University Games has won many awards for their creative and engaging products from such prestigious magazines such as Parenting , Family Fun and Child to name a few.

They have recently re-introduced an exact replica of the original Colorforms Playset, which was first introduced in 1951.

Made in the USA, Colorforms contains 350 pieces of colorful, primary stick on shapes to make whatever you kid”s imagination dreams up. -a rocket ship for boys, a doll house for girls.  The simplicity of this set, which has been updated to house them in an elegant spiral bound book, is the perfect addition to a kid’s toy collection.

Over stimulation is never good for children and this interesting toy is the perfect way for you child to quietly unwind from a busy day.  Give them 45 minutes of quiet time before dinner or bed, to construct something on their own.  These shiny vinyl pieces stick to most surfaces and will even stick to each other if need be.

Also included is a design booklet to help inspire kids to get started. University Games also makes gender specific Colorforms such as Astro Boy Playset, which will most likely appeal to boys, and Fancy Nancy Playset, geared more toward the young ladies.  But who’s to say?

The original collection will develop more creativity in a child, but just get them playing with any of these marvelous sets and you’ll see why this classic toy will be around forever.

This is an item I hope you will regard as worthwhile. If you have a young child and a pool, even a wading pool, you must have some way to tell if your child goes near that water when not in the presence of an adult.   Nationwide, over 350 children between the ages of 1-5 drown in backyard pools and buckets each year.

Once your child is mobile, the only way to prevent such an accident from happening is to have your eyes on them at all times.  Makes it kind of hard to take a shower doesn’t it?

Even with a fence around your pool, we know kids can climb. The POOLGUARD Wireless Door Alarm is an inexpensive way to ensure their safety. This model will pass building code inspections thanks to its UL listing and attaches easily to doors or windows. The alarm will sound for five minutes if someone passes through it, and then automatically reset itself.  It also allows for an adult to pass through it without it sounding, thanks to its outdoor wireless transmitter. Even if you don’t have a pool, you’ll know if they’ve left the house.

Give yourself one less thing to worry about this summer. (POOLGUARD also makes a variety of Swimming Pool Alarms as well as well as gate alarms; POOLGUARD Gate Alarm.)

  Just this month I was looking through one of my favorite magazines, while waiting in the car for my son to finish camp.  I saw a bottle cover like the one I am about to share with you and I decided to search Pricegrabber to see if I could find it.

Of course, Pricegrabber offered a product that I think has a better design and at a better price.  I recently posted about the importance of not heating or cooling plastic due to the dangers of it. (Here’s to their Health) and this applies to baby bottles, as well.

While everyone knows nursing is best for your baby, it is not for everyone.  Even if you choose to breastfeed there could come a time when you have to give your baby a bottle, and choosing the right one can be confusing.   I recommend that you use glass, as heating and cooling in it is safer than plastic, and they clean and sterilize better.

EvenFlo Classis Cozy Glass Bottle With Sleeve is a three pack of clear glass bottles with colorful silicone sleeves to wear over them. The sleeves protect the glass from shattering if your baby accidentally (or not) throws it on the floor.  What a great idea! The raised finger holds make it easy for baby to grip on to it and it’s made of BPA free material. The sleeves are 100% recyclable, and come in six fashion colors.

These are the only bottles you’ll want to use.

High chairs are a necessary thing.  They rank as one of the top ten items in baby registries.Of course, you’ll need one at home ( StokkeTripp Trapp Chair) that’s well made and will last through more than one kid.  But having one to take on the go is something we don’t always think about. Not all restaurants cater to children so finding a seat for them can be a hassle, not to mention you’ll most likely wipe it down with a pound of baby wipes before placing your baby in it.

I know you have enough stuff to haul with you when leaving the house with a baby, but I see parents with these all the time (we eat out a lot) so they must be pretty darn handy.

The Chicco Hook On Portable Chair is one I like This bright happy chair hooks directly on to the table and relies on a safe three-point harness system to secure your child. Because it is made out of nylon, it’s easy to wipe down after meals or you can throw it in the machine. (Try that with a standard high chair) and folds down for easy transport.

Keep this neat little seat in the car when dropping your child off at the sitter’s or Grandmas (same thing!) Weight limit = 37 lbs.

Searching for a summer shoe that my son will wear without tripping is like finding a needle in a haystack. His current ones just aren’t cutting it.  When we were on vacation, this became somewhat of an issue for everyone who had to stop and watch him right himself, adjust the “thingy” in the middle of his flip-flops or complain that his feet hurt.

My nephew finally exclaimed in frustration, “Just get him a pair of sandals already”, and my sister threatened not to let me go away with her next year unless he had a decent pair of shoes.

So I am searching for something lightweight, breathable and preferably with a rubber sole like a sneaker.  These Teva Hurricane Sandals seem have all of the things I am looking for.

The word “Teva” means nature in Hebrew, and this company makes the ultimate outdoor shoe. (They recently won the Outdoor Industry Award for their products.) I own a pair of Teva’s myself, circa…ummm…1999? They are still in good shape!

These Hurricane sandals have a patented universal “strapping system” that ensures a custom fit, shock absorbing mid-soles for added cushioning and a sturdy rubber sole. I like the fact that this is an open toe sandal that allows a child’s foot to “breathe”

The simple design makes them easy for kids to get off and on, with hook and loop straps. Did I mention they are waterproof, too?

Having comfortable shoes to wear that fit properly is important for everyone, especially kids and Teva makes the best! (Check out Teva Kids K Dristi in a pretty pink for girls)

I have a theory about trampolines. My kid’s not getting one.

I am perhaps somewhat nervous when it comes to doing flips in the air (which my boy seems to like to do) and the feasibility of him landing the wrong way in a flowerbed and injuring himself.  It’s a fair guess, I think and not without merit.

Nevertheless, like most kids he loves to jump on the bed and do flips and land on the floor where he can possibly injure himself. No amount of pleading or threats seems to drive this point home, either.  Sometimes he just doesn’t have any ears!

I think I have found something that will satisfy his desire to burn off some energy and my desire to keep him out of the emergency room.

The Bazoongi Kids Bouncer is a neat little trampoline for kids to use and there are a lot of great reasons to invest in one.  It’s made out of galvanized steel so it’s good and sturdy and most importantly it’s low to the ground. On the SLIM chance that they will take a spill; they shouldn’t be any worse for the wear. However this comes with an adjustable stabilizer bar which beginners can hold on to while they are learning to keep their balance.

The surface is a generous 48 inches around so there is plenty of room for little kids to jump to their hearts delight (One at a time, please) and great fun on a rainy day.

(Also available in a Pink  Butterfly Trampoline for the girly-girl.)

I‘m  particular when it comes to buying a shower gift, or a gift for a new mom.  It must be practical, creative and something I would have liked to have had myself. (Cute never hurts, either!)

This time around, the present I purchased fulfilled only two of those requirements. Nonetheless, it was great because it was organic!

Natures Baby Disposable Bib Set will make life a new parent’s life little easier and a lot less messy.

As parents, we try to keep those new little outfits of theirs clean. (Squash and Sweet Potatoes never seem to come out in the wash for some reason.) How many of us have tucked a soiled bib into the pocket of a diaper bag and forgotten about it until weeks later?

This JUMBO set of 240 chlorine free bibs is hypoallergenic, eco-friendly and disposable. Keep some in the car, some in the house or even some at grandma’s house.  No more forgetting bibs or leaving them somewhere.

These are not as fancy as the cute little embroidered ones your mother-in-law gave you. Instead they are clean and white, (And white goes with everything, right?!) Most importantly, they are always on hand.  Isn’t that the point of a bib anyway?

You’ll buy so many you might run out of places to store them !

I am trying to conserve the planet one day at a time.  Like many people, I use my own eco-friendly grocery bags to pack my weekly order.

Occasionally, I may be walking home from the park with my son and I decide to dash in to the farmer’s market to pick up a few things.  Do I surrender to using to a stand’s plastic bags and listen to a lecture all the way home from a 7-year-old on “how I am not supposed to be supporting the use of these”, or do I just buy 2 zucchinis and a tomato and call it a day?

If you are expecting a baby or know someone who is, this terrific stroller from Mutsy is a cool and practical gift.  The DIVSHOP Shopping Basket by Mutsy is designed to hold all of your purchases without the need for reusable totes.  It clips in and out of most Mutsy strollers for some serious shopping and no guilt.

Most under the stroller baskets just don’t hold that much, and the position of them (Usually located near the wheels of the stroller) makes retrieving your purchases from them inconvenient

The roomy DIVSHOP Basket clips in to an easy access position on the stroller. Just release the metal clips, and the attached carry handles allow you to transport groceries, beach bags or packages from stroller to house in a jiffy.

Mutsy makes a complete line of strollers and accessories for babies and kids ( Mutsy Diaper Bag) but this one is for MOMS!

Going on a family vacation is a much-anticipated event for everyone .The car is packed the kids are buckled in and off they go.

Since I personally experienced this situation a few weeks ago, I thought I would share with you a game we played to entertain our own kids on our way to the beach. The version we played was a little less sophisticated than the one I am presenting since all we did was call out the capitals of each state and then dispute over who answered first, which one of us was right and who had the most points (My son the scorekeeper gave them all to his beloved cousin!)

Fast Track Learning U.S. State And Capitals by Learning Resources has a lot more to offer and I think I’ll pick this up for next year’s trip. This terrific game offers a map to let you know if you have answered the question correctly, (Important!) and self-checking activity cards as well as fun facts about the people, places and geography of each state.

The set contains over 100 laminated cards (I love this as you can take them to the beach with no fear of them getting ruined!) designed to test a kid’s state knowledge and   presented in a way that’s and fun and easy to play. Since my child has not yet been taught this in school, I was pleased he was introduced to something he will most likely be learning in the near future.

An educational toy that’s enjoyable for all ages and can be played just about anywhere.

That sounds good to me. (Tuck these in to your Beach Towel In A Bag )

I am the mother of a fair haired, fair skinned boy.

The merest hint of a freckle on his face instills a tiny bit of panic in me.  In retrospect…I cannot comprehend why my friends and I felt the need to slather on baby oil every summer in a race to see which one of us could get the “Hawaiian Tan” first.

Of course we know better now and it’s a good thing, as most of the sun damage we will inherit comes from being exposed to it as children. (I wouldn’t dream of venturing outside without my SPF 40 anymore)

Typically, most kids don’t appreciate this concern and shy away from having their skin greased up every time they venture outside. The aroma of sunscreen is unattractive for some kids, particularly those with allergies or sensitivities to fragrance.

If this situation sounds familiar to you, try California Baby No Fragrance Sunscreen SPF +30. This is a chemical-free sunscreen that needs to be reapplied every time your child wipes it off either by sweating or toweling off after swimming or approx. every 3 hours.

The plus side of this is that it is that because it is a physical sunscreen, it is appropriate for babies over six months of age and can be used as often as needed.

This year round lotion also comes in a bug repellant formula, which contains ingredients such as citronella and pure lemongrass to ward off pesky summer friends.  (California Baby Natural Bug Blend SPF+30)