drinking water. Still, concerned parents need look no further than Sigg, the hundred-year-old Swiss bottle manufacturer. Sigg's bottles for children ($16-$20) are molded from single pieces of aluminum, meaning that they're virtually leak-proof as well as BPA-free. They also have interchangeable, replaceable lids (in case you lose one on the playground) and are safe to use with juice and soda. One downside: those cute Japanese-inspired exteriors won't survive trips through the dishwasher. — Gwynne Watkins |
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Child fantasyland is better than the real world, because in reality, trains ferry I-beams and grumpy commuters, and in the land of the French toys, they transport only smiling giraffes. This soft train ($18) is not only adorable, it takes its giraffes safely to any upside-down-or-sideways destination, thanks to their velcro feet. When squeezed, the train also makes a very realistic (and remarkably long) series of sounds associated with a train chugging along, then slowing down as it comes into a station (complete with clanging bell). You'll hear the sound so often you'll start to feel like you're living next to an Amtrak station. If Amtrak were run by cuddly European zoo animals. —Ada Calhoun |
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I'm sure I'm just an idiot. I've seen all the photos of the securely attached babies and I'm sure the parents' hands weren't Photoshopped out; clearly, it works. And yet, even following the website's directions to the letter, I couldn't for the life of me get the mountains of fabric (seriously, my curtains are less voluminous) of the Joey Wrap ($70) to create anything that didn't feel precarious. Maybe I've been spoiled by the snugness of the industrial-strength Baby Bjorn ($79; or, like, $5 on Craigslist). Maybe my husband's lack of enthusiasm for the "bougie," "Old Navy yoga pant" fabric undermined my efforts. But I felt outsmarted by the Joey Wrap, like I'd failed an IQ test. Still, in theory, this is one of the more versatile sling options out there, so you may want to give it a shot, if for no other reason than to show off your superior intelligence. — Ada Calhoun |
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So you're feeding your baby, and you're making all kinds of running-motor sounds and saying things like "here comes the airplane! Open wide for the airplane!" — and all the while, your baby is giving you a look that says "You can't be serious." Might you be a little more convincing with this in hand? The little plastic plane ($15) is cute and colorful — an effective diversion from the spoon's cargo — and it slips off for easy cleaning. Of course, it's also a tad flimsy, so you may want to save it for special occasions. Like pureed-spinach night. — Gwynne Watkins |
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Judging by the declining state of school lunches, it’s safe to assume that a homemade meal will continue to be the healthiest choice for your tyke. And the popularity of Vegan Lunchbox, a site devoted to making cute Japanese-style mini-meals, points to a resurgence of the brown bag craft. Anyone with the time and energy to jump on the bento bandwagon will find a comfortable starting point with Laptop Lunches ($20). This kit contains a bag and plastic case with utensils and four colorful containers — perfect for preparing small servings of veggies, tea sandwiches, noodles and crackers. Although the accompanying booklet is less than inspiring, you can find plenty of creative recipes online. Simply Flickring "bento" yields pages of visual stimulation (be warned: you may find yourself up at 4 am, and only on page 50 of 900.) It may be a few years before your toddler can fully appreciate a "Tiger hiding in the grass," but in the meantime, you can have more fun playing with your kid’s food than he does. — Mandalee Meisner |
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