gear – Page 20 – The Next Kid Thing

Master Moves Mickey Flash Mob in Times Square

August 9, 2012 by Jen Rabulan-Bertram

Together with 4,000+ other women bloggers, we descended upon NYC to chat all things blogging, network, and in some cases, interact with brands of all sizes at BlogHer12. And because I write mainly about products and services geared to kids, I had a chance to meet up with friends and reps in the kid space. My time wasn’t just spent talking toys, it was spent dancing, too!

With its recent release of Master Moves Mickey, Mattel orchestrated a pretty cool flash mob in Times Square. Professional kid dancers, as well as adult dancers convened with bloggers like me to shout “Mickey, Mickey” while pop and locking for an unsuspecting audience.

I loved how the pro dancers truly made the sequence come to life, especially in such a short time frame. It was so cool to witness a flash mob of this scale come together and admire all of the dancers, especially the kids and the breakdancers. My friend, Eddy of Dancing Hotdogs and Daddy Uprising, hung out in the back but contributed our spins and shouts! Regardless of my inability to dance like the pros, it was super fun.

Master Moves Mickey, aka M3, was one of Biggie’s favorite toys that we saw at a recent Holiday Disney preview, so it was super cool that I was invited to participate in such a unique promo. As my friend said, now we can cross that off of our bucket list.

Review of Master Moves Mickey to come, as well as other fun toys from BlogHer 12!

Master Moves Mickey is available in stores now and retails for $69.99

Back to School with The Children’s Place: Mom Knows Best

August 6, 2012August 6, 2012 by Jen Rabulan-Bertram

Ready or not, here it comes! As summer starts to wind down, the back to school frenzy begins…just like that. All summer however, I’ve been checking out the latest and greatest in back to school trends. I’ve seen a lot of looks ranging from retro, classic and edgy. But of everything that’s new for the season, the best look we’ve found, ultimately, is the one that lets kids be kids.

A brand that gets it right by offering a myriad of styles while remaining age-appropriate and affordable is The Children’s Place. And so, when TCP, one of my favorite retailers, asked me to take part in a back to school promo that involved styling Biggie, it was a no-brainer.

As I studied their back to school lookbook, I couldn’t help but get nostalgic about The Children’s Place. I remember my mom perusing the racks when shopping for our back to school outfits. And so, being tasked to style my soon-to-be school age son for a promo for TCP, I must admit, it was supremely surreal, considering I wore their clothes as a kid and a vast majority of my childrens’ basics are from this same brand.

Back to school looks for everyone

The back to school looks, as I mentioned, seem to assuage all tastes, shapes and kid sizes. The girls’ pieces, though strikingly pink, retro and sparkly, also offer classic and more subdued styles as well. As a mama of boys, I usually have tunnel vision for the more rugged and edgy styles. The Children’s Place tasked me with styling my boy for some back to school looks. They gave me about a $150 price range to work with, which was more than enough to pick and create many looks.

I had a fun time picking out styles that I thought suited Biggie. He’s an outspoken four-year old, and one who just happens to have a penchant for clothes. It doesn’t matter what it is, this kid loves clothes. He’s obsessed with cool pjs, wearing sporty clothes for playing outside and even, getting “fancy” when we go out. This could be my doing, but hey, you can’t fault a boy who appreciates being well-dressed.

The pieces I chose were a mix of preppy and classic, with navy blue as the dominant hue. I try to buy timeless and durable clothes that would potentially be in style and in great shape four years later for baby bro. I like to layer because the weather in northern Jersey is very unpredictable in the fall and because he’s a boy. Hello, ketchup on the top shirt. Thank goodness for that undershirt! As for accessories, I went with items that Biggie loves: a skateboard bookbag since he loves skateboarding; a striped tie because they make him feel “fancy”; and classic navy sneakers. The sneakers, by the way? They look like they’re regular laces, but they’re not! They’re actually elastic, which makes them easy to slip-on–perfect for kids who can’t tie their shoes yet!

I love the way his looks came together! Biggie was such a great sport, considering it was 80 degrees on the day I took these pictures, and according to Biggie, he had “too many clothes on,” yet he still managed to cheese it for every photo! We shot these pictures at this tiny red school house in Florham Park, NJ, as suggested from a friend.

Getting him all dressed for this mini photo shoot got me all excited and anxious for the first day of school! Do you guys like this time of year as much as I do? What sort of clothes do you buy?

Check it

As part of their Mom Knows Best back to school campaign, Biggie will be featured on TCP’s FB page! If you feel so inclined be sure to vote for us and the styles I chose! I’ll be sure to link when it goes up.

Review: LEGO DUPLO Read & Build

August 3, 2012August 9, 2012 by Jen Rabulan-Bertram

LEGO has released several fun new additions to their much-loved line of building bricks. But it’s their latest combo of goodies–books and LEGOs–that have my boys playing and discovering new things together! We absolutely enjoyed reading and reviewing the Let’s Go VroomLEGO DUPLO Read & Build title.

With biggie starting school in just a few short weeks, we’ve, no doubt, been practicing our letters, sight words and reading routines. And so when I was asked to review LEGO DUPLO Read & Build, I loved the impeccable timing of this assignment. Like many families, we try and read several times a day, but since we returned from the hospital, we try to read with both Biggie and Baby as much as possible.

There’s much to be said about unplugging while bonding over books. Add some LEGOs and an interactive storyline, the Read & Build are truly a fantastic set. I enjoy watching Biggie figure out how to build the plane by himself, unlike the DUPLO sets where he still needs help. The packaging is much different than the usual boxes that LEGOs come in; these sets come in plastic shells, where you can clearly see everything you’re getting! Because of the easy-to-create and imagery within the story, the Read & Build sets give him a sense of independence and accomplishment. I’d love to see these sets grow in size, and perhaps, even, age groups.

As usual Biggie and I have a lot to say, so feel free to check out our video featuring the LEGO Duplos Read & Build storybooks.

Giveaway:
Want to win a LEGO Read & Build for yourself? Be sure to email me your son or daughter’s favorite book! Jen @ nextkidthing dot com

UPDATE:

For extra entries:

Tell me the title of this LEGO Duplo Read & Build storybook.

From the video what do I like about the packaging? (hint around the 1:25 mark)

Become of a fan of The Next Kid Thing!

Tweet about this giveaway and be sure to include @jenrab

comment below with extra entries

Giveaway ends 8/10 at 10 pm. Winners will be chose by random.org

Full disclosure: This post is sponsored by LEGO DUPLO in conjunction with the BabyCenter Blog Network. I received a free sample of the product for the purpose of this review

Review: Relaxing with the Swimways Spring Float

August 1, 2012 by Jen Rabulan-Bertram

Believe it or not, when we’re not at the doctor or hanging out in the hospital, we’ve found time to have some fun this summer. In fact, the summer of 2012 will forever go down as the summer that Biggie learned how to swim. And as a family that lives in a lake community and visits our beach hometown often, swimming IS our summer!

As a member of the Swimways SwimTeam, I’m so proud to report that we officially have a swimmer/fish. It was a big step to go from that in-between stage where Biggie understood how to swim, and then graduate to the official newbie swimmer status. He swims with so much confidence, truly, almost too much. But with his confidence, I can relax a bit more.

And speaking of relax, Swimways sent us a Spring Float for review, which we happily tested out in our next door neighbor’s pool while we were “pool sitting” when they went on vacation. Like many of Swimways’ products, the Spring Float is efficient in the water and when it’s time to pack it up.

It was quick and easy to set up the float, unlike so many full-size floats. It takes less than 2 minutes to set up the float after opening the package. It “springs” open from the circular shape to reveal a long, oval mesh-like float with an inflated edge and pillow. Check out this video of how quick it pops open.

Because it’s been so hot, we’ve been swimming later in the day when the sun isn’t so intense. So, floating around in the Spring Float for an afternoon swim is a great way to decompress and relax, especially after the craziness we’ve endured this summer. Well, rather, I should say, it’s relaxing when I can wrestle the float away from Biggie!

I love how the float offers just enough support to stay afloat while keeping you cool. And then when swim time is over, it’s simple to pack it back into its compact shape. We’ve still got a month left of summer, so we’re not ready to pack it up quite yet!

The Swimways Spring Float retails for $29.99 and can be found at retailers such as Target.

How my love for the 4moms mamaRoo came full circle

July 30, 2012July 30, 2012 by Jen Rabulan-Bertram

I’ve been trying to write this post for the past few weeks, but the tears and heartache continually get in the way. It’s been one month out, so hopefully, I can hold it together long enough to finally string together a few sentences to sum up where, exactly, I’ve disappeared to yet again.

As a blogger and writer that mainly focuses on baby and kids’ products, like some of my colleagues, I get to experience many of the latest products, sometimes even before they hit the shelves. And with Joshua’s birth earlier this year, getting a sneak peek at the latest baby gear was no exception. I had the pleasure of reviewing not one, but two great products from the forward-thinking company 4moms out of Pittsburgh. The mamaRoo and the Origami, both incredibly techy and sleek, are two baby products that not only change the baby product marketplace, but inevitably changed my family’s world, eerily foreshadowed in a piece I wrote for the family-centric tech site, Techlicious.

I reviewed the latest version of the tech-enabled infant seat over on Techlicious, revealing that “The new mamaRoo model ($200-$240 on 4moms.com) boasts faster speeds, new colors and patterns, a locking toy bar and a one year warranty.”

But in my original piece that was tightened for space/relevance, I touched upon how the mamaRoo has been used in hospitals to benefit babies. I wrote in my review about how the mamaRoo has been known to be used in hospitals in NICUs and other scenarios where sick babies need a little extra comfort.

The smartest aspect that I found about the mamaRoo, hands down, is that they’re being used in hospitals to comfort babies in the NICU and other situations. As stated on the 4moms’ site, according to Pam Schanwald,

RN and CEO of The Children’s Home and Pediatric Specialty Hospital of Pittsburgh, the mamaRoo’s “movements are therapeutic and calming for babies, particularly our Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome patients.The mamaRoo soothes them so they can spend their energy healing and growing instead of fussing and crying.”

While writing that piece, little did I know that I’d be finding out how important the mamaRoo truly is, when used in a hospital setting. And for those who didn’t already know, last month, at just 4 months old, Joshua suffered a series of seizures within a short time frame. Because of the nature and pattern of his seizures, it was, undoubtedly, one of the scariest times of our lives. And here’s how it all went down:
Read More

Baby Days: Nighttime Changing Routine

June 15, 2012June 15, 2012 by Jen Rabulan-Bertram

The baby days continue to consume me, both personally and work-wise. After an informative afternoon with famed pediatrician, Dr. Harvey Karp. I was inspired to share our nighttime changing routine, one of my favorite times of the day…for more reasons than the obvious! Find out how we incorporate Stokke, Under the Nile, Badger, CJ’s BUTTer and Fisher Price into our nighttime changing routine.

Earlier this week, I enjoyed a lovely lunch with the amazing Dr. Harvey Karp of Happiest Baby on the Block. I learned so much during the candid conversation over lunch at the book publisher’s NYC office discussing his latest book on sleep. (post to come) And now, with our baby right at 4 months, naturally, there are so many changes going on. He’s turned the corner on sleep, his eating habits are more predictable and his behavior is all around fun.

As a second time mom and mom of a preschooler and infant, I’ve found that the one of the hardest aspects of motherhood is finding balance. Yesterday, for example, finding time to balance the four year old, four month old AND write in between was complicated, to put it nicely. The four year old, like most preschoolers, demanded my attention. The baby sat so quietly for most of the day, but it was the big kid who tested my patience as I tried to make deadlines. Ultimately, something gives, and every time it’s the writing…but, such is life.

And since the baby didn’t get nearly as much attention, I’m SO grateful for our nighttime routine. It’s that one time of day when it’s just baby and me, and we’re both awake, happy and usually relaxed. So, while big bro hangs with daddy, it’s just us for 30-45 minutes of uninterrupted quality time–if we’re lucky.

There’s so many elements that contribute to how fun this can be, but here’s what we’re doing right now:

1. Badger Nighty Night Balm
I can’t get enough of Badger Balm. Truly. I was first introduced to these products via Healthy Child Healthy World. The Bug Balm was the first product we used and now, swear by. And so, when my husband brought home several sample of other balms, I immediately fell in love with even more Badger Balms that I didn’t even know existed! The organic Nighty Nighty Balm is, should I say it, the bomb. In lieu of lotion at night, I use this balm, which has a soft, but wax-like consistency, to give the baby a little post-bath massage. What a life, right? I use this time to help him exercise and stretch those chubberific legs, soothe his arms and then softly massage his chest and back. His coos and smiley face is enough to keep this in my routine. The balm moisturizes well and smells unbelievable. You think the baby smell is awesome? Just add this to the mix. There’s no synthetic fragrances, just chamomile, a little lavender and more. So sweet.

2. Changing Table: Stokke Care
This solid wood changing table from Stokke was our Christmas and Birthday present from my inlaws. While this beautiful piece of furniture deserves its own post, I’ll highlight what makes this such an integral part of our routine.
The first time around, we were city parents who were starved for space. We shrugged off the need for a dedicated changing table and opted for just a changing pad that we threw anywhere to do the job. After over two years of changing anywhere and everywhere our backs ached and that changing pad was practically crumbling for so much usage and handling.

So, this time around, when we were asked what we needed, we said nothing…EXCEPT a changing table. So, why the Care? Aside from the fact that it matches our Stokke Sleepi System, it’s multifunctional and grows with the baby like several of Stokke’s other products. After the diaper-changing days, the Care can be turned into a desk. (I know, right?) The Care changing table boasts a lot of storage space and is compatible to various heights–perfect for taller parents. (Our backs are thanking us this time around!) The side compartments are just as convenient as the storage baskets that sit atop two shelves. As a cloth diaperer, the storage area is ample for my stash, as well as our bountiful inventory of baby toiletries and acoutrements. This is my most used baby staple, and one that I’m thrilled will truly grow with us!

3. CJ’s BUTTer
Heh. I said butt. Ok, got that out… So, both of my children much like other members of my immediate family, have extremely sensitive skin. Finding a diaper rash cream or ointment that REALLY works and doesn’t use toxins or harmful chemicals can be next to impossible. Burt’s Bees is my usual go-to diaper cream; in fact, the big kid was fond of eating it when my back was turned. Unfortunately, Burt’s Bees isn’t cloth diaper friendly. Thankfully, with cloth diapering, we don’t see too much diaper rash or irritation, but it’s when we switch over to disposables when we’re on the go or on laundry days, the irritation sometimes arises. CJ’s BUTTer which I’ve always seen on cloth diapering sites as a great option for diaper ointment, was sent to me as a sample in a Bluum Box. It was love after first swipe. The ingredients are all natural, it’s made with love by a small company, it works well and can be used beyond diaper rash (for black/mixed hair to separate locks? who knew!) It moisturizes and seals the irritated areas and I love that it contains essential oils. CJ’s BUTTer is my new go-to for diaper ointment.

5. Hooded Bath Towel: Under the Nile
This thick, luscious hooded baby towel is made from organic Eygptian cotton and you can totally tell. It’s both soft and durable and surpasses the quality and texture of the thin baby towels we received from the big kid’s baby shower. We have tons of baby towels, but honestly? This Under the Nile towel is the one I grab every time. And bonus, my photographer friend, Maegan Dougherty, who has photographed our family many times pre-baby #2, shot some pics for Under the Nile’s clothing line, which can be seen on the front page. Nice, right?

5. Fisher Price Giggle Gang
Another stuffed toy and one that laughs? Ha! Yes…but this one is too cute to pass up. It’s just a round, vibrant plush toy that giggles when you press it’s belly and it’s contagious and chewable! I have a video review of these guys coming up, but I couldn’t not include him on here because we keep Fuzzy on our changing table to distract Mr. Squirmy baby. Laughs all around!

6. Badger Baby Oil
For our first kid’s baby shower, I received several containers of baby oil. I honestly had no idea what to use it for, so I never really used it. This time around I find myself using it as often as I can. I use it in diaper wipe solution, for dry skin patches and most often after bath on baby’s scalp to help avoid cradle cap. I use just a tiny drop and it works so well. I’ve read articles that say to AVOID using oils on the baby’s head, but alas, this is something I still do and have no issues whatsoever. With with calendula and chamomile, the Badger Baby Oil smells so lovely, I love using it at night to complement the Nighty Night balm. Bonus: I love to include it in so many of my baby shower gift baskets because it not only lasts forever, but it’s a great alternative to the more questionable products in the baby aisle.

There are so many products out there, and many more that we use, but these few just so happen to be the ones we use in our current routine. All of them are fun, sustainable and worthy of sharing!

Full disclosure: the changing table was a gift from family, but all of the other products were either items in a swag bag, samples from a company for review or samples obtained from my husband’s employer, which has no direct affiliation with NKT. As always, all opinions on NKT are mine.

Sesame Street Debuts What I Am, Anthem for Little Children, Big Challenges

May 30, 2012May 29, 2012 by Jen Rabulan-Bertram

It may have been the unofficial start to summer, but beyond BBQs and beach time, this past weekend was a time to celebrate those who serve and have served in our military. A product of the U.S. Navy and U.S. Merchant Marines, military service was the glue that held my family together. My dad’s service brought him to the U.S., provided for our family and ultimately, put me through college. I count my lucky stars every day, and now that the Big Kid is old enough to comprehend the military and our service men and women, I felt that it was our duty to help better educate him on the topic.

In line with Memorial Day celebrations, this past Saturday, some characters from Sesame Street performed on The Intrepid, as part of the launch of its newest outreach initiative, Little Children, Big Challenges. This educational message is quite relevant for military, veteran, and other families with young children, to help increase self-awareness, boost self-esteem, and help children persevere through changes.

With my dad in the Navy, as a young girl, saying goodbye for months at a time was quite common. As a result, separation and uncertainty are issues that still sting to this day, but as a parent now, I’m so glad to know there are helpful outlets that can cushion the blow. In the reality that is our world, military families face so many adversities, and sadly, separation is sometimes the smallest of their worries; it’s comforting to know that Sesame Street provides an outlet that embraces these feelings that sometimes only military families can understand.

I was honored to be onhand on the Intrepid with my own family to capture the debut of the anthem of this latest outreach, What I Am, sung by American Idol alum, Matt Rogers. As fun as it was to cheer and laugh along with Elmo, Rosita, Gordon and Matt, it was the Quantico Marine Corps Band accompaniment that gave us all the chills. Listening to the band accompany this Sesame Street performance, penned for families going through changes, I have to say, was quite moving and memorable, to say the least.

Because Fleet Week festivities were wrapping up at the Intrepid, we were able to take part in a few educational activities. The Big Kids most favorite activity was building his own boat, with supplies and directions supplied by the Navy’s ONR. The Big Kid crafted his boat with Play-Doh, an oversized straw and construction paper mast, as best as a four year old could do, but let’s just say, he wont be a naval architect any time soon.

Our day at the Intrepid, listening to the Sesame Street performance and checking out all the military-related activities was a fun outing; but most importantly, it was the beginning of a dialogue with our children about the importance of our military, and just how much our service men and women and their families mean to us. We will always salute you.

Check it

To learn more about Sesame Street’s newest outreach initiative, Little Children, Big Challenges, be sure to check out their online resources, which includes printables, games and a video.

Want to view the video of What I Am that features Rosita, Elmo, Gordon, Matt Rogers and the Quantico Marine Corps Band? The video is posted below the jump.
Read More

Big City Moms Biggest Baby Shower Ever, Spring 2012

May 23, 2012May 23, 2012 by Jen Rabulan-Bertram

Well, they’ve done it again. The stylish and resourceful moms behind Big City Moms managed to throw yet another Biggest Baby Shower Ever and live up to its moniker.

Held May 9 at the Metropolitan Pavilion in NYC, the Biggest Baby Shower Ever brought together some of the hottest brands in the mama and baby gear industry, a number of baby/parenting experts and of hundreds of new and expectant moms. In addition to the high profile exhibitor space, this year’s Biggest Baby Shower brought out a few celebrity parents, many of whom were touting their latest endeavors including Jessica Alba, Chrisiopher Gavigan, Tia Mowry, Liza Huber, Susan Lucci and Melissa Joan Hart.

I’ve been covering the Biggest Baby Shower since I was pregnant with the Big Kid and I was actually a city mom. And by “cover” I mean, I went as an expectant mom searching for the latest and greatest in baby gear, and was so inspired that I started NKT as a result. So, without a doubt, this is always one of my favorite events as a mom and blogger. Because NYC moms–NYC women in general–are considered tastemakers, this event truly showcases the best of the best in baby gear and parenting experts.

I’m sure I’ll go into detail about particular brands I saw at the show, but here are just a number of my favorite highlights of the Big City Mom’s Spring Biggest Baby Shower Ever:

Wean Green

I adore these tempered glass cubes, which are perfect for baby food and kid snacks. With all the scary issues with plastics and other questionable materials, glass is always a safe standby. I actually got rid of all of our plastic containers and replaced them with all Glasslock containers, so naturally, I fell in love with Wean Green, too.

Milkin’ Cookies

When I first heard about Lactation Cookies, I sort of winced out of ignorance. But quite honestly, after tasting THESE delicious cookies, I’ll never look back. Created by two moms who are doctors that wanted to continue nursing while working fulltime, Milkin’ Cookies provides nursing moms with a divine treats that also help promote milk supply. They’re made with a variety of grains and are perfect for the whole fam. I just can’t get over how delicious AND helpful these have been for me.

7am Enfant

Well known for their stylish stroller muff, bags and other accessories, 7am Enfant showcased many of their latest styles. One of my favorites among the pack was definitely the Barcelona Bag, which has a sleek silhouette, is super functional, yet maintains an overall trim size, something not too many diaper bags can do!

Project Nursery

I’ve been following Project Nursery online for many, many years now, so to see their designs in person was truly surreal. Project Nursery, an online resource for nursery design, showcased a few of gorgeous nurseries at the show. My favorite, however, was the boys’ nursery that featured a few pieces from the incredibly talented Sam Simon. If anyone can tastefully incorporate sparkle into a nursery, it’s Sam.

Honest

Created by Jessica Alba and Christopher Gavigan, this line of environmentally safe home and baby care products are making heads turn. Made with safer ingredients suitable for eco-concious families, what makes Honest unique (aside from the star factor) is the subscription service and impeccable customer service.

There are so many more brands to speak of, but I will have to include them in another post! So much goodness to go around from this latest Baby Shower. Speaking of which, Big City Moms recently started to make waves beyond the NYC area. Their Biggest Baby Shower was recently held in other metropolitan cities like LA and Miami, so be on the lookout for a shower near you.

If you are in the NYC area and are an expectant or new parent, and are interested in new baby products or listening to the most knowledgeable baby experts, it would behoove you to check out the Big City Moms Biggest Baby Shower. The gift bag (and food samples at the shower,) alone, are well worth the admission price!

Learning to Swim as Part of the SwimWays Swim Team

May 18, 2012May 18, 2012 by Jen Rabulan-Bertram

With summer just a few weeks away (yay!) and just in time for National Learn to Swim Day on May 19, I’m so excited to announce that we made the SwimWays Swim Team. This is another fun ambassadorship that will allow us to give you the scoop on great kid gear.

So, this summer, both kids will be learning how to swim with SwimWays gear onhand. The big kid will be learning with SwimWays Swim Step 3 and the babe will be floating along with Swim Step 1. The SwimWays’ Swim Step program is a three-step approach that include swim-training aids to help parents teach kids to swim at home.

Raising Water Babies

I spent endless summer days in our family’s swimming pool and then, as I got older, I lived it up at the beach. Growing up in a beach town, my summer days were routinely spent in the water, from sunrise to sunset. So, now that I’m a parent I hope to enrich my kids’ summers with the same love for the water.

We live in a lake community now, so swimming at the “beach” aka our lake, fills our summer days. Even though the Big Kid has the basics of swimming down, he doesn’t officially know how to swim yet. That said, I cant wait to help him learn the fundamentals of swimming and how to stay safe in the water.

And now that we have the baby, the wee one can’t be forgotten. Baby will be along for the ride on our swimming adventures, where we’ll nurture his activity in the water with Level 1 Swim Steps.

Celebrate National Learn to Swim Day

It’s going to be a fun summer, and I can’t wait for our beach days and teaching the boys how to swim with the help of SwimWays. Speaking of which, to help usher in those summer days full of swimming, SwimWays created National Learn to Swim Day to help raise awareness about the importance of teaching kids to swim. On that end, SwimWays is hosting the first annual National Learn to Swim Day Event at the Greenbrier Family YMCA in Chesapeake, Va from 1-3 pm. The event will not only be a grand opening of the YMCA’s outdoor pool for the summer, but it’s also a way to celebrate National Learn to Swim Day. The event is open to members and non-members and will feature fun activities and goodies. If you’re not in the Hampton Roads area, you can still enjoy National Learn to Swim Day by visiting a community pool or simply enrolling the kids in swim lessons!

Facts and Tips

Here are some staggering facts that SwimWays passed along:

·         According to the Red Cross, drowning is the second leading cause of unintentional injury-related death for children ages 1 to 14 years old.
·         Statistics show that children ages 1 to 4 drown most often in home swimming pools.
·         Children were often out of sight less than 5 minutes and under the care of one or both parents at the time of many home pool drownings.

For more resources on pool safety, tips and products for teaching the kids to swim, be sure to check out SwimWays’ TeachMetoSwim.com website.

NKT Faves: Bot Shots, Chan and Skylanders Cloud Patrol

May 14, 2012May 14, 2012 by Jen Rabulan-Bertram

As usual, so much has been going on around here. Even though I haven’t been updating as frequent as I like, I’m always updating Twitter, Facebook and my current obsession (and everyone else’s,) Instagram.

My current Instagram obsession made me think about the other obsessions we have going on in our house. My Four year old is at that stage in life where he clings onto things incessantly. And the fact that I review kid products means that his obsessions change with every new package we receive, or so it seems.

So, I thought I’d try to update weekly on what are our new favorites. It will most likely be a random sampling of things, but all fun finds nonetheless.

1. Transformer Bot Shots

These Bot Shots from Hasbro can be cataloged in a few different ways: they’re collectible, have a battle aspect and they transform. They’re small in size, which makes them perfect for young school-aged kids and maybe even preschoolers. The fact that they’re Transformers adds to the cool factor. When in battle mode, players can push, then crash into their opponent, and then the Bot Shot automatically transforms. I can’t tell you how many battles we’ve had with our guys.

I love the low price point for these toys, almost as much as I love the fun play pattern. It’s competitive, yet creative and all around fun, especially for Transformers fans.

2. Chan, Pie and Gnon Teethers

I’ve had a lot of baby on the brain as of late, and baby toys are no exception. I’ve talked a lot of Sophie the Giraffe, but I’m so excited that the makers of Sophie have friends for this famous giraffe. Chan, Pie and Gnon are rubber, just like Sophie. These little mushroom-looking characters are easy to grab and even have a squeaker toy inside. As my baby learns to grasp things, it’s so cute to hear that little squeaker squeak.

3. Skylanders Cloud Patrol

The uber popular video game franchise is already a hit on the web and on consoles, and now, it’s available on mobile platforms. Our whole family loves playing Skylanders, so naturally, Cloud Patrol was an instant hit for all of us. Cloud Patrol has a combination of mini-missions and shooting adventures, which are all easy to play on a touch-pad devices. The colors and characters are just as vibrant as the other game platforms, and quite honestly just as addicting. Activision is getting it right with the multi-platform interactivity. I love the way you can engage characters you already own, just by inputting the number they came with. Skylanders Cloud Patrol is a game that will be along with many of our roadtrips and train rides this summer.